As half of the group Studio, a producer for bands like Young Galaxy, and a prolific remixer, Dan Lissvik has been a behind-the-scenes force for many years, creating a warm-hearted, sunkissed sound that's been one of the more rewarding undercurrents of electronic music's recent past. His first album under his own full name, 2016's Midnight, doesn't change his template much, but does refine it into something laser-focused and thoroughly enjoyable. Recorded late at night when his family was asleep in the other room, the album has a relaxed and nocturnal feel. The calmly bubbling beats mesh with gentle layers of electronics, bass, and guitar to create a peaceful, blurry feeling, even when the tempos point toward the dancefloor, like on the album-opening "M." It's very similar to the way Lindstrøm's songs seem made for sleeping and dancing, but Lissvik's unique blend of instruments keeps it from sounding too much like anyone else. He throws in echoing guitar lines and ghostly woodwinds straight from a Windham Hill album, while laying down motorik beats that would have made Harmonia jealous. Usually on the same song. Check out the first song titled "I" for an example. Elsewhere on the album there are tracks that sound like Sylvester in a floatation tank ("D"), forcefully funky soft rock jams that are a Michael McDonald vocal away from being quiet storm perennials ("G"), and a track that is a weird hybrid of the Cure at their happiest and Ultramarine ("T"). All along, Lissvik weaves together disparate elements, complementary sounds, and pretty melodies into something that seems both tossed off in an evening's work and carefully labored over for weeks. In that way the songs connect on a variety of levels, from respect for his skills as a musician to the utter sense of relaxation that can be attained by letting the album wash over you. There are even a few places where it might inspire some light dancing. Midnight is an impressive debut, one that's good enough to kind of make one a little angry that Lissvik didn't get around to it sooner. Even though he was very busy, and his influence can be widely felt, it's to the benefit of fans of warm, fuzzy electronic music that he finally made it happen. ~ Tim Sendra, Rovi

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