Juju & Jordash - Techno Primitivism (Dekmantel)

There's nothing primitive about this, but there's a stoned-age atmosphere going on that messes with the 4/fourmulaic framework and offers more mindfeed than work by strict adherents to the law of repetitive beats.

Funny thing about Gal Aner & Jordan Czamanski though is that they possess a few muzak genes which thankfully only influence the music now and again, such as on 'Way Of The Road', which is not the reason for getting this album, and if you started there, you'd probably wonder what the fuss is about.

So start at the beginning (a crazy idea, I know), which is 'Stoplight Loosejaw', a thundering juggernaut that threatens to smash through the crash barrier, roll down the canyon and explode, but never quite does, although it picks up some great electro-warbles, sandpapered echo-chamber and submerged piano along the way. I like 'Diatoms' enough to include it in my latest mix; it got a fierce I Feel Hate rhythm decked in devious FX which aren't overloaded but add good rough edges. The cherry on top comes towards the end in the form of a brief Cecil Tayloresque flourish on the 88s. They've injected Jazz into their work before, having met playing it, but this album displays many other influences. 'Backwash' proves they've been listening to Rain Dogs era Tom Waits (I'm guessing), and rolls along very nicely, aided by a gong, yes, a gong, which adds a hint of the middle-Eastern.

As I suggested earlier, the boys aren't always testing the boundaries, and a few more tracks lapse back into pretty standard fare, but 'Dr Strangepork', whilst staying safe rhythmically, is infected with more than enough otherness to make it stand out, as are 'Echomate' and 'Shrublands'. Definitely worth investigating.