The debut album for Klein from Zurich's Beat Solér slipped right in with the left-of-jazz-yet-right-of-chill niche neatly carved by label veterans
Sofa Surfers and
Mum. Born from his experiences in Zurich's burgeoning arts scene, this body of work charts the life and times of an imaginary accomplice -- horn blower and rabbit-suit-wearing curio Silvercity Bob. From the hopefulness of the twisted Hollywood musical-sourced harmonies which envelop "The Blue Tiger Family" right through to the dispirited slump of the closing wheezes of "Terrible Sound of Silence," Solér's combination of sampladelic '60s pastiche and easy listening-borrowing found sounds is a thoroughly engrossing take on postmodern cool. Despite occasionally faltering to the proto-jungle of his 1997 debut,
Bellatrax -- which, though interesting, don't quite sit within the context of the LP -- this is a fine full-length for an artist who would prove a significant talent for the Viennese imprint. ~ Kingsley Marshall