Reviewed by Ben Hogwood
What’s the story?
The roots of Signals can be found in the Surrey Hills. There, James Dean witnessed a phosphorescent sphere in the sky above Pitch Hill, close to the Mullard Space Science Laboratory; a phenomenon seen by friends and reported in the local press.
The memory has stayed with Dean since, and now he uses his BUNKR alias to tell the story of the hills and their significance in his life, whether this mysterious event, childhood bicycle adventures or post-midnight raves.
What’s the music like?
Typically engaging, but this time around BUNKR’s music has more subtle yet far-reaching emotional depth. The Light We Saw paints an evocative picture of that night, but is only the beginning of the story, continued by the spacious 96 Refraction, where dreamy synth loops encounter distant breakbeats on the horizon, their initial ambience cleverly pivoted for them to take control of the track.
Quarry Transcendence is a hive of rhythmic activity, over and above the held chords, while the reflective These Hills goes into deeper, more thoughtful territory. Eyes Like Mirrors plays out without beats, a thick cloud of ambience that sparkles at the edges – the ‘sci-fi daydream’ that Dean hints at in his album commentary. This Side Of Forever wraps up the vision beautifully, a coda of analogue drums and bright synth lines glinting at the edges.
Does it all work?
It does, and thanks to clever sequencing the album has a really satisfying ebb and flow the whole way through.
Is it recommended?
Yes, with enthusiasm. BUNKR is becoming a real force to be reckoned with in electronic music, and this descriptive album is another valuable string to his bow.
Listen / Buy
Published post no.2,877 – Monday 4 May 2026
Arcana.fm 