Mouse on Mars
Idiology
- Thrill Jockey
Release Date:2001
With most electronica falling into increasingly defined dance and experimental camps, it's a rare combination to hear intelligent experimentation with solid breakbeats and melodies that defies classification. German duo Mouse on Mars's Idiology, their seventh full LP, continues to push the envelope toward advancing their eclectic style.
The opening track and single, "Actionist Respoke," thrusts forward with an over-compressed vocal sample on top of broken drill n' bass beats, burps, bleeps, and analog synth stabs.
"Subsequence" kicks a fresh beat with sampled snaps and honks before moving us into schmaltzy piano melody which morphs into clarinet and strings over round electro bass lines. Distorted guitars fill out the background building into a frenzy which breaks down to a fine electro beat.
Switching gears, "Presence" is a nearly drum-free ballad with over-harmonized vocals layered in pure psychedelic fashion by drummer Dodo. This flows into "The Illking," a building synth ballad that grows for 3 minutes and dissolved in seconds.
"Catching Butterflies With Hands" starts with broken beat samples, and meanders along creating some form of modern lounge music.
There are a number of other nice electro-funk tracks, like "Introduce" and "Doit." "First: break" is a serious drill'n'bass number. "Fantastic Analysis" could serve as the background soundtrack for a documentary voiceover.
--Ben Segal
ben@outersound.com
