Diablo is the follow-up to Gabe Gurnsey's acclaimed 2018 debut, Physical, on Erol Alkan's Phantasy Sound. Where Physical followed the arc of a night out in a linear way, Diablo expands time, slows it down and opens it up, showing a quiet confidence and progression. He makes judicious use his girlfriend, Tilly Morris, whose role is that of both muse and collaborator. "I wanted Tilly to dominate on Diablo," Gurnsey explains. "I wanted her to have free rein. This album works because of her influence, her input." If you close your eyes and listen to Diablo, you might be transported to a German autobahn after nightfall, strobe lights flashing in your private imaginarium, or perhaps to a dimly lit basement as sound cascades off of concrete walls. Gurnsey's music is like an aural cinema, conjuring multiple screenplays, usually involving the darkness. We're in a place of giddy echoes, 808 boings, sexy-menacing vocals and soft throbs, with lyrics full of pleasure and desire; like proper rave lyrics, they are in turn filthy, grandiose, devotional, and cryptic. Diablo moves in unexpected directions, and you quickly realize you can relax and trust it to make you feel extremely good.
