I’ve heard some people call Everyday Robots boring. C’mon. Yes, it’s quiet and contemplative; the percussion may occasionally sound more like heartbeats or mechanical clicks than drums. But listen to the title track: render that slightly dissonant sampled violin motif on guitar instead and it’s on-the-nose Graham Coxon. The melody, chord progression and harmonies are pure Blur, as is the general subject matter: modern life and technology isolate and alienate us from one another and what’s real (“We are everyday robots on our phones,” “It’s hard to be a lover when the TV’s on and nothing is in your eyes”). The things you’ve grown to expect from Albarn are all here; it’s just that the BPMs are slower and it’s not played by drink-and-drug-fueled twenty-somethings. The songs are beautifully layered and textured while remaining uncluttered. There’s groove, there’s soul, there’s sweetness, there’s yearning, there’s Brian Eno on vocals, for chrissakes. A fine album.

Buy it here.