With previous outings including ‘Pink Trees’ and last year’s ‘Rave Angel’, it’s hard not to get excited at the prospect of a new Robert Babicz release on the mighty Bedrock.

It’s clear from the opening moments of ‘Fading Hearts’ that we’re not going to be disappointed. Dramatic synths are immediately shadowed by a chunky 303-bassline, and the moment when the percussion springs to life, a little after a minute in, will give a thrill to any lover of house music. Eerie chiming melodies creep in next, working superbly with the bass parts to create something magical yet funky, while the breakdown takes things even deeper with spooky vocal pads,and the second half ups the ante with heavy, mechanical hi-hats. This belongs up there with the best of Robert Babicz’s most recent crop of work, inviting comparisons to tracks like ‘Tender’ and ‘Loli and the Snuggle’.

‘Density Disrupted’ sees Robert Babicz partially slip on his ‘Rob Acid’ hat again, with a warm, beefy acid bassline immediately taking the limelight. The track’s mood stays light as the bassline is imitated higher up, and the breakdown introduces heavily reverberating old-school breaks and a spacious, dreamy melodic theme, which reappears for the track’s finale. I didn’t think that this was as strong as ‘Fading Hearts’, but it’s still an excellent piece of work in its own right.

I’m not sure there’s even much point in reviewing Robert Babicz’s work anymore – for years now each release has been so consistently outstanding that his name alone really has become a guarantee of innovation and quality. Still, for it’s worth, this is a beautiful release from Bedrock, with ‘Fading Hearts’ being the star of the show for my money.