…Since 2010, Gold Panda’s Derwin Dicker has been making opalescent, gossamer-tufted tracks in the tradition of Four Tet, J Dilla, and Susumu Yokota. And while he has cut loose on occasion, the emotional gravitas of his music — suffused in wistful sample flips and winsome harps and chimes — has always made it seem more grown up than your average comedown soundtrack. Gold Panda’s last album, 2022’s reflective The Work, was inspired by midlife strides in therapy and sobriety, which are already admirably adult themes. All that makes his new album, TON UP, a delightfully unexpected left turn. Rather than yet another nuanced collection of contemplative home listening, it’s a 35-minute grab bag of antic, automotive-themed house jams that hug…

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