SAM PREKOP - THE SPARROW

Released: 21/07/23

Best known for his jazz-leaning avant-pop tropicalismo with The Sea And Cake, and being a key part of the Chicago experimental scene, Sam Prekop has also, in recent years, established himself as a modular synthesist, meticulously building his own instrument to create highly individual compositions through mechanical patterns, repetitions and chance. Speaking of which, originally released late last year on CD, and digitally, Prekop’s incredible mod synth LP The Sparrow finally gets the vinyl release it so richly deserves. Although ostensibly markedly different to Sea and Cake work, which places the guitar, and Prekop’s gorgeous, understated vocals at its core, The Sparrow shares the sense of wide-eyed exploration and timeless simplicity evinced by those albums, as well as real emotion – a factor often missing from the sometimes overly cold and formalist world of mod synth composition.

One gets the feeling that Prekop could turn his hand to most genres and make a sublime record ­– but given how incredible his foray into electronic music continues to be, I can wait a while yet for his (yes please) doom metal opus.