's fourth studio album, , was given a surprise digital release at the end of September 2016, about a month after it was finished. With this album, mastermind completed a trilogy of albums beginning with 2011's and continuing with 2014's . Since its beginning in the early 2000s, the project evolved from an obscure IDM solo venture to the most well-known instrumental electronic rock band of its time, selling out several headlining tours and having its music extensively featured on television (particularly Cartoon Network's Adult Swim). extended this success, as it garnered its first Grammy nomination, for Best Dance/Electronic Album at the 2017 awards. The album wastes no time diving into the types of warm, nostalgic melodies fans are used to, marked by -esque ringing guitars and lush, rippling synthesizers. However, this album generally feels much more urgent and punchy than past efforts. On several tracks, the rhythms are more complex than anything they've attempted before, verging on math rock on songs like "Slack." On tracks such as "Division" and "Rings," the beats are fast and choppy enough to verge on drum'n'bass, yet overall the music registers much differently due to the swirling guitars and cascading synths. "Horizon" and "Epoch" are 4/4 dance tracks, showcasing at its sunniest and most upbeat, but songs like "Receiver" are slower and sadder, reaching back to the project's early, -indebted days. has described as his darkest album to date, but his idea of dark is still pretty light by most standards. As such, the album never feels grim, even if there are moments when clouds obstruct the sun. While is easily the band's most diverse release to date in terms of moods and tempos, it's still recognizable as a release at any point during its duration. continues to push his group's sound while remaining familiar, and is one of 's best yet. ~ Paul Simpson