Flume is Sydney producer Harley Streten, a 21 year-old new kid on the block who has been turning heads and raising eyebrows with what has been hailed by many critics and fans as a ground-breaking electronic album, and with good cause. Full of radiant synth sounds, smooth soul, choppy beats and deliciously off-kilter techno, it’s a slick, entertaining album from start to finish, and one surely set to win awards for electronic album of the year. What is most impressive is the scope of the ideas on show; the young artist clearly has no lack of ambition. Every track is different and introduces a new set of sounds to pleasure your ears, from the clean, warm sounds of opener ‘Sintra’, to the gentle hum of techno daybreak on ‘Stay Close’, and intergalactic beeps of ‘Space Cadet’. Collaborations with several vocalists give the album an interesting and varied feel, the most impressive examples being Melbourne producer Chet Faker’s showing on ‘Left Alone’, as the vocal effects are left alone, and Jezzabell Doran’s playful pleading on ‘Sleepless’. There is something for every mood as Streten goes from upbeat to melancholy depending on the track, and at fifty minutes and fifteen tracks it’s a generous package that tails off slightly towards the end, but ultimately electronic music has found a brand new shining star. (Future Classic/Warner)