Scott Hansen’s output as Tycho isn’t exactly what you would call “frequent.” When he released his last album, Past is Prologue, in 2006, people were still talking about dance-punk. Now, it seems that the trends have swung in his direction. His music has always incorporated elements of IDM, house music and ambient synthscapes, but never have those styles (and the combination of all three) been as popular as they are now. Luckily, on Dive, Hansen manages to avoid watering down his sound and getting lost in among the sea of trend-hoppers. From the wistful harmonies of opener “A Walk” to the euphoric swells and come-downs of singles “Hours” and “Coastal Brake”, Tycho does exactly what he’s always done and reminds us why so many newer artists are imitating this style in the first place. – Mike Nigro
