The nebulous Night Slugs label (spawned from the dance-centric club night of the same name) is the brainchild of Alex Sushon and James Connolly (aka Bok Bok and L-Vis 1990 respectively). Fully in-line with the duo’s refusal to pigeon hole the over-arching sound behind their burgeoning empire, Connolly’s debut album Neon Dreams is an album of progressive sounds that, as it turns out, the slightly corny album title fits pretty well.

Although you might be skeptical about the term ‘futuristic Chicago house’ (his words, not ours), L-Vis pulls off his debut with such panache, variety and expression as to warrant a grudging concession. These 15 tracks are so chock full of forward-thinking ideas expertly realised over a plethora of sounds and textures produced exclusively on hardwear gear that you’ll forgive any number of preconceptions.

To further assuage the doubts any underground dance fanatics’ might have about Connolly’s legitimacy, Connolly enlists the help of a number of older hands such as Teki Latex and Para One, who are in fact both present on the awesome ‘Shy Light’. The track oozes cool like a late summer Parisian side-street, with blissful, wistful synths and some sexy spoken word.

There are, of course, tracks on the album that eschew the French electro trappings in favour of more left-field instrumentals, such as ‘Cruisin” – a dirty, minimalist bass vehicle with an irreverent hook and some wonderfully off kilter beats. Or take ‘Illusions’ as another example, wherein the subtle layering of contrasting textures and rhythms is so sleek and textbook it should be a lesson in dance production.

Like many records of similar ilk, the depth and breadth of Connolly’s vision might not be immediately obvious, and it’s in the repeated listens that this record really comes to shine. There is no one weak-link, the mix-up between cooler vocal tracks and darker or heavier instrumentals creating a compelling and classic ebb and flow, and highlights such as Para One and Teki Latex’s three tracks and lead single ‘Lost In Love’ (featuring Javeon McCarthy’s most excellent vocals) lend the album that essential contrast.

Neon Dreams doesn’t define a musical landscape so much as ride gleefully roughshod over its expansive terrain. Longevity as well as enough melodic hooks and perfectly pitched build-and-drops to appeal to even a casual listen, Connolly has produced a timeless and tireless electro record.

If you’re suffering from modern dance burnout or feeling jaded by post-dubstep or similarly faddish genre hodgepodges, then L-Vis 1990 and Neon Dreams might just make you fall in love with dance music all over again.