A new full length by Simon Crab is always interesting and never a disappointment. His autonomous style of work rooted in the freestyle experimental scene of the early 80's with Bourbonese Qualk ages like good vine. It get's more subtile, nuanced but it never looses expression.
Rhythms, Melodies and Abstractions are blend together in hardly comparable but rather pleasing structures which gain even more with repeated listening. Fellow countryside inhabitant Fritz Catlin (23 Skiddoo) and his long time ally David J Smith (The Amal Gamal Ensemble) on percussion give the electronic soundscapes recorded during the course of 2021 in his Hastings studio an additional lively touch.

Simon Crab is a Maeestro of the non-ambient ambience, putting the listener in a positive reflective mood with his compositions which include minimal, dub, leftfield and serious experimental music. All of this and more is basically no mystery if listening to an artist who follows strictly his own path since decades now, coupled with an open mind approach reaching far out in different directions.
As his last album 'Demand Full Automation' from 2018, 'Invisible Cities' is also a cohorent experience but with several highlights i.e. the additional vocals from Ksenia Sadovski on "Headless Day", "What Remains" and "Thirst for a beautiful mouth" . While not being omnipresent it's remarkable how smooth they add to the mood of the pieces. "Stack Interchange" resembles the electro dub of the pre-released 10" single "Kodokushi" (on French label Notte Brigante), "Edgelands" dives into world music terretory, then there are the playful musique concrete leanings of "These Small Things" and the final track "Yarlswood" which sounds like a hommage to Ennio Morricone's musical Western Sunsets and works as a great conclusion.

The over one hour long assemblage of 16 tracks (in the digital version with an deconstructed electro dub piece "Desire Lines" instead of "On Vanishing Land") is also available on double LP from this young courageous label. No CD edition but hey, burn it yourself if you must (But think before you burn). Either way in what format - it's a great listen and highly recommended.