Abram Shook - The Neon Machine

The Neon Machine, the fourth album from Austin musician Abram Shook, is a dystopian dance party, and everyone's invited. Juxtaposed against 2017's sepia-tinged, quietly reflective Love at Low Speed, the new record's mix of irresistible beats and slyly humor- ous lyrics might seem like a 180 at first glance: a giddy, knowing soundtrack to the end of the world. Those familiar with Shook's previous work, however, understand that he has always explored his own brand of off-kilter funk, from the soulful swagger of his debut album's standout single "Coastal' through Low Speed's Prince-inspired "Lies'. The varied influences of world music and jazz that are present in all his records can still be heard (as in the High-Life inspired guitar work on "My Money'), though here Shook tucks them into the corners and uses them in more subtle ways, giving center stage to a vintage Sequen- tial Circuits Prophet 600, a drum sequencer, and his signature rubbery bass lines. In Shook's adept hands, The Neon