Photo Credit: Mike Massaro

Andy Stott influenced the music industry with his releases of slow, grinding tracks that built energy within listeners. Over the years, Stott has expressed a level of edginess throughout his tracks. Whether changing the atmosphere of a nightclub or shifting the mood at a party, Andy’s music blends sounds together to create time-shifting moments. Never The Right Time is the eighth album from the Manchester based artist. Released on April 14, 2021, the 9-track album brings another dark, time-stretched project to people. At times listeners can feel a plethora of emotions, each track on the album seems to come from the same perspective, yet each is expressed differently. A casual listen to these tracks will uncover deep bass, layered synths, and a rich palette of sounds, which creates an immersive experience for fans to listen to.

The resonant voice of Alison Skidmore is throughout the album. To date, Skidmore’s vocals have been heard the most. In many songs, her voice adds a majestic lightness to what would otherwise be mostly dark and desolate music. Skidmore’s soprano cool voice creates a depth that fills in that space. Stott takes his music to a gloomy space at the beginning with “Away Not Gone.” Guitar rifts throughout the track draw listeners in awaiting the beat drop. The title track “Never The Right Time” brings the slow and steady rhythm fans have grown to love from Andy, and the consistent beat and ethereal voice usher in dilated cycles to move to.

“Repetitive Strain” is a repetition of sounds that lead into the next track. “Don’t Know How” and “The Beginning” feel like they build up to something more with glitchy beats, however, there is nothing with distinction in these tracks. The song “Hard To Tell” becomes the standout track that brings pop, punk, and electro-glitch together. “When It Hits” carries that heavy repetition of a linear beat. “Answers” pulls from the swirling vortex of the club scene. The song has a faster beat that allows listeners to groove to the glitched sounds and wavy rhythm.

Andy Stott’s sound is defined by ethereal vocals, surreal basslines, drifting atmosphere, and slow-and-steady buildups. His latest project delivers on each mark but from different aspects. Never The Right Time draws on the perspective of the listener to get lost within this project. Stott’s expression of solitude and the stillness of time is something he continues to add to the songs he’s produced throughout the years. Whether exploring past times or living in the current one, Never The Right Time delivers another round of music for fans to get engrossed in.

Written by: Carlton Rolle