The Air Between Words

An album of rich, intricate grooves that use house and techno merely as a jump-off point. [Jul 2014, p.94]

Martyn is very good at what he does: the record radiates maturity, technical chops and a cool, sometimes poignant emotionality. [Jun 2014, p.62]

Despite nods to jazzy glitch and ambient glide, most of these beautifully crafted tracks are united by supple but solid 4/4 rhythms. [Aug 2014, p.75]

Playing like a combination of its two predecessors that vividly incorporates the production expertise Martyn has accumulated over his decade-long career, The Air Between Words may be short on surprises, but it is rich in finesse and detail.

This third LP is jumpy and beat-driven and banishes the memory of the dubstep scene he emerged from.

On The Air Between Words, Martyn comes off tranquil, playful and completely in control of his own kaleidoscopic world.

This album's depth and excellence--only the tedious "Like That" falls short--suggest that Deykers should consider going all analog all the time.

Martyn manages to strip through countless layers, to absorb numberless ideas without losing sight of his own identity. A fine return.

The glue holding Martyn’s third LP together is his immaculately-produced tone rather than succinct emotional movement through the album. The individual tracks don’t suffer from it, but it makes sitting down and listening all the way through The Air Between Words a less attractive prospect than doing the same for Immunity. That being said, there’s plenty to take away from Martyn’s third LP.

The lack of cohesion is not a criticism per se, but rather a recognition that The Air Between Words is not really an album in the classical sense, as its parts are greater than its sum.

A solid, conventional effort by an artist who once seemed so vital.

It’s all genre-splicing and too little genre-defining, and I can’t help but think that Martyn, with both his musical knowledge and his production chops, is capable of something better.

Martyn has an incredible musical heritage and series of works in his past, and it’s a shame that The Air Between Words simply is not as interesting nor as rewarding.