Thomas Helsloot’s debut album comes on the heels of a run of great releases on Get Physical Music. He is a master of melody who has released on the likes of Domino, remixed Bob Moses and Fritz Kalkbrenner and secured huge streaming numbers such as 400m plays for his track ‘Because You Move Me’. His freshman LP, ‘Never Tried,’ sees him distil everything to date into something profoundly personal and engaging.

Says the artist, “My debut album is mainly about me, which was the hardest thing to do for a people pleaser. I tried digging as deep as I could and ignored every trend to explain it to every future me in its purest way. It’s a translation of the excitement but also the insecurity you feel when trying something new.”

‘Mirrors’ opens up in absorbing fashion with a signature deep house groove before ‘It’s Alright’ feat. Malou sends shivers down the spine with its angelic vocal and icy beats. There is a rueful feel to the well-crafted pads that soar above the warm rhythms of ‘Midnight Fog’ and after the wispy cosmic synths and brooding bass weight of the fantastically serene ‘Outburst’ comes the masterful melancholic album single ‘One Step’ featuring Ninja Tune artist Jono McCleery.

As the journey continues and Helsloot’s evocative synths keep bringing seriously potent emotions there are darker drums to ‘Disco Maxi’ and silky arpeggios that lift you to the heavens on ‘Beautiful Losers’ (feat. Rangleklods). Elsewhere, Helsloot collaborates with Tinlicker on the languid ‘Hideaway’ with a bittersweet bassline, whilst ‘Lowlands’ keeps your head amongst the stars with its celestial melodic glow and airy house drums. ‘Let’s Pretend’ is the standout closer with its retro 80s synth sounds and snappy beats, sending you off with a sense of great resolve.