Daniel Avery described Ultra Truth as an album "about looking directly into the darkness, not running away from it." Far from an album of club escapism, Avery faces the music and reflects on loss, isolation, and the people who mean the most to him. Clearly not created with clubs in mind, this is a rough, turbulent record flooded with distortion and intense memories. "Lone Swordsman," Avery's previously issued tribute to his friend and mentor, the late Andrew Weatherall, is included with an extended intro, and it's a truly gorgeous electro track with an unforgettable melody. The rest of the album is similarly emotive, covering a wide range of styles and featuring an impressive cast of guest vocalists and producers. HAAi's voice fits comfortably within the soothing synths and sweeping breakbeats of "Wall of Sleep," and she sounds even more euphoric during "Chaos Energy," a rapturous yet aggressive track with a spoken intro by Kelly Lee Owens. Avery plunges into full-on atmospheric jungle with "Devotion" and "Higher," two astounding tracks that resemble being safely transported through a hurricane. On the other end of the BPM scale, "Only" is a love song to monsters, sung by Jonnine Standish (HTRK) over a slow, crushing beat. "Near Perfect" is a similarly hazy trip-hop drifter that ends with a quote from Sherelle about the need to express intense feelings. Several other numbers blur the lines between electro and IDM, with "Ultra Truth" having one of the album's most touching melodies and "Spider" being a glowing downtempo beauty. "Heavy Rain," sprints like a victory lap and concludes with a poetic affirmation by James Massiah. Ultra Truth is easily one of Avery's most powerful releases. ~ Paul Simpson
