Maya Jane Coles' fifth studio album (including two as Nocturnal Sunshine) is an exploration of all the things that happen at night, which is when the U.K.-based producer feels most like herself. It happens to be the most club-focused full-length she's made to date, with only a few downtempo tracks, and even those tend to be appropriate for slow dancing rather than lounging and relaxation. Fitting for an album with a late October release date, several songs have an enticingly spooky vibe to them. "Devil's Dance" is an expertly paced, suspenseful number with entrancing synths levitating over a dubstep-leaning rhythm. "True Love to the Grave," one of a few tracks featuring vocalist Claudia Kane, intertwines the haunted vibes with the album's other preoccupations, sex and romance. On "Show Me Love," Kane pines for "dirty love" over Coles' knocking beats and delicate, reflective melodies, and "Come with Me" is a slower, starrier soundsystem diversion. The album's production is stunning throughout, maintaining a balance between solid, propulsive rhythms and fluid, spacious textures, often incorporating dissolving voices as well as full lyrics. The tracks are detailed without being cluttered or over-busy, with plenty of breathing room. While the album never reaches the point of outright aggression, there's a few moments that heat up, most notably "Survival Mode," which is filled with brooding bass and rumbling breakbeats. For the most part, Night Creature is a tense, thrilling ride flavored with doses of sensuality and fear. Easily the most consistent, enjoyable full-length in Coles' catalog.
© Paul Simpson /TiVo