R&S Records is a label so influential in the history of electronic music that one could easily write a thesis on its significance. Its open-minded approach has fostered a remarkable platform for artists, resulting in a truly jaw-dropping back catalog. R&S has also played a pivotal role in expanding electronic sound in Europe and cemented the trajectory it would take. The timeless classics bearing the distinctive horse logo still sound relevant today, and the label continues this heritage with obsessive persistence in quality, no matter the genre or sub-genre. Same goes for Dave Angel - a true pioneer, an erudite and very important figure of the techno scene. Angel established himself as an influential figure in the British electronic music scene of the late ’80s acid house expansion. He seamlessly fused the soulful, futuristic Detroit techno aesthetic with London’s raw acid house and breakbeat culture, helping to define a uniquely British sound.
Angel and R&S go way back, with their relationship starting in 1991, but “A Time And Place” is his first album ever released on the formative Belgian label, which simultaneously makes this record big news. What I can positively say is that this return is absolutely triumphant. Dave Angel digs deep and frees himself again from any possible convictions and expectations. Even though you can spot the Detroit-fused futurism, the album embraces deep-groove funk and soulful jazz aesthetics, delivering a result that lingers between nostalgia and modern club engineering.
I have been obsessed with Angel’s lush synth lines and piano riffs all my life, and I can confirm that “A Time and Place” is, again, a masterclass in that department. The synth programming borrows from the classic Motor City sound, using rich, analog-sounding chords, often delayed or filtered, to build an evolving sense of space around the underlying kicks and basslines. The piano riffs rarely just play a melody over a track, but operate almost like a percussion instrument.
The soulful and jazz lineage is also emphasized through the contributions of Robert Owens, Aurii Sky, Steve Waterman, and Merv Caswell. Aurii Sky, Dave Angel’s daughter, confirms the apple didn’t fall far from the tree, bringing an intimate, contemporary flair to “Do You Feel What I Feel”. But the inclusion of the iconic Chicago house vocalist and artist, Robert Owens, hits somewhat differently - it is like both of them set out to capture the emotional charge of house and techno through a deep and emotional statement.
“A Time And Place” is a soul-soothing, fervent, warm album that accumulates so much power: the unmistakable power of pure, unfiltered talent. Dave Angel offers soul and musicality as a balance to purely clinical and rhythm-based releases - a much-needed, ear-cleansing experience. The album isn't a radical reinvention of his sound, but a demonstration of mastery by an artist with an instinctive understanding of balance, rhythm, and space.
