As he did on
Trip to the Core, Hanyo van Oosterom (aka
the Flying Dutchman) collaborates here with singer Ciska Ruitenberg and guitarist Edwin de Herder, both of the Dutch band Spot. The two of them make a felicitous addition to van Oosterom's shifting mass of samples, atmospheric keyboards, and brooding beats. On "Bring It All Down," Ruitenberg croons prettily in a style reminiscent of Golden Palominos-era
Syd Straw while programmed percussion chugs along beneath and de Herder chimes along on acoustic guitar; "Pathfinder" marries a sort of jungle/trip-hop groove to backwards guitar and slightly dumb lyrics. One of the album's finest tracks is the gently funky "Is Your Heart" which, with its hooky fretless bassline and synthesized trumpet, sounds for all the world like a collaboration between
Bill Laswell and
Jon Hassell. This isn't a perfect album -- one wishes for one or two more really compelling melodies -- but it's a very good one. ~ Rick Anderson