Kaito (Hiroshi Watanabe) hasn’t released a full length album since his “That Was the Way” and that was three years ago and so it was with a good deal of anticipation that I received his latest effort “ Until the End of Time” on the Kompakt label.

It kicks off with the massively uplifting “Sky Is the Limit”, a fabulous piece of floor friendly dance music with that 3am arms in the air loved up vibe that is just perfect. It’s nagging, it’s insistent, it’s dreamy, it’s beautiful and it’s right up my street with regards to techno dance music. “Until the End of Time” sets the scene for what has to be one of my favourite albums so far this year.

The second track on the album “I’m Leaving Home” is another slice of loveliness with lush pads and an overall feeling of bliss and contentment. It’s inner-space music where you can lose yourself in the complex little rhythms and sounds – close your eyes, get your arms in the air and sway to the gorgeous sounds that are washing over you.

Running in the fog breaks the mould a little with a much more four to the floor techno feel at the start  – there’s delayed snare sound in there for while  just gets in your brain and snaps. It builds into a euphoric rush of a tune that’s simple yet complex with little motifs coming and going throughout.

There are elements on the album you’ll recognise if you’re a bit of a dancefloor veteran, but they’re underpinned with an altogether ethereal quality that sends shivers down the back of your spine – you know how it is when you hear a tune from back in the day and the hairs on the back of your neck go into that Pavlovian e-response.

The tunes are thoughtful and thought provoking throughout taking the listener on a beautiful journey this way and that – the bassline on “Behind My Life” is absolutely dazzling and the distorted guitar sounds over the top create a faultless rush as they come and go in the mix.

Ok, I’m a bit gushing about this album I know, but to me it’s perfect music to either lose yourself on the dancefloor, to watch the sunrise come up over the ocean or even just to sit and close your eyes and drift away on the sofa. To pick out a single standout track would be impossible for me and to say that I didn’t absolutely love every tune on  the album would be churlish

Without a doubt my favourite album of the year so far! Thanks!!!

Kaito “Until the End of Time” is out today…go buy it!!!!