Reviewed by Mike Rimmer

The work of one man - Future Design appears to be the band name for the musical genius of on Anthony Ewers - "Long Journey Home" represents the opening work of a man who I believe indeed does have a big future. Creating a mixture of ambient, drum 'n' bass, jazz and house, Future By Design pitch in with 13 tracks that are too up to be boxed in as just ambient yet too moody to be simply labelled floor-filling club music. A fresh and fascinating mix. Can't name check everything but since this has nearly been a permanent fixture in my CD changer since I got a copy but my favourites include the trancy, dubby "Waiting For The Summer" as well as the slightly more frantic "Echoes" and "New Plateau". But what makes this album really interesting is the understated jazziness that floats past adding fresh vibes. "Lazy Jazz" as the title suggests is one such track which is built around a rather insistent jazzy bass line that is contagious. "Stress Relief" is a little more funky whilst "French Connection" allows Mr Ewers to indulge in some extremely tasteful piano. Overall, this is perfectly formed, well conceived and excellently executed. Brilliant debut! I wanna hear more!

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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