For some, Tom Middleton may not be a household name in electronic music, however, known or not known Middleton is a man with a creative passion for great electronic music. From his handful of aliases to his compilations to his remix work, Tom has been very busy over his more than 10 years in the business. One reason he may have been off your radar screen until now is his curious lack of a solo release of material under his true name. It seems he has been carefully collecting his thoughts and waiting for the right moment. Well, good things come to those who wait because he has released Lifetracks, his debut album as Tom Middleton and it's on Six Degrees Records.

1. Prana
2. Beginning of the Middle
3. Shinkansen
4. Serendipity
5. Sea of Glass
6. Yearning
7. Optimystic
8. St Ives Bay
9. Margherita
10. Moonbathing
11. Astral Projection
12. Enchanting

"That's the most important thing, to absorb as much musical information as possible." Middleton speaks the truth with these words. At an early age he was classically-trained as a pianist and cellist but as he grew his appreciation broadened. He has never shied away from exploring all kinds of music because he realizes how each can have a significant impact. "What I try to do with my music is learn from as many different styles and types of music and embrace that."

One thing is for sure, Middleton refuses to remain typecast in music and he continues to produce sounds from every corner of the musical spectrum. Whether it is his compilation albums like the well-conceived "The Sound of the Cosmos" or his solo work under the names of Amba or Modwheel, Middleton remains diverse. A case in point is his collaboration with Mark Pritchard under the moniker Global Communication. Together, they released 76:14 ten years ago and it still remains a genre-defining album today in the world of ambient.

Middleton has taken all of his knowledge and wander-lust over the years and poured it into his new album, Lifetracks. Right from the start we get a glimpse into Middleton's past. On "Prana," he uses strings with a possible self-played cello arrangement and a repeating guitar rhythm. A heavy-bass chord carries the sound as it migrates from classical to electronica all the while carrying a beautiful downbeat. "Shinkansen" brings to light some of his experimentation in true electronic music. A clear and present chirp playfully expresses the rhythm that steps down a notch from some of his high bpm of house. He pays homage to great downtempo, chillout music on "Optimystic." This track transmits a certifiable groove from the depths of the cosmos. Others like the ambient-infused "Margherita" and "Enchanting" return us to the glory days of Global Communication.

Lifetracks is truly a storybook of Middleton's musical career and we find each track a chapter in his life of sound production. But, as each track progresses one experiences the melding of styles and genres he has collected throughout the years. Middleton reinvents these sounds on Lifetracks into something fresh and new. It's modern, it's inventive, it's futuristic. It's music worth repeating.

~ Chris Lindsey (http://www.slacklineradio.com)

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