John Roberts (3) – Fences

For his second album, FENCES, John Roberts doesn't entirely abandon the deep house of his first. Instead, he goes even more abstract, with the short, gamelan-intro of "Bleach" or the equally sparse "Braids." "Chalkdust," similarly, is carried by some altered piano keys. But fear not, he hasn't totally abandoned his house roots: the chopped string orchestra and sudden throb of "Palace" are carried by the beat, while the title track has the kick drum, though feels nothing like a traditional -- or even untraditional -- house track. But he goes beyond the 4/4, using a slow, loping beat on "Shoes" to carry along a lilting melody or a quasi-ethno-electro rhythm to buoy "Calico," which leads out on some plaintive woodwinds. "Plaster" lays it on thick, and "Blanket" seems to smother the sonics with the heavy beat, though the ringing tones still shine through. Definitely, this album is more challenging than his first, and not as immediately accessible, but it's every bit as rewarding.