Album Review: Dobie - We Will Not Harm You

We Will Not Harm You surprises a listener. Dobie (aka Anthony Campbell) is a veteran of British dance music. DJing since 1982, he played an integral role in Soul II Soul's early albums and has since remixed Bjork, Massive Attack and countless other high-profile artists. With such a background, We Will Not Harm You would seem predestined to be an exercise in tiresome nostalgia, especially given the producer's only other solo album, The Sound Of One Hand Clapping, was released in 1998.

Instead, We Will Not Harm You is a stunningly modern endeavour. Not in the sense of sitting comfortably within post-noughties production trends – it doesn't. You won't hear a brostep sub-bass drop or American EDM lead anywhere, for example. We Will Not Harm You simply sounds timeless. While sporting a foundation of classic hip hop breakbeats, its palette effortlessly stretches across techno, soul, house, jazz, dub and drum'n'bass. She Moans recalls mid-career Amon Tobin. The Chant is reminiscent of a smoother version of Autechre's earliest, most danceable EPs.

In truth, there is a strong '90s flavour to the disc. From breakbeats to soulful chord progressions and warped diva samples, Dobie consistently refers back to that era. Still, it's hardly retrogressive. It's actually too aggressive for mere reminiscence. We Will Not Harm You just feels like the logical continuation of older trends of UK breakbeat and rave. In a weird way, it works as the ultimate counterpart to The 2 Bears' Be Strong album of last year. Where that album revived rave's playful joyousness, We Will Not Harm You revitalises that epoch's sensuality and menace.