Third Eye Foundation

Bristolite Matt Elliot’s harsh and often brutally jarring electronic landscapes as the Third Eye Foundation have taken a turn for the sweet on his third full-length, Little Lost Soul. The atmospheres are still dark, but it’s more of a gothic romantic than futuristic torture chamber this time around. And although Elliot’s raw drilled drum & bass beats still pack a wallop, they manage to do so in a less confrontational fashion, creating an exquisite dreamscape as if updating Brian Eno’s ambient work. The album is full of angelic vocal samples, suggesting baroque textures and otherworldly euphoria. Strong melodies permeate each track, along with world music reference points, giving the outing the feel of Dead Can Dance with beatz. Song title of the year (so far) goes to “I’ve Lost That Loving Feline,” a song about Elliot’s newly dead cat, James, pictured in the gorgeous booklet evoking plenty of religious and classical imagery.