Like an acid trip of the friendly variety, ticktock’s “Pastel Clouds” is obtuse but strangely comforting. There’s a familiarity in the droning, flat electronic vocals. Everything about the track is soft and hazily controlled, despite exasperated moans rising up like air bubbles. It all makes sense when you read the small print and realise Sebastian Zieler’s influences are firmly sci-fi, citing Blade Runner and Iain M. Banks’ Culture series.

“Pastel Clouds” has dripped into our consciousness ahead of the release of Zieler’s second EP, Fault Lines. “Where the last EP was all Riddley Walker, everything-has-fallen stuff, Fault Lines is a future that succeeded,” Zieler explains. “Machines think, minds are expanding – and at the same time, it’s all green and lush and in harmony with nature. It’s techno-optimistic sci-fi, really. Hopeful and longing fantasy.” Deep stuff for a Wednesday morning, but stick with it. “Pastel Clouds” has enough R&B embellishments to maintain some bite to it but set against melancholic tones and creepily sighing layered voices, it’ll settle itchingly somewhere under your skin, memorably close to the surface.

‘Fault Lines’, is due for release on 4th December 2015 via The Big Oil Recording Company.

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