8/10

Throughout his sprawling career to date, innovative UK artist Vraell has always sought a broader and more illustrious aesthetic than many of his peers. Usually one to explore this rich and sombre atmosphere in which to lay his shimmering vocal style across a wave of cutting releases, his tenure to date has seen him conjure some beautifully refined moments, all looking to add something new and interesting to his aesthetic. And after plenty of praise for his material in recent years, he now returns with 'once a blue hour', a record that looks to build upon those immersive foundations once again.

Continuing much in the same ethereal vein he has adopted over the years, 'once a blue hour' makes for an incredibly warm and inviting listen. Taking a more expansive approach to his usually subdued aesthetic for this new release, this new ten-track collection finds him in one of his more explorative guises to date. Swapping backwards and forwards between dreamlike electronic compositions and a more stripped-back, acoustic-led demeanour throughout, his latest outing delivers a truly spellbinding array of gems, creating this surprising and unexpected direction as it plays.

While plenty has already been said about his progressive intentions over the years, 'once a blue hour' shows there is still plenty of captivating ingenuity coursing through him right now. With this strong and commanding grasp over his textures at every turn, Vraell remains a riveting addition to today's new music scene with this one.