To your average listener, the name Oneohtrix Point Never might stir very little in you (save for the inescapable question of how that name is pronounced)— for ambient music fans across the globe though, the man is nothing short of a legend. Daniel Lopatin has crafted some of the defining electronic music of the last two decades, not even mentioning his various collaborations. New record ‘Tranquilizer’ is simply yet more proof that the producer has his genre down to a science at this point.

Ambient music cannot be judged for its conventional songwriting or catchy moments, but only for the rich and interesting atmosphere it can create— it’s here that OPN succeeds in spades on his new album. Though the record can feel surprisingly diverse in places, its central focus never strays from spacious soundscapes and gentle textures: a far cry from the screeching distortion of 2010’s ‘Returnal,’ ‘Tranquilizer’ is an all-around soothing listen. ‘Bumpy,’ for instance, is anything but, slowly immersing you deeper under layers of lush synths and cinematic chord voicings that make for a highly ethereal mood. Some of the most tried-and-true ideas being explored here are the most ambient, with Oneohtrix Point Never taking every opportunity to demonstrate just how effortless this style has become for him. ‘Cherry Blue’ is a deeply cathartic moment, even punctuated as it is by some intense lead melodies: cuts like ‘Bell Scanner,’ as well as the title track, exhibit a similar mix of adventurous production and easy listening.

Perhaps ‘Tranquilizer’ is something of a misnomer though, as the record is anything but sleepy— rather, it’s like a secluded forest, where even the calmest of trails is teeming with life. OPN accomplishes the impossible by taking soundscapes full of synthesisers and other electronic elements and crafting beautiful naturalistic atmospheres from them: opener ‘For Residue,’ for instance, transforms its layered textures into a luscious wildlife exhibit, full of birdsong and a distant wailing. Though listeners looking for a thrilling or supremely memorable experience would probably walk away from ‘Tranquilizer’ feeling disappointed, there’s a huge cache of energy buried just beneath the record’s surface— it can be found in the skittering percussion of ‘Lifeworld,’ as well as in the more obviously enthralling ‘D.I.S.’ If anything, the record’s weakest moments may be the hollow textures of ‘Measuring Ruins’ and ‘Petro,’ which lose sight of the quiet intensity OPN captures so brilliantly elsewhere— the former’s crackling sound bytes wind up feeling like a missed opportunity.

As far as standout moments are concerned, ‘Tranquilizer’ houses its fair share, even if it doesn’t flaunt them: it’s an album to immerse yourself in, only surrendering its most valuable ideas and moments to a mindful audience. ‘Modern Lust’ carries with it a careful intimacy that really does capture its title— the way the song transitions from spacey synth patches to include mysterious saxophone lines and a melodic outro is quite special indeed. The following ‘Fear of Symmetry’ is similarly enthralling, centring itself around a melancholic piano sample pulled straight out of 2011’s ‘Replica.’ Oneohtrix Point Never didn’t need to craft multi-phased tracks here, but we certainly aren’t complaining: ‘Rodl Glide’ features some of the silkiest production on the album, as well as some of its most blaring, tying them together extremely effectively. Lopatin simply has the magic touch.

It can often feel difficult to evaluate an album lacking in conventional songwriting, as ‘Tranquilizer’ indeed does: scored for its evocative soundscapes and beautiful atmospheres though, the record pulls ahead. OPN’s latest work won’t leave you humming any melodies or itching to replay a certain track, but neither way it meant to. The album is a sublime study soundtrack, or the perfect background music for a long walk: as far as the ambient genre goes, this is undoubtedly a solid release.