Describing Vondelpark as an up and coming British band with an R&B/electronic crossover sound might not be the compliment it once would have been. Seabed, Vondelpark’s debut album, is rather a victim of circumstance, arriving at the tail end of a plethora of acclaimed UK bass music. Whilst this leaves open the inevitability of lazy comparisons, Vondelpark’s first full length release is unmistakeably distinct, a breath of fresh air in an extremely crowded market.

Seabed is an apt title for this murky release. From start to finish, this is a drowsy piece of work. Vocals are often shadowy, weaving in and out of the foreground, frequently hiding behind swirling synth and more biting drum patterns. Songs blur into one another, and whilst there are clear changes in tone, the album is relatively one-paced, sounding more like collection of takes on the same sound than a bringing together of contrasts. Whilst you’d be forgiven for expecting the album to creep into monotony at times, the result of this, by and large, is to create a fleshed out, satisfying listen. Aside from ‘Come On’, which seems to lack the ambitions of the rest of the album, Seabed manages to achieve coherence through its entirety, complete without becoming tedious or predictable: it is the sound of a bold project realised.

‘Always Forever’ is a particular highlight, beautifully typifying Vondelpark’s ability to fuse mellow, foggy reverberations with elegant, delicately measured strokes. Its chorus sounds like Neon Indian echoing out of a cave, almost weightless, yet still swaying and captivating.  ‘California Analog Dream’ is perhaps the most instantly accessible song on the album, and unsurprisingly was chosen as the first single release, but others retain more value after repeated listening. ‘Bananas (On My Biceps)’ is a charming piece, cleverly sampling vocals from Aretha Franklin’s ‘Wonderful’ alongside fidgety percussions and blissful synth and guitar. Track no.2 ‘Blue Again’, contrary to its title, exuberates warmth, with a piano part that creates a pleasingly organic atmosphere.

Seabed isn’t a really a sociable listen, but one that demands complete, isolated attention.  The soundtrack to a sleepless night, Vondelpark have created a striking debut album, which manages to be hazy yet precise, delicate yet rounded, gloomy yet tranquil. Despite sharing certain similarities with releases from other artists, it is a unique piece of work, one that deserves to be listened to on its own terms, without prejudgement or restrictive labelling.