There’s a lot going on across AC (dot robot)’s London 2026, and very little of it seems interested in sitting still. Pounding drums, chopped-up vocals, day-glo synths and pitched-up vocal hooks collide across four tracks of frantic, high-energy electronic music, with plenty of old-school rave DNA thrown into the mix.
The London-based, Chinese-born producer has built the EP around four seasons of her life, touching on everything from queer identity and relationships to homesickness, independence and the occasionally messy reality of growing up. Fairly heavy subject matter, then, for a record that frequently sounds like it’s having the time of its life.
‘No Regret’ kicks things off at full throttle, setting the pace with a rush of rave energy and little interest in subtlety. ‘The Worst of Me’ deals with considerably darker emotional territory, although the EP’s relentless momentum makes for an interesting contrast with its more introspective intentions.
‘Rocky’ is perhaps the most intriguing proposition, incorporating the traditional Chinese pipa into AC’s hyperactive electronic palette. It’s a welcome reminder that there’s more happening here than a straightforward exercise in rave nostalgia. ‘Summertime Daydream’, meanwhile, rounds things off with a dose of childhood nostalgia and the bittersweet pull of home.
There’s something enjoyably excessive about the whole thing. The production is bright, busy and occasionally bordering on sensory overload, with enough pitched-up vocals and fluorescent synth work to make a 90s rave veteran feel right at home. Not every idea necessarily needs to compete for attention quite so enthusiastically, but restraint clearly isn’t the point.
And while the four-season narrative might be a little difficult to decipher without the accompanying backstory, the music has enough personality to stand on its own. AC isn’t reinventing rave music here, but she’s having considerable fun pulling it apart and putting it back together.
London 2026 is fast, colourful, occasionally ridiculous and all the better for it. Underneath the chaos, there’s a personal record trying to make sense of some complicated experiences. Thankfully, it also knows when to stop thinking and just make a racket.
