Hard Islands

While Fake had gained recognition for the atmospheric, IDM-influenced sound of Drowning in a Sea of Love, his earlier EPs such as Outhouse (2003) and Dinamo (2005) had placed a greater emphasis on rhythm.^[6] On Hard Islands, he returned to that more dancefloor-oriented approach, with live performances in the intervening years pushing his sound in a harder^{[clarification needed]} direction.^[4][6] The album's six tracks move between dense, effects-laden pieces and shorter interludes, with the longest track, "Castle Rising", running close to nine minutes.^[1]

The album's packaging features photographs by Dan Tombs of the eroding Norfolk coastline, reflecting Fake's connection to the region.^[2]

Hard Islands received mixed to positive reviews. Clash gave the album 8 out of 10, praising Fake for developing a distinct sound that blends techno, IDM, shoegaze, and ambient influences without sounding derivative.^[7] Resident Advisor was similarly positive, describing the album as straddling the line between melodic sophistication and harder-edged^{[clarification needed]} experimentation, and praising the balance of restraint and intensity across the six tracks.^[1]

Drowned in Sound gave the album 6 out of 10, acknowledging the shift toward denser, more club-oriented material but finding that the heavier production came at the cost of the melodic warmth of Fake's debut.^[4] The Line of Best Fit gave a similar assessment at 5.5 out of 10, praising the energetic opening tracks but criticising the album's brevity and the unevenness of its second half.^[3] Mark Pytlik of Pitchfork rated the album 6.2 out of 10, framing it as a deliberate move away from the pastoral IDM of the debut and a return to the rhythm-focused approach of Fake's earlier EPs, but noting that the six-track running time left it feeling less than a fully assertive statement.^[6]

• Nathan Fake – production, all instruments