Micachu & The Shapes / London Sinfonietta - Chopped And Screwed (Vinyl LP, CD)

This is a live recording from May 2010 and sees this experimental indie wondergirl Mica Levi head into experimental modern classical territory. Inspired by DJ Screw's slowed down codeine dosed hip-hop her vocals sound disembodied and almost detached. Having first clocked the title I was sceptical of yet another artist jumping on the Screw bandwagon but the crew here really do offer up a refreshing take on the slow motion aesthetic. There's much innovation here as the instruments were hand made by Mica and David Sylvester and the results are some very diverse strange sounds, from itchy off kilter rhythms through to monged out strings, seemingly transmitted from somewhere within the downer ether. The tracks straddle a bridge between solid songs and loose improvisation. It's refreshing to hear an artist genuinely expanding their creative horizons, possibly with the result of alienating established fans. This is as far out as I've heard any of the artists involved dare to go.