Erol Alkan and Richard Norris are two of the most influential DJ’s in the UK. Their work in Beyond the Wizard's Sleeve has been astounding. They’ve remixed tracked from The Chemical Brothers, Peter Bjorn and josh, Simian Mobile Disco, Temples, Goldfrapp and Franz Ferdinand. With guest appearances from Blaine Harrison (Mystery Jets), Euros Childs (Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci), Jane Weaver, Holly Miranda and Hannah Peel, Erol Alkan and Richard Norris have constructed an album that is both highly enjoyable and on a deeper level, perceptual and psychological. Growth is necessary, as is adaptation to change: neither are achieved easily or without some kind of sacrifice...

The Soft Bounce is the debut album from Beyond the Wizards Sleeve. In places it's a trippy, psychedelic experience that seems to have no beginning, middle or end. In fact the way this album has been constructed is almost a master class in staying one step ahead of the audience. Each track brings a totally different sound, all with genre defying perfection.

The album contains 11 songs (44 min, 33 sec) which lull the listener into a false sense of security. No sooner do you start to get comfortable with the style, than they whisk you off on another adventure with a totally different sound. I have to admit that one of my favourite tracks here was something I probably wouldn't normally have paid much attention to.

'Tomorrow, Forever' is an ambient background track that washes over you in waves. But the beauty of this track; why it works so beautifully, is that it's nestled in between two very different songs. It's this shifting and grabbing the listener's attention that really makes this an album for every occasion. It's a totally wonderful experience.

9

Nick Smithson