Alex Smoke
Love Over Will
Reviewed by: Carlos Esqueda
Scottish music producer and DJ, Alex Smoke, is to carry R&S Records first album release of the year (no pressure), but thankfully the guy has constructed a killer album worth giving a listen. The album title Love Over Will is a play on the law of Thelema- “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will”. The album is meant to help evoke a reflection on the times we are living in and to welcome what is to come, and well noted from album cover to songs, is the workmanship that has gone into the album.
The album cover created by photographer Finlay McKay is also something worth noting. Having only been given the title and some background about the creation of each track, McKay was given complete freedom to come up with the image. The artwork has clear links to the magical thinking evoked by the entirety of the LP, making ties to the new age we live in.
“Love Over Will”, the eighth track on the album, is personally one of my favorites. With a large buildup to a seamless drop, its captivating to see how the piece is able to convey much of the album’s message in the span of three minutes. Songs like “Manacles” and “All My Atoms” blend Alex Smoke’s haunting exploration with his own vocals and distinctive techno beats and sounds influenced by his ventures over the world. Each track in the album combined with their perspective title introduce the listener to a philosophical and sometimes religious factor, transcending one’s mind to thought and inquest.
Tracks like “Galdr” and “Whitening” give us a taste of Alex Smoke’s undertakings with classical and electronic music, a genius blend of old and new, once again granting definition to the central theme of the album. In all, the album is very well constructed and does well in provoking thought and emotion amongst its listeners. For not being a fan of techno myself, the simple ingenuity of the construction to evoke its central theme, made me a fan of the LP. For any techno and EDM listeners out there, you all for sure will get a kick out of the album!
Rating: Listenable
