Moderator - Sinner's Syndrome (2018)

Moderator is proving himself to be a master of cinematic beat-construction, evidenced by his album The World Within and other memorable appearances. The Athens-based producer is a serious player on the Greek downtempo/trip-hop scene, dazzling with a distinctive production style that leaps across genre boundaries. Lounge, hip hop, Italian horror film soundtracks, dub, Memphis soul, and even rockabilly are among the influences that phase in-and-out of Moderator’s songs. It’s like calmly turning the radio dial to a random station, yielding a surprising but pleasant discovery.

Sinner’s Syndrome, the new album from Moderator on Melting Records, continues this aesthetic, and builds upon it for extra sonic satisfaction. The sound and titles of the album’s 14 tracks hint at the channeling of a dark, supernatural element, but Moderator assures us that he only uses earthly, electronic means to concoct his sampling magic. Regardless, Sinner’s Syndrome is sure to cast a spell on any willing listener.

Highlights include “Sweet Curse” with its captivating boom-bap take on southern blues; the upbeat “Red Headed Devil” which evokes a ‘50s lounge band experiencing time travel; the late night backwoods roadhouse stomp of “Zombie Girl”; and the gentle “No Other Love” with its spaghetti western flavor and thoughtful poetics. These moods are made for groovin’, and there’s plenty here for eclectic-minded DJs and home listeners to love. Enter the world of Moderator’s Sinner’s Syndrome … once you’re here, there’s no escape.