Venetian Snares - Cubist Reggae

Nice of Planet Mu to actually release something that's not remotely fashionable or clubby for a change. ;0] This latest from Funk is a real brain mangler, mainly because it's quite downtempo and relatively un-hectic. We cannot decide what speed the fucker plays at/sounds best on either. For the opening track, you have a Lionel Glitchie take on abstract aquatic reggae moods with a satanic Come to Daddy-esque vocal sample threatening to smash your face. At 45 the vocal actually sounds human and in real time but the tune loses its dreamy skank that I like so much. Make your own mind up. 'Where You Stopped the Heaviest' works best on 45 being a dubbed-out snippet that sounds almost like a ponderous old Photek excursion. More mildly drunken horseplay on side two, Once again this track works on 33, a very atmospheric brain-tickler of a number with some wonderful ghostly synths coming in around half way before the tune staggers schizophrenically around the place, promising oh-so-briefly to turn into a mild bass-bin shagging breakfest before deciding to carry on skirting around the issue like a petulant awkward bastard, clicketing, flittering and glitching along like a digital stick insect on ketamine. Finishing with another truly bizarre stumbling piece constructed from trademark jazz-core beats whilst teasing us with a gorgeous spectral choral sample. So it's another head-fuck from the tall perplexing Canadian, not a proper tune in sight but plenty of fascinating, intricate programming and stubborn broken rhythms to get yr head round.