8/10

After releasing his incredible 2018 debut album 'Family Portrait', emerging producer Ross From Friends grew from a cult favourite to one of the UK's most adventurous and explorative names on the scene. Having found a home on Flying Lotus' Brainfeeder Records, he was able to create broad and sprawling electronic cuts that cemented him as a uniquely exciting artist with bags of potential under his wings. And after a few years to work out his next move, he has now returned to deliver his sophomore effort 'Tread', a record that picks up almost exactly where the last one left off.

What most moved us about 'Family Portrait' was how much heart and emotion he was able to inject into his largely instrumental offerings, and this is exactly the same feeling we get when we switch onto 'Tread' for the first time. There is this bold and textured reverie to his work that never really gets explored much these days. While similar producers such as Caribou, Bonobo and Jamie xx have all begun to hone their work toward a more mainstream and commercial ear, Ross From Friends is remaining consistently enveloped by his chosen aesthetic, and looks to push the boundaries of it as often as possible.

It is a warm and beautifully rich array of compositions that continues his already impressive legacy even further. From the very start, 'Tread' was built to find new and interesting ways to develop his enigmatic style, and this new collection pulls out one superbly captivating release after another.