Fieldhead’s They Shook Hands For Hours is that midnight hour electronica album anyone can enjoy. It is a true aural ambiance filled experience. As well as a digitalized scratch to the face. P. Elam (of The Declining Winter notoriety) has successfully broken out on his own with this fine first full-length solo release. At times it is very easy to criticize the instrumental electronica artist (a.k.a. laptop jockeys) for lack of vocals, but this album can easily rid these stereotypes by basically being plain directive and superior to others.

There is something oddly personal in this mixed bag of warm emotion and total freedom. P. Elam has a distinct and obvious sense of organized obscurity. His tracks are fuzzy at times, but always glistening. Ultimately this album is more than impressive. It exemplifies all that is good and well in a disturbing setting that seems so lost and lonely at times. A cure all for an anxiety filled existence.

With the release of They Shook Hands For Hours, this Leads native should find his place in the English underworld of art. All it takes is a little creativity and an abundance of incomparable talent. And Fieldhead is a terrific demonstration of both. Any album that can leave you puzzled, amused, and disturbed all at once is definitely one to be considered renowned and well rounded. Which is exactly what this is.

Fieldhead: Half Names [mp3]

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Fieldhead: Of October [mp3]

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Home Assembly Records [CD, 2009]

1. This Train Is A Rainbow
2. Half Names
3. Document One
4. They Shook Hands For Hours
5. Of October/He’d Found The Sea
6. Songs Well Known
7. Broken
8. I’m Fond Of Maps
9. Introductions