Extraordinary People is a very welcome CD compilation of tracks that were released on two 12" singles, Extraordinary People and Kaleidoscopic Sounds, and resequenced into a full-length album.
Harmonic 33 rejoins
Global Communication's
Mark Pritchard with his co-conspirator in the drum'n'bass unit Use of Weapons, Dave Brinkworth. Their previous collaboration was deep-rooted in drum'n'bass, but here they meld hip-hop beats with the trappings of easy listening exotic lounge. "The Rain Song" and "The Holytrack" are the highlights of the album, featuring choral vocals, tinkling pianos, and groovy percussion. "The Woodblock" showcases more of the hip-hop side of the pairing, with some furious vinyl scratching and sampled cut-up rap vocals. Chanteuse
Kirsty Hawkshaw also makes an appearance, adding wordless yet moving vocals to the lounge-tronica "Underwater Lady." Very different from the library music that the two collaborators would go on to produce on Music for Film, Television, and Radio, Vol. 1, Extraordinary People is a feather in the cap of
Mark Pritchard's towering discography, comparable to
Troubleman's excellent
Time Out of Mind. ~ James Mason