We last heard from multi-instrumentalist Tom Vek six years ago on his well-received debut album We Have Sound. After which he vanished into his London studio like a mad scientist to work on a secret project. While always promising a return, the longer it took, the more suspicious fans became. They even started a Facebook page to try and find him. So after all this time away he has finally released his creation.
Leisure Seizure is a bold statement. Gone is the minimalist post-punk garage sound, each song is built up around intricate, intelligent beats which have been layered with bass heavy synths and textures and what we get is a mix of grungy prickly numbers that have been well crafted and show that Vek is trying to push boundaries and come up with his own solution and twist to the pop song.
But the secret ingredient is missing. At times we get glimpses of what a clever forward-thinking artist Vek is. 'Aroused' and 'A Chore' are dynamic upbeat fun songs which will have you dancing all day and the brilliant slower 'Close Mic’ed' sounds like it could fit on a LCD Soundsystem album. But if you are familiar with Vek, you will know that he has a very distinctive dry, deadpan voice. It’s not for everyone and while it suits his music and style, at times it can be a little too much and towards the back end of the album I find myself struggling to get through it.
While Leisure Seizure is strong in points it suffers from being too crowded and too long. If Vek can put his brilliant ideas, beats and voice together he will be able to create his masterpiece, his Frankenstein. But he is going to have to go back into his studio and tinker with his toys. Let’s just hope it doesn’t take another six years.
