Jason Farrall and
Kenny Clarke follow the Cuban excursions of Dukebox contemporary
James Hardway with their own taste of the Americas. Although originally scheduled for release on the well-respected Clear label at the tail end of the '90s, the
Lithium's debut was a casualty of war -- failing to make the shelves with the label folding shortly after the pair signed up. Having landed a deal with Doug Hart's South London imprint, the band saw the eventual release of this six-track mini-LP of ambitious drum'n'bass. The longevity of
Passo Fundo is nothing if not testament to their quality, with the tumbling percussion and complex key work of the title enriched by the Good Looking atmospherics of "Earthly Egos" before the techno infusion of "Moments in Neon" spills into the meandering fusion of "Resurgan." ~ Kingsley Marshall