Gatefold 2LP edition! Russian ex-pat techno maverick Dasha Rush has always been a unique talent. Even so, Sleepstep - her first full-length for the admirable Raster Noton imprint - is a high concept affair. Designed to induce a dream-like state, it offers a mix of droning ambience, slo-motion electronica, yearning ambience and hypnotic, far-out techno, all interspersed with brief readings of Rush's poems. By and large, it has the desired effect, and even the darker, more macabre moments have a calming, atmospheric quality. By and large, it's the beatless excursions that really stand out, with the operatic vocals and woozy strings of "Sail Away To Her" being particularly spellbinding.