Rightly or wrongly, I will always associate J. Albert (a.k.a. Jiovanni Nadal) with that ill-fated period of lo-fi house when the DJ moniker was often the most exciting part of the artist (see: DJ Seinfeld and Ross From Friends). But amidst this algorithm-baiting milieu, Nadal's music always stood out for its studied knowledge of the history of house and techno. Under the tape hiss, there was the sound of a serious craftsman who knew how to program his drums and pianos.

Since his start, Nadal's gone on to try out lots of different sounds and tempos, from excellent forays into jungle to a more recent dip into the world of ambient jazz. He now returns with I want to be good so bad, a career highlight that showcases Nadal's ability to draw out a groove alongside patiently unfolding melodies. With its endless loop and simple chord progression, the tape hissy "Slowga" is almost dub techno. "Shell" is an ambient soundscape with the ghost of a kick drum holding it all together.

But the real highlights of the record are the mammoth opening and closing tracks. Totaling nearly 30 minutes, they function as miniature symphonies. "Auto-Life" reminds me of Traumprinz's work as DJ Healer—there is a faint four-four rhythm underneath barely there synth work and vinyl smudge. "Esuna" forgoes drums for a quarter of an hour of droney modulation. These tracks make I want to be good so bad sit within Nadal’s larger discography in a way that is both familiar and distinct, hinting at what might come next.