Khmer
With his flourishes of electric guitar, samplers, and drum machines, Nils Petter Molvaer will draw obvious comparisons to another jazz trumpeter dabbling in dance--Ben Neill--onKhmer. Despite the lineup similarities, Molvaer's sound is unique--samples are used in a subtle, sparse convention, giving this disc anoir-ish feel; beats kick in but never overpower his snaking trumpet solos. Perhaps this disc's secret is the trademark wide-open sound of his label--ECM--or maybe just Molvaer's hypnotic style, which at times harks back to Miles Davis-cool, mystic chamber-music minimalism, and the smoothness of trip-hop. A limited-edition bonus CD contains remixes from the Herbaliser, Mental Overdrive, and Rockers Hi-Fi and is an added treat. In the hands of all three dance crews, the tunes condense, the beats get thicker, and Molvaer's squeaks and solos season the groove. Great stuff.--Jason Verlinde