Album Review: Gold Panda - Lucky Shiner

Essex born Gold Panda has been exploring his unique brand of electronica in his teenage years using his record-producing uncle's professional equipment. Remixing artists as diverse and credible as Little Boots, Telepathe, Bloc Party, Simian Mobile Disco, HEALTH and The Field has rounded this young man's sound into a realized artistry on his debut album Lucky Shiner. Choosing to only reveal his actual name as "Derwin Panda", Gold Panda has created a near perfect first LP, drawing from influences both organic and electronic with a plethora of sounds that span the globe while bursting like firecrackers of circuitry through your speakers. This year, on his first attempt, Gold Panda has created one of the best albums of the year in any genre.

An unlocking door coupled with the Indian-tweaked beats of "You" starts this kaleidoscope of sound. The basic concept of hip-hop tempo supporting clipped loops of sitar and chants has been done, but rarely with this firm grasp of balance. Simplicity is the current that flows through Lucky Shiner when many artists opt for overwrought construction. Switching it to uptempo, "Vanilla Minus" is as supple as butter with it's house inflections and tinkling synths gliding over the icy club bounce. Breaking up the electronica is the lone acoustic guitar and outdoor ambiance of "Parents" as a reminder that the true power in Lucky Shiner is the origins of the samples, not the machinery that manipulates it.

The strengths are in the elemental integrity in Gold Panda's tracks as he breathes life in a characteristically reticent school of music. "Same Dream China" could easily be a Philip Glass composition with the percussion and woodwinds holding the center firm as the mix swirls around the perimeter. "Snow & Taxis" gives a nod to laptop musician The Field, taking moments from a full song and playfully twisting the minutiae until the song is entirely his own. The next tracks challenge the casual listener as each track reveals a new experimenting facet of Lucky Shiner. "Before We Talked" could invent a new classification of techno: minimal juke. The opening of "Marriage" could actually be a pop song, missing only a soulful chanteuse purring the latest earworm chorus. Everything comes full circle at the end of the album with the world music reworking on "India Lately" that crashes in at the finale and begs for a extended mix. Although not available for listening below, the digital release includes three tracks: the aptly named "Greek Style", the piano inflected techno assault of "Casio Daisy" and possibly Lucky Shiner's best track.  "Rush Job" uses samplings ripped right off of a Boards Of Canada MIDI. Gold Panda makes the engine hum with a thump and grind that drops the pretension and raises your hands up for a swaying finish.

There has been a lot of great electronic releases this year. It seemed early that solid albums from Four Tet, Caribou and even the Chemical Brothers were going to overshadow a disappointing showing from the bigger names in indie rock. However, the latter half of this year has sprung some surprises on me and eased my opinion as 2010 comes to a close. However, Lucky Shiner is the best kind of electronica for an indie guy like me. The songs are born, not built as they relax and flex with life, never obscuring the true fundamentals of the samples themselves. Lucky Shiner is a monumental step for Gold Panda from remixing gun-for-hire to a true musician. It is solely up to him how much more of him we get to know.

Right click to download "Same Dream China" for free here. Click here to download "Snow & Taxis" for free.

The physical album will be released October 26 on Ghostly International. You can purchase the mp3 version now or  pre-order Lucky Shiner here.