Make no question about it; Photek remains a vital force when it comes to the progression of drum and bass. Following a near decade hiatus, the UK DJ returns with his latest LP project, KU: Palm.

Emerging on the UK jungle scene in the early nineties with his seminal 1997 project, Modus Operandi, Photek earned the respect of many fellow UK mixers and made an unprecedented contribution to the sound of drum and bass. After following up his debut feature with his subsequent efforts Form & Function and Solaris, Photek took an unexpected absence. The UK DJ made a slight come back years later with the release of his 2011 EP efforts, Avalanche and Aviator, soon before earning a 2012 Grammy nod for his Daft Punk remix on the Tron soundtrack. The EP releases, as well as, his distinguished addition to the Tron soundtrack, proved to be a sure sign that the innovative DJ never lost his touch.

Now, The legendary D&B pioneer is taking us on a joyride with his latest album KU: Palm. The album is tantalizing to say the least. One of Photek’s strong points is his ability to mix and create new sounds. The artist has an undeniable ear for the unheard. Utilizing his soundtrack experience much to his advantage, Photek managed to inject elements he conceived for the soundtrack into his latest project.

Photek pulls listeners in with his adrenalized opening track “signals”. The record is fixated with highly intricate drum patterns, sequenced double bass lines, and minimalistic synth melodies. The track is reminiscent of the early drum and bass era. The underlying complexity of the record continues throughout the album, providing even more testament to the DJ’s musical prowess. While the opening record draws influence from techno elements, Photek manages to throw in a few classic d&b records. Among one standout d&b record is “Pyramids”, which also happens infuse components of jazz. The album reverts back to modern soundscapes with the dubstep inspired record ”Shape Charge”. Given the fact that drum & bass shaped the underlying aspects of dubstep, the execution of the track proved to be not much of a challenge for Photek. The album rounds off with a few vocal assisted tracks. With help from Linche, Breakage, Veroica Coassolo. Considerably, my favorite record on the LP is the Linch featured record, “Sleepwalking”. Basslines undulate slowly through the track as Linch lays down a powerful ballad.

The overall project is a melting pot of multiple genres – each in good measure. Although arguably not the most groundbreaking album Photek has produce, the album is still good nonetheless. Let’s face it “Modus Operandi” is a lot to live up to. KU: Palm is currently avalible and can be purchased online on iTunes, Amazon, and Beatport.

The legendary DJ has also been nominated for the 2013 Grammys for his remix of Moby’s ‘Lie Down In Darkness’. So be sure to check him out when the winners are announced on February 10, 2013.

Not familiar with Photek? Check out his latest work and get some exclusive audio downloads from Photek below.