Operating as King of the Mountains, longstanding UK producer/composer Philip Kay (a former member of Manchester’s Working for a Nuclear Free City outfit) will release his Zoetrope LP (artwork above) in the coming weeks via the Meldoic imprint. On the record’s title track, Kay sounds utterly confident in his craft, piecing together an immense composition that fuses sharp melodic tweaks, grainy pads, and textured percussion in expert fashion. But Kay gradually pulls “Zoetrope” apart as it nears the end of its six-minute run, letting the synths run wild amidst an ever-deepening soundscape. It’s all impressively reminiscent of Jon Hopkins’ most recent work and bodes well for Kay’s upcoming 10-track album as King of the Mountains.

Zoetrope