John Beltran has released a new album under his Placid Angles alias titled Touch The Earth. A career spanning nearly four decades, the Michigan artist first released an album under his Placid Angles moniker in 1997 and this album has some callbacks to that era, while still remaining rooted in the present.
It is a blend of breaks, UKG, ambient and house that mixes and meshes over a 55 minute record. The project opens with a slew of breaks that are at times gritty and other times more euphoric with “Deep Blue.” Those beautiful atmospheric breaks are found throughout the record like on "Beauty Begins With Us” that has a hint at Bicep in it. Touch The Earth also has moments of jubilant house music with “Dakota” that evolves through different suites in one track.
Sprinkled throughout are ambient tracks that help break up the album into smaller chunks like “When The Sun Shines Through” in the top half and then “Chat’kwaina” and “At One With” in the second half.
The full album feels very well crafted and cohesive so give it a full listen below. Get your copy here via Berlin label Figure.
