The second album from this unusual Toronto duo seems to be available in two different packages: one a normal jewel case with inserts, and the other a technically impressive and aesthetically pleasing (but supremely inconvenient) folded-paper affair that ties closed with a ribbon. The music is a similar combination of loveliness and complexity: on pretty much every track, Robyn Sellman sings angelically over complicated, glitch-infested, sometimes forbiddingly dense avant-techno backing tracks put together by herself and collaborator Igor Olejar. The best examples of
Bleep's strange genius come early in the program, on the album-opening "Coils" (on which Sellman's voice soars gloriously over a coughing, jittery breakbeat) and the similarly configured "S.I.F." "Dipping Toes" is more rockish, with a melody that harks back to
the Sundays before everything breaks down into a jungle interlude toward the end. On "You Do It," Sellman sings languidly over an incredibly dense and frenetic accompaniment. In addition to its rather brief program of audio tracks, the CD includes two CD-ROM videos, neither of which is especially interesting (though "Over" and a live version of "Idiot Drums" are both great). Highly recommended. ~ Rick Anderson