Insight Review: Bucky, ‘You Gotta Go There To Come Back’ (2017)

One of London’s finest producers returns with a beast of an album which showcases an enormous depth of talent…

It’s been a highly prolific year for Stockwell’s Bucky. ‘South Of The River‘, released in April this year, was a dazzling collection of intimate, piano-led future garage and soulful rnb tracks woven together with recordings of daily life in London – a real insight into, and portrayal of, the artists’ existence in the modern day Big Smoke. Then we had ‘Be There EP‘ in July, an enormously successful collaboration with Russia’s L Own which really showed the care and talent with which these artists approach their art. And not four months has passed and we are now given ‘You Gotta Go There To Come Back‘, one of 2017’s most accomplished albums to date.

Like Burial, Bucky is one of those musicians who can convey both the atmosphere of their surroundings, and their innermost thoughts and feelings, through the media of melody, carefully chosen samples, and expertly crafted (and highly sophisticated) electronic sound. And there’s something wonderfully ‘London’ about it all – a real slice of this unique, vibrant, yet at times complex and hectic city that brims with urban electricity and a truly unique and wholly creative culture.

Through 16 exceptional tracks and three stunning remixes from the likes of Eikona, L Own and Phelian, Bucky truly captures the full range of sound – both contemporary and classic – that makes both electronic music and modern UK music in particular so utterly wonderful. The sheer breadth of this album is just astonishing. You really do have everything here, from classic UK garage (complete with proper old-school MCing), to pumping house, to soulful piano over hip hop beats, to the wonderfully emotional future garage and chillout music that encapsulates Bucky’s iconic sound (the Heartbreak Mix of ‘Found’ brings tears to your eyes). Throw in the three exceptional remixes by three stunning artists in their own right, and what we have here really is a true modern classic, and a worthy companion piece to ‘South Of The River’.

If ‘You Gotta Go There To Come Back’ doesn’t make Bucky an enormous name, there’s something seriously wrong with the music industry. It’s hard to see how any artist could top the incredible talent showcased here. A real national treasure, in our opinion, and one who has reached the very top of his game with this album. We are excited to see where Bucky goes from here…

‘You Gotta Go There To Come Back’ is available to purchase here. Check out the exclusive album mix by The Games We Play here.