O’Flynn’s third album, Kairos, comes from a return to the sample-led approach that shaped his 2019 debut, Aletheia. The London producer builds these 15 tracks from field recordings, chance discoveries and crate-dug samples, letting sounds gathered from daily life steer the music. That gives the album a sense of movement between disco, house, alternative dance and looser electronic forms, rather than a single club template. “Kairos” refers to a useful or decisive moment, fitting an album made after years of touring, collaboration and change.
O’Flynn has been active in the UK electronic scene since emerging in 2015, with releases connected to Silver Bear, Blip Discs, Ninja Tune and his own Panthus imprint. Support from Four Tet, Ben UFO, Gilles Peterson, James Blake and Bonobo places him in a familiar orbit, though Kairos sounds guided more by instinct than by scene markers. The tracklist moves from the title piece through “Faith In You”, “Fara” and “Sweet Love”, with “Sekete” featuring Swordman Kitala, before closing on “Can I Hold You”. It should suit anyone after sample-heavy dance music with room to shift shape, especially listeners who like records that can work in a club without staying there.
