While it seems like his production work for emcees will always get him the most recognition, New York artist Blockhead has been quietly putting together one of the most impressive runs of instrumental hip hop albums over the last eight years. Starting in 2004 with Music By Cavelight, up through his most current release, Interludes After Midnight, Blockhead has given us five full length albums full of complex and rewarding psychedelic down tempo hip hop.

Interludes picks up right where The Music Scene left off in 2010, transitioning from the louder and more aggressive sound of that album. This time, as the title implies, the music is gentler in tone, meant to interpret that weird space that is the dead of the night. In fact, Blockhead took the title from an old public access show in New York that ran after hours. While the entry point might not be hard-hitting, the journey once you get going is quite exciting. What really makes this album successful is how well Blockhead is able to capture the feeling with his compositions and is able to structure his songs in such a fashion that it conveys sonically that state of mind where your thoughts drift off to weird places, and you’re not necessarily sure if you’re dreaming or not. It’s a subtle touch that guides this album, and one that works very well. Blockhead keeps his songs close to the five minute mark on this album, allowing for a lot of space to slowly unfold different ideas. There are points in which the music gets frantic, such as in the opening track, “Never Forget Your Tokens,” but it builds so gradually, you don’t realize it until you’re in the middle of it. We cover a lot of ground here, as to be expected from Blockhead at this point. A song like “Panic in Funkytown” manages to bridge the gaps between old school hip hop, ‘60s psych-rock, and ambient music. “Hungover Like Whoa” does a great job of capturing the sludgy haze of waking up with confusion and regret. My favorite track, though, is “Tools of the Industry,” a creepy song that sounds like it’s lifted from the score of an early Cronenberg film, such as Videodrome.

It’s not a record that’s going to knock you off your feet, but Interludes After Midnight rewards patient listeners. Blockhead is one of the most talented producer of the past ten years or so, and he doesn’t show any signs of slowing down anytime soon.