Oneiric, absorbing debut LP by unpredictable producer T_A_M, twisting back to Apothecary Compositions - site of his Tail Snap tape in 2014 - with a batch of hazy sweet instrumental hip hop/electronica cookies after already blessing 2016 with inimitable filter house styles for Local Action and a fluoro grime 12" for Coyote Records. At 13 songs wide, In Tandem is certainly T_A_M's most substantial offering yet, and also testament to his nimbly efficient production style as much as his broad take on myriad mciro-strains of electronic composition. He hails from Aberdeen, Scotland, but even without that knowing that fact, his music coincidentally lends itself to strong comparisons with fellow Scots artists, Samoyed, Offshore or BoC more than anyone else we can think of beyond Plaid, especially in terms of his wistfully pitched melodic phrasing, appreciation of contemporary, hip hop-rooted rhythms, and the wide, seductive sense of space that are key to In Tandem. Actually, maybe the common thread between those guys and T_A_M's music is the sense of modesty, taking what they need from US beats and London-style grime, as well as field recordings and textured electronics that mirror their environment, but trimming it all down to find a real intimacy and personal sense of honesty that reflects the nuanced perspective of a geographical outsider looking in, or beyond. Whatever, it's a lovely listen; very headphone ready for summer '16.