The Vision

iTunes Review

At just 16 years old, Liam McLean (a.k.a. Joker) began his rise in the U.K. electronic/club scene, incorporating Bristol’s musical heritage into his own futuristic sounds. Four years and many singles later, Joker’s debut album, The Vision, premiered at the esteemed Glastonbury Festival. Now it’s commercially released, showing an artist with a firm hold on innovative (yet comforting) electronic-based atmospheres. A highly regarded mixing engineer who’s worked with Sean Paul, Basement Jaxx, and fellow Bristolian Roni Size, Joker plays textures with an eclectic ear. A number of vocal guests make their presence known (including Silas, Jessie Ware, and Jay Wilcox), but at heart The Vision is a penetrating instrumental record. Joker’s dubstep roots (something he’s at pains to distance himself from) are still in evidence with the moody instrumentals “Tron” and “My Trance Girl,” but they’re much more than that, as the frightening flurry of synths and aggressive grooves make clear.