An ascetic ideal put forth by Modern Love label boss Shlom Sviri led to Andy Stott making one of his most spellbinding albums, his first since 2021’s Never the Right Time. The producer accepted the challenge of disallowing basslines and reverb while limiting effects to a delay unit, leaving him to his drum machines and keyboards, plus familiar collaborator Alison Skidmore and fellow vocalist Elaine Howley — a new associate who enchanted Stott with her 2025 single for Modern Love. It doesn’t seem likely that Sviri or Stott imagined that the restrictions would give rise to something that is somehow nearly as tuneful as it is austere. “Cold Welcome” begins Late Loop with Skidmore plainly stating “I can still feel love” like she’s in triage for a broken heart. As the track…

You need to be logged in to view the rest of the content. Please .

« »