Brooklyn based electronic duo Shanghai Restoration Project (SRP) release their new album, R.U.R., through Magnetic...

A reaction to the current state of the world, the new album imagines a future in which humans have been replaced by robots who are trying to understand what led to their predecessors' extinction. Via a time capsule, the robots learn about humanity's most noble endeavours (art, agriculture, science) and worst attributes (narcissism, materialism, environmental degradation) and wonder if the universe will ever see the likes of these peculiar beings again.

The album's title, R.U.R., is "borrowed" from the 1920s Czech play Rossum's Universal Robots. To be fair it's not overly important that you know the background to this release, but it helps appreciate what SRP have put together.

The album's 13 tracks (57 min, 38 sec) represent an enjoyable electronic experience. It's futuristic in sound, while still coming across as a retro piece.

If you go with the flow, tongue firmly in cheek, you'll find much to enjoy here, especially if you're a fan of electronic music.

7

Nick Smithson