Tim Simenon hails from Brixton in South London, UK, and is the face behind the alias Bomb the Bass. He founded the outfit in 1987, the year before the so called ‘summer of love’ when acid house took the UK by storm.

He is one of electronica’s most well-respected producers, working with artists such as Bjork, Depeche Mode, Massive Attack and Primal Scream to name but a few. Those influences have helped him morph into the master of electronic music production that he is today.

Simenon’s fifth album demonstrates that the producer, musician, and label owner has come a long, long way since the production of Beat Dis or Megablast back in 1988. Simenon’s 22 years of remixing, music production and collaborations really show through in this well-mastered and technically excellent album.

Back To Light is the product of a collaborative project between Simenon and Brazilian producer Gui Boratto. The album sports a colourful range of emotive synth patterns which pulsate beneath smooth vocals and haunting pads, seamlessly spliced into a tapestry of electronic melodies. I have had it playing in the car for the last week on a loop for the entire time without finding it an intrusion.

The major criticism that I have is the fact that it does not, in my opinion represent, Bomb the Bass. While I do appreciate that a change in musical styles can be a positive step, this album for me overall was a little disappointing in comparison to what I expected from Bomb the Bass in 2010.

The selection of vocal artists is strong, including Paul Conboy, Kelley Polar and Depheche Mode’s Martin Gore; however the vocals obscure the technical work that has gone into the production of the melodies for certain tracks. It would be interesting to have the option of vocal and instrumental mixes of the album. That said, if someone had not told me that I was listening to Bomb the Bass, I think I would have been satisfied. It’s a great album for long journeys regardless.

Back To Light is out now on !K7 through Inertia.