Without a doubt the best house release of the year. Compiled from a series of live sets over the past few years, 2014-2017 is the best kind of side project. Nicolas Jaar has been releasing some of the most interesting and innovative dance music in the last decade. This push for experimentation offers certain constraints, and, under his Against All Logic moniker, we get to see Nicolas Jaar at his most relaxed and, surprisingly, his most fun. This album is full of pure gold disco house tracks. Each track showcases a blend of Jaar’s forward-thinking sound design with simply perfect funk samples. Come for the party but stay for the artistry cause it’s all there on this incredible release. I can’t say enough about it!!

Genre: Crate-digging disco house
RIYL: Jamie xx, Anthony Naples, Maceo Plex
Fav Tracks: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8 (but everything is great)
FCCs? Nah

This Old House is All I Have (3:39) ** - biting industrial intro melts into groovy funk beat, sets the scene for the incredible album to come
I Never Dream (6:46) *** - Euphoric highlight track, highly repetitive dreamlike vocal sample undercut by beautiful chopped drums, wonderful mix, grows, builds, swells, ugh
Some Kind of Game (6:47) ** - Amazing straight up disco house track, would definitely play at a party, thumpin bass, reverberating piano loops, soaring vocals, perfect
Hopeless (5:41) - a bit more electronic, rainy vibe, cool whip-like industrial sounds, a comedown after the first three tracks
Know You (4:25) - brazen funk sampling, pretty much the original sample, confident, dancy, cool bass
Such a Bad Way (4:53) * - passionfruit sample? Oooo, beautiful sampling, slow but gorgeous raver track, I Am a God sample at the end??
Cityfade (5:41) ** - bouncy piano, stomp-clap beat, children’s choir sample, brooding track, definitely more of a traditional Nico track, distant sirens, cool percussion
Now U Got Me Hooked (5:51) * - Beautiful intro funk sample, horns and everything, and then everything cuts out and it’s suuuuch a fat beat, oh man! Nico takes over from 1 minute on!
Flash in the Pan (7:28) - this one starts heavy, very bare, darker track, more familiar Nico vibes here too, entirely instrumental but still quite cool
You Are Going to Love Me and Scream (5:35) - Decent, but weird syncopation half-way through makes song feel incomplete, especially since rest of album is SOO good, play something else
Rave on U (9:56) - cool percussive intro, deep pads, slow build on this one, layered and epic pads by the end, great long track if you need one!