Alex Smoke is set to return with his first full-length since 2010’s Lux. 

Since 2002, the techno producer has impressed both on and off the dancefloor. Since the fantastically brooding ‘Random As’ 12″ in 2002, Smoke has worked up a fine back catalogue of snarling techno singles. His full-lengths, however, have showed his more delicate side, with Incommunicado (2005) and Paradolia (2006) dabbling in ambient and, on occasion, electro-funk. He’s also made a habit of venturing outside the electronic fraternity, working with the Scottish Ensemble and rescoring FW Murnow’s Faust.

Following on from the elegant Lux, Smoke will drop a new album early next year – and he’s doing so under a relatively recent pseudonym, Wraetlic. As Resident Advisor report, Convex Industries will release Wraetlic’s self-titled debut on February 4. The record will reportedly see Smoke/Wratlic continuing to follow his more experimental impulses, and promises to feature vocal contributions from Smoke himself.

The disc will come bundled with remixes from label boss Jon Convex, Scuba and D-Bridge. The Wraetlic moniker, it should be noted, popped up in 2010 on Sei A’s White Rainbow Remixes Vol. 1.

According to the producer, the album has had something of a troubled gestation: “The last couple of years have been annoyingly marred by health issues “I couldn’t work nearly as much as I’d normally like. I had composed Faust but had then had a long time not being able to write much, so when I could work again I suddenly felt a new lease of life, a feeling which I hadn’t had since my early days. I think the time away from working probably did me good in hindsight.”

Lux cut ‘Ikos’ is available to stream below.

Tracklisting:
1. Anothering
2. Scunner
3. PintleGrist
4. There Without
5. Refrain
6. Skinflint
7. Hymn To the Departed
8. The Dearth
9. Better The Devil
10. Rats
11. The Watchful Eye
12. Scunner (Jon Convex’s Deconstructed Mix)
13. Better The Devil (DBridge’s Advocate Mix)
14. Rats (SCB Edit)