Country : Canada Label : SD Music Group Genres and styles : Alternative / Dance-Pop / Electronic / Experimental Year : 2024

Loukeman – Sd-2 (Top Albums of 2024)

· by Helena Palmer

Loukeman’s second album, Sd-2, part 2 of his trilogy (supposedly, hopefully) is rambling and euphoric. It is a mixed bag of acoustic guitar, early ‘00s dance synths, chopped-up vocal samples, and heavy bass joining together to carry you across a dreamy and compelling wash of sounds. 

At its core, it has a club feel but lends more to heavy, emotional, somewhat moody swaying rather than jumping and fist bumping. There are pulsing bass lines such as in “Ride” and “Won’t U,” but they are dark and brooding and build in a swirling, atmospheric sense. When you think there might be a drop into something more four-on-the-floor leaning, a new pad and some background textures are introduced instead. 

The ethereal breakbeats on “Idrk” are akin to Vegyn or Headache, paired with percussive breaths and deep kicks that feel like the music exists within the pit of your belly rather than something outside of you. 

There are parts of the album that do make you want to nod your head; the kicks in “Baby You’re A Star” and “Real Life Man,” are thumping… in a way, but they err on the side of subdued and subtle. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I do think the reserved nature of much of the album, with limited rises and arcs means that it teeters into the realm of very good background music. 

My brain is absolutely tickled by the “Take” into “Snoopy’” transition, two songs that should never be listened to separately. Subdued in the most perfect and beautiful way, they lead me to feel like I am floating on a cloud and that nothing bad has ever happened to me. 

The album has a very ‘soundcloud’ feel to it. While I do find the music to be touching, I would love to see what more the Toronto producer is capable of, if he will ever lean into more structured music, or an album that uses high points and low points, rises and falls to tell more of a story.

Latest 360 Content

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Transforming Hiroshima mon amour into contemporary opera: Christian Lapointe and Rosa Lind tell the story

Sparks – MAD!

Sparks – MAD!

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Peter Murphy – Silver Shade

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Ken Pomeroy – Cruel World

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Art of the Line: Klangkarussell’s Euro Vision at SAT

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Centroamérica – a powerful docu-play about truth and connection in an age of distance and denial

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Lido Pimienta – La Belleza

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

Tamir Barzilay – Phosphene Journal

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

The best ‘’Candlelight concert‘’ ever.

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

Men I Trust – Equus Caballus

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

The Halluci Nation – Path of the Baby Face

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

A lap steel guitar choir and an angel to end the Innovations en concert 24-25 season

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

The OSM and Abel Selaocoe: Evenings When You’d Like to Stop Time

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Reaching for the sky: Francis Choinière’s challenge to end his OPCM’s 10th season

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Piknic 3: A Little Bit of Everything Under the Sun

Cazzu – Latinaje

Cazzu – Latinaje

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

Stereolab – Instant Holograms On Metal Film

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

SMCQ | In memoriam Jocelyn Morlock

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Abbey Road at Festival Classica

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Mira Choquette – Hier encore

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Jared Dunn; Anna Gorecka – Gorecki’s World of the Piano

Cyrille Dubois; Tristan Raës – Dupont : The Complete Songs

Cyrille Dubois; Tristan Raës – Dupont : The Complete Songs

Subscribe to our newsletter