In a way, it’s no surprise that LA Priest’s Sam Dust has released a debut that sounds as if each song was written by a different artist. He blurred genres while fronting Late of the Pier from 2004 until 2010, imbuing that band’s thrillingly eclectic take on nu-ravey pop with an irrepressible teenage energy. Now, in his mid-20s, he’s pouring varying thicknesses of woozy, 70s pop shimmer over Inji, sliding from joyous dance music to langorous balladry in a way that’s wildly inventive and surprisingly cohesive. He conjurs up Basement Jaxx on Party Zute/Learning to Love, Prince on opening track Occasion, and the bubbling pyschedelia of friend and past collaborator Connan Mockasin on A Good Sign. All the while, Dust’s skewed approach to synthpop, funk and electronica feels unbridled and explorative, serving as a reminder that pulling from a variety of influences can produce sparkling results when done by a capable pair of hands.
