For the better part of the 21st century, Philadelphia filmmaker, multi-instrumentalist, producer and singer Shawn Kilroy was doing everything to eschew his electro rock-band past as Boyd of London. His solo beginnings then were droll and dark with brain ratting basslines and snaky, atmospheric, electronic washes and blips. But if Thai Stick Dragon and The Neon Gate did everything to shake off its past and expand into futuristic beat pop, Hessian Love Songs allows Shawn to go farther into the future with a healthy, dirty look back. What makes the record a look backwards is its pop-tune tone laced with Cure-like spidery grace and its recurring theme—a three part waltz called “Two Lovers”—where its creepiest best sounds like Pink Floyd at its atmospheric space-country coolest. And then there’s the dirtball grunginess of tracks like “Full Moon,” where Kilroy’s molten, moody swing-pop is slapped hard by slide-n-steel guitar runs, courtesy of Mike “Slo Mo” Brenner. All told, Hessian Love Songs is four-on-the-floor disco and breakbeat-en pop with a touch of plastic electro soul. (A.D. Amorosi)