Niun Niggung
The opening track, "Download Sofist," starts with pretty, meandering acoustic guitars and adds oddly beautiful brass melodies that are gradually overwhelmed by dissonant electronic sounds. The result is so fascinating that it's tempting to listen to it several times in a row. The rest of the CD is not quite that revelatory, but it sustains a consistently high level of interest. Although live instruments are used throughout, the overall sound is very electronic--often, the effect is of machines talking to each other in a highly rhythmic but esoteric language. In this way, Mouse on Mars are reminiscent ofAutechre, but the music is sunnier in tone with a lot of herky-jerky upbeat rhythms that, combined with the horns, sometimes sound like synthetic ska. However, the use of slightly humorous elements and unexpected juxtapositions never approaches the level of wackiness for its own sake. Part of the CD's appeal is that you never know when an Indian-film soundtrack string-section sample will pop up or when another surprisingly wistful melody will appear atop a gurgling drainpipe percussion track.--Bob Bannister