Tourist - U

U is the debut album from London's William Phillips, who previously released an EP on Disclosure's label Method Records and co-wrote Sam Smith's Grammy-winning mega-hit "Stay with Me." While Phillips' earliest EP was downtempo and closer to chillwave, his subsequent releases are a sort of bittersweet U.K. garage. 2014's Patterns EP contained guest vocalists by Lianne La Havas and Will Heard, but on U, Phillips sticks with chopped-up vocal samples, resisting the straightforward pop route that Disclosure traveled on their full-lengths. The album was inspired by the ending of a four-year relationship, and it seems like a natural continuation of the yearning sentiments of Tourist's earlier EPs -- especially tracks like "Together." There's certainly no shortage of gloomy British post-dubstep, but Phillips' work seems to have more of a purpose than just being mopey. His tracks are detailed and subtle, but also kind of perky. There are clippy-cloppy beats and aching sentiments, but there are