Imagine, if you will, me sitting in a floating castle in the clouds, on a luxuriant chaise-longue. I slowly peel a grape as the smooth strains of “Infinite Us” play in the background, and I roll the delicious grape on my tongue. The texture is impeccable; slimy grapey pulp gives way to my teeth and pre-fermented wine rolls down my throat. This is a wonderful day indeed, I think to myself. A beautiful woman walks into the room and asks me how I’m enjoying my grapes and I tell her, “very much, but not as much as I enjoy listening to Vapor City, the debut album from Berlin-based electronica whiz-kid Machinedrum.” She agrees. His liquid funk-infused EDM really gets the party started, and his vocal samples provide the musical proceedings with the appropriate amount of soul. I feel sophisticated as I discuss the finer nuances of electronica with the beautiful woman on my chaise-longue. Her favourite track is “Rise N Fall”; mine is “Eyesdontlie.” We agree that the vocals, divorced from semantic context but intimately linked to the music, are achingly beautiful, if you will. Our discussion ends with the final strains of “Baby It’s U” and I think to myself “Baby (machinedrum), it’s you who make the good music.” I laugh knowingly at my witty play on words. You too can imagine yourself in this scenario if you also listen to Vapor City. It’s a good scenario to imagine yourself in. I would certainly recommend it. (Ninja Tune, ninjatune.net) Topher Duguay