Various – Arrhythmia II

This is a collection of pieces with a kind of Ethnic / Tribal percussion theme throughout, although how this is portrayed varies considerably. Less structured, less commercially saleab;e than, say, "East-Westercisms", it is still a far more interesting album overall. Can be listened to as Ambient, Mood or soft Ethno. Few if any low points, and the high points are from the cream of this style of music.

HEARN GADBOIS creates very much an ambient ethnic atmosphere with enough breaks in the beat to sound like an improv Jazz take on GLASS playing a slowed down, slightly Eastern Drum 'n' Bass.

JONATHAN KANE follows with a more percussion intense piece which maintains a similar atmosphere. Again you feel Jazz influences, certainly in the percussion department, has left it's mark. But through the upfront snares and congas, there is a whole world of lighter sounds as busy as an insect colony.

JOHN LOOSE combines what sounds like tabla with the ubiquitous drone-snakes of didgeridoo and quite possibly timbales hidden way within. Less Jazzy and improv, this wall of light ambient dance drumming makes for a pacifying, calming feel.

LIFE GARDEN seem to set their sights on a more intense listening experience. As ever they create as much a mood as a rhythmic soft-onslaught. Not particularly distinctive, but as good as you'd expect from this group.

LEFT HAND RIGHT HAND's track has seemed to appear on a selection of recordings, so is quite familiar. Busy, intense drumming set against a rising tone kind of keys into the adrenal glands, and raises the blood pressure.

MOBIUS OPERANDI has an altogether darker sound, taking the Jazz elements even further, making the sound into a kind of "Horse Rotavator!"-period COIL - cum - post-"20 Jazz Funk Greats" TG, only less chilling.

BILL QUINN combines an almost comedic approach to didgeridoo with female voices floating like benign angelic spirits in some 60s arty Horror flick, and metal percussion I somehow feel was partially 'found' (probably in the kitchen cupboard) to create a light but oddly disturbing soundscape.

VOICE OF EYE, bless 'em, never let the listener down. Here they let us into their perpetual moodscape, darkness of other-worldly night. Heard in amongst so much top notch material they still manage to stay ahead of the majority - praise indeed. A tinny drum rhythm, stolen, one might think, from THROBBING GRISTLE's "Heathen Earth" is held within a crude oil stygian black cloak of voices and floating noises.

CRASH WORSHIP ADRV seem surprisingly pedestrian after VOE, but provide a sturdy, workable tribal dance piece, a heady intense drum onslaught at a good brisk pace.

TRODANT SHAMAN returns us to a more moody territory, although the drums are medium to fast. Very metallic, quite intense and with some shrilling noises appearing here and there to boot.

RANDY GRIEF is another name you can rely on, although stylistically, he rather deliberately stays eclectic. Here it has a sort of early REICH / GLASS sound, slowed down a few clicks and then fed through some curiously decoded dimensions to give it a unique, warm-yet-weird sound.

ILLUSION OF SAFETY are again eclectic enough not to be predictable. Here they have a bright and busy drumming sound over which floats thin sustains and human voice snatches. Comes across as being very busy, quite noisy and intense.

BEAT MISTRESS is probably the most 'song' like piece here - fairly tight structuring, vocals adhering to strict verse portrayal. It sounds not unlike SLEEP CHAMBER at their more interesting, sped up to tribal dance ceremony and having most of the drifty mood extracted.

TRANCE are even more moody, dark and drifty soundscapes through which the percussion, ethic dance as ever, rises and falls like half-seen ghost shadows in some horrific underground place.

TIMOTHY NORTH returns to a more drum-obvious piece. Interesting structure which is danceable but slow, and has plenty of 'found sound' percussive noises joining it within the fairly strict structure.

SIMONE WHITE closes the album with perhaps the most straightforward drum backing - rolls and paradiddles give the sound a Jazzy, if explorative feel. Very little in the way of background sounds, but it's showy and clever, making up for lack of soundscape behind the beat. Perhaps the most musically proficient piece here.

A journey through the musical worlds of some of the most interesting aliens ever to have walked among us. Cutting edge mood music.

Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.