For his first solo album (presented under the moniker Headphone Science), Dustin Craig put together a short, listener-friendly assemblage of intelligent, danceable tunes that don’t share the meticulous coldness of IDM. The music on We Remain Faded has a strongly whimsical, playful side that brings it close to the productions of Books on Tape and I Am Robot and Proud. The title track infuses dub into an otherwise IDM tune, thumping yet very ambient and gentle. Games and Larcenous take a very different direction. Sampled vocals steal the spotlight, pushing forward a warped hip-hop/techno sound that gets a bit too repetitive for its own good (the 10-minute Games would gain from a trip to the editing block). Air Bubble Material and To Dine in Distance are more substantial offerings and represent a much more fruitful direction for Craig. Cello (in the first track) and trumpet (in the second) hooks accompany beats that are just askew enough to get hold of your attention. They also emit a certain atmosphere of melancholia that works well with their sketchy melodies. Many electronica producers would have chosen to release these tracks under different monikers to sort them out by sub-styles and target them to specific audiences. The fact that Craig embraces his eclectic influences works to his advantage: We Remain Faded keeps the listener guessing while going down easy.
