David Emery Online

The Work by Gold Panda

29 January 2023

Sometimes, and in fact often with my most favourite records, it takes quite a few listens for an album to reveal itself. Listen one will just bounce off in a wave of indifference, or disappointment if expectations are high. Another try will result in the same, often the second half doesn’t even get listened to. Then a week will go by. Maybe a track appears in shuffle and I’ll check to see what it is and be surprised. And so on. Until, eventually, my ears are accustomed enough to let the whole album in, and again and again until it dominates my listening.

So it goes, and so it has been with the latest album by Gold Panda.

I’ve been a fan for years, and in fact I would credit his 2013 album “Half of Where you live” as being my first introduction to electronic music, having focused on guitars for far too many years prior. “The Work” initially passed me by, despite wanting to love it. Now it’s a daily play.