18 for 2018, #2: Joy O – 81b

Here’s a producer who hasn’t been all that prolific recently but has clearly been hard at work honing his craft to perfection. This six-tracker covers various stylistic bases, fusing London bass music influences with hi-tech sound design and an almost IDM feel in places. These are not obvious club tracks, but they come alive at high volume, and it’s really encouraging to see such forward-thinking music reaching the kind of audience that an artist of his profile now commands.