Reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

The music of Max Cooper continues to fire the imagination. His latest album is borne of a commission from the Royal Albert Hall for a live show, and he chose to explore “the relationship between physical form and human emotion.”

The press release nails his ability to fuse deep thinking and raw emotion. “Across 10 spatial audio-visual works, Cooper examines how structure in sound, architecture, biology and art, shapes the way we feel. Musically, Feeling Is Structure leans into Cooper’s more intricate and deliberate compositional side. Rather than improvisation, the record focuses on carefully designed systems and processes that build evolving sonic architectures. Precise at the micro level, but deeply emotive in impact.”

What’s the music like?

Very satisfying, especially on headphones. There is always a lot going on in Max Cooper’s music, with a great level of detail revealing itself with repeated listening. That said, the first few encounters are satisfying too, as there is a lot of feeling behind these beats.

The bleeps and loping beats of Pattern Index set the scene, a dubby rhythm bringing an unexpected similarity with early music from The Orb. Gradually the sonic canvas pans out, with the spacious Becoming supporting what feels like the workings of a large machine.

Cooper uses complex rhythms to often thrilling effect, with This Is A Bridge ratcheting up the tension and releasing a good deal of kinetic energy, while the beats get super busy on Obsessive Compulsive Order. Meanwhile the busy Bass Mosaic reaches all corners of the audio system. Four Tones Reflected and Ebb And Flow are rich sonic tapestries, while the beats retreat for the spectacular spectrum of Chrysalis to fully reveal itself.

Does it all work?

It does. A great deal of thinking has gone into the structure of this album – hence the title – and the quasi-orchestral textures are full of incident and colour.

Is it recommended?

It is. Feeling Is Structure is a deeply effective and thoroughly modern fusion of process and emotion. Max Cooper plays to his strength with music that emphatically ticks the intellectual and emotional boxes. Arguably his most successful album to date.

Listen / Buy

Published post no.2,888 – Friday 15 May 2026