Anyone who knows the work of German singer/producer
Khan knows that his one consistency is the deadpan lyrics that translate to little, if any, message yet still stick in your head much longer than the average vocal dance track. He's also not one to let technical purity get in the way of a good groove, which is why you'll want to jump straight to the back of this CD for the live recordings (audience yelps and all) of his
Captain Comatose semi-hit "$100." But be warned: once you've dipped your toes in
Khan's superbly catchy, minimal disco-funk, the rest of this album might seem a bit dry in comparison. That is not to say that these grooves aren't tight, in a loose sort of way. "Don't Come Back" doubles up the white soul vocals à la
Jamie Lidell when he croons for Supercollider, and the song's nearly-
Kraftwerk-lifted sub-synth line will tune your ears up. But therein lies the problem. "Mr. Monkey" smacks of
Daft Punk, and "Comatose Captain (5-8 Mix)" nabs an all-too-familiar sonic stream, as well. "Complete Gold" is a fun time; it's quite possibly microhouse's first call-and-response track. But a .500 success rate is far more impressive for a ballplayer than a dance album. As a 12" cutter,
Khan fills the DJ crate with ease, but he's not conquered the art of the album here. ~ Joshua Glazer