Our Thickness

Matthew Adam Hart might make homemade compositions of richly-arranged, laptop-assisted techno pop, but out of all the notable artists in the genre (Caribou, Four Tet, Junior Boys), Hart's project, The Russian Futurists, appeals most to those who love good pop music. Hart's music always centers around the catchiness of it all, as vocal melodies carry each song, and each track seems to contain a memorable hook. Album number three sees him trying to broaden his sound, and on Our Thickness, a record that stays true to the previous two albums, Hart succeeds, foregoing the earlier airy sounds in favor of a flat-out wallop of music. The wall of sound he creates is both sumptuous and jarring, as each track is loaded with samples, often punctuated by insistent, boisterous beats, delivered in a very well-produced package. Upper Class Recordings. 2005.