While autumn is wrapping the cities into different layers of grey, using the damp weather outside to slowly turn towards winter, Andy Stott has once again taken care of the soundtrack for the season. Two years ago, the producer from North England used the record »Luxury Problems« to confront his heavy slow-motion techno with the human side, more specifically with Alison Skidmore’s vocals. Now, »Faith In Strangers«, a record full of interesting industrial samples, sound snippets and tracks with despotic names (»Violence«, »On Oath«, »No Surrender« etc.) is picking up the threads exactly where they were left two years ago. While the melancholy synth-sounds of »Time Away« are leading us down to a dark and dismal factory basement, »Violence« is starting out with a distorted and creaky needle-like sound, slowly and cumbersome spreading through the rest of the track. »How It Was« and »Damage« serve as Stott’s usual metaphorical (and industrial) wrecking balls, flattening ruins of concrete and steel girders. And still, the most memorable tracks are »On Oath« and the title track »Faith In Strangers«, on which Alison Skidmore’s vocals are given more room to unfold instead of just being a whisper in the background. »On Oath« is an elegant and almost tender down-tempo variation, the latter comes along as – unusually and in this context rather unexpectedly – gentle and hopeful. On »Faith In Strangers«, Andy Stott has advanced his style, especially in the areas of songwriting and composition. All in all, the record is much more open and approachable than his previous releases. And yet, as expected, this album is the perfect soundtrack for a well cultivated winter depression.