Tom Middleton's latest project, GCOM (Galactic Communication), is a remodeled extension of Global Communication, his '90s ambient techno project with Mark Pritchard. A decade in the making, GCOM's behemoth 20-track triple-LP E2-XO showcases Middleton's range as an electronic musician and sound designer. The title refers to his notion of eventual human migration towards potentially habitable planets—"Earth To Exoplanet"—and he envisions the LP as both "a space opera" and a "psychic investigation of the human mind in space." What that means in reality is Middleton's most expansive work in years, moving gracefully from IDM to downtempo breaks to drum & bass.
E2-XO takes the listener on an interstellar journey split between orchestral rhapsodies and often challenging IDM cuts. Some tracks make use of acoustic instrumentation—flute, violin, strings—and field recordings, while others are filled with intricate and glitchy beats that call to mind early Richard Devine or Aphex Twin. (Middleton's roots are deeply entwined with Richard D. James and other British contemporaries like Matthew Herbert, who were early collaborators.) But Middleton cites French IDM producer Qebrus as his primary influence, and the LP is something of a tribute to him.
| A1 | Noctis Ultimus (91 Mix) |
| A2 | XO Transmission #1 (GCOM X Qebrus) |
| A3 | Anthropocene |
| B1 | Ocean Dreams |
| B2 | The Last Rains |
| B3 | Starship Launch |
| C1 | Noctis Ultimus |
| C2 | Beyond The Singularity |
| C3 | Helix Nebula |
| C4 | Noctis Reprise (For Qebrus) |
| D1 | XO 1 (Luyten B) |
| D2 | XO 2 (Kapteyn B) |
| D3 | XO Transmission #2 |
| E1 | XO 4 (Wolf 1061 C) |
| E2 | XO 6 (LHS1723 B) |
| E3 | XO Transmission #3 |
| F1 | Planet B Awakening |
| F2 | XO 7 (Teegarden B) |
| F3 | Midnight Shore |
| F4 | Beyond The Milky Way |
