The first release onTricky's Durban Poison label, this album from English collective TheBaby Namboos expands the boundaries of trip-hop (a genre which hasbecome rather tired lately), presenting interesting pop songs, soulfulmelodies and just enough rap and reggae to keep you interested.

Why review a Cure record for Brainwashed?

Through Piskidisk comes this release from Rose MacDowell's Sorrow and various other related bands.

Although I was only alive for two years during the 70s, I can definitelyappreciate the annoyingness of overproduced 70s arena rock (mostly through the magic of those VH1 "Behind the Music" specials).

Wow, this has got to besome of the best hip-hop I've heard in years. I'll admit that I don'tknow much about Mos Def, but I do know that this album is amazing andit makes me want to find out more about him.

I literally cannot stoplistening to this CD. Although it's only been a few days, it's quicklybecoming one of my favourite Current 93 pieces ever.

For what it takes years and a few releases to get to, Scott Heren has reached on his debut CD.

Okay, I know this albumis about five years old but I strongly think it's worth mentioning. Acouple weeks ago I found a place online where I could order the UKpressing of this disc, which I had always known was clearly a differentversion than the US release which I have owned for years. I was notready for such an incredibly pleasant and drastic surprise.Everything's beefed up and played out with the force and energy thatblows the US release away completely. Although Justin Warfield's rap isweak, the opening tune, "Bug Powder Dust" hits hundreds of times harderwith a powerful pounding driving bass line and an incredible melodycompletely missing on the one I already had. Other guests and othertracks follow suit with an abrasive side of dub completely void on theother version, currently collecting dust in my collection. Playingthroughout the disc on nearly all of the tracks is a star-studded teamof various Dub Syndicate veterans Skip MacDonald, Doug Wimbish, KeithLeBlanc and Bim Sherman. Guest vocalists and players include SineadO'Connor, Jah Wobble and other singers. An 11th track, "5ml. Barrel," aspoken word piece from Will Self backed by some incredible music wasn'teven on the US version. It's no wonder to me, looking back how thisdisc bombed in North America.

samples:

• Bug Powder Dust (the better version - from the UK CD)
• Sleepyhead (with Bim Sherman)
• Somewhere
• Bug Powder Dust (the crummy US CD version - just for comparison sake)

Finally, this is the album we all knew Matt Elliot could make.

Despite their seeminglyunlikely French origin, Rajna's latest album Yahili so stronglyreflects the band's passion for South Asian music that their nativecountry becomes easily forgotten.

After disbanding in 1996, two-thirds of the masterful German drone trio Maeror Tri moved on to a new project, Troum.

The Rootsman is anEnglish DJ/dub musician with 15 years experience and a discography thatincludes over two dozen EPs and albums since 1994.

Although the popularityof bands featuring phat beats and female vocals has risen immensely,few artists have been able to perfect the style and display enoughoriginality in doing so to stand out amongst the more mediocre of suchacts.

Although it's not quite like catching this electronic performer live, it is a nice artifact to own.

Thanks, Mute for making these available now in the USA. While Red Star did reissue Suicide's first album in 1997, this version is coupled with a second CD.

Peter Rehberg, well-knownfor his work in Rehberg & Bauer, is also prolific with his solooutput as Pita, featured on the Austrian experimental techno label MEGO.

Sometimes it gets quitedifficult to describe something without using comparisons to othersbefore them. While I really enjoy this, the charming and honest debutfull-lengther from Best Boy Electric, the slow and melodic musiccombined with the hesitant vocals screams of influence of Galaxie 500,Bedhead and of course, Low.

Packaged in a flimsybaggy with a black and white book of artwork, Art-IC Culture in Swedenbrings this Aube release, constructed using only glass as the soundsource.

Album of the Year

   1. Coil, "Musick to Play in the Dark, Vol.1 "
   2. Nurse with Wound, "An Awkward Pause"
   3. Autechre, "EP7"
   4. three way tie:
      Tom Waits: "Mule Variations"
      To Rococo Rot: "The Amateur View"
      godspeed you black emperor: "Slow Riot for New Zero Kanada"
   5. Stereolab, "Cobra and Phases Group Play Voltage in the Milky Night
   6. Labradford, "E luxo so"
   7. two way tie:
      Low, "Secret Name"
      Nine Inch Nails, "The Fragile"
   8. two way tie:
      Trans Am, "Futureworld"
      Jim O'Rourke, "Eureka"
   9. four way tie:
      Mogwai, "Come on Die Young"
      Add N to (X), "Avant Hard"
      Sonic Youth, "Goodbye 20th Century"
      Plaid, "Rest Proof Clockwork"
  10. six-way tie:
      Angels of Light, "New Mother
      People Like Us, "Hate People Like Us"
      Pan Sonic, "A"
      Mouse on Mars, "Niun Niggung"
      Plateau, "Spacecake"
      Flaming Lips, "The Soft Bulletin"


BAND
OF THE
YEAR

    

   1. Coil
   2. godspeed you black emperor!
   3. Legendary Pink Dots
   4. two-way tie:
      Stereolab
      Squarepusher
   5. Low


SONG
OF THE
YEAR

    

   1. Aphex Twin, "Windowlicker"
   2. Coil, "The Dreamer is Still Asleep"
   3. godspeed you black emperor!, "Moya"
   4. Mogwai, "Stanley Kubrick"
   5. godspeed you black emperor!, "Blaise Bailey Finnegan, III"


MUSIC
VIDEO
OF THE
YEAR

    

   1. Aphex Twin, "Windowlicker"
   2. Bjork, "All is Full of Love"
   3. three-way tie:
      Add N to (X), "Metal Fingers in My Body"
      Beck, "Sexx Laws"
      Leftfield, "Afrika Shox"
   4. three-way tie:
      Lamb, "B-Side"
      U.N.K.L.E., "Rabbit in Your Headlights"
      Meat Beat Manifesto, "Prime Audio Soup"


NEW
BAND
OF THE
YEAR

    

   1. Angels of Light
   2. five-way tie:
      The Beta Band
      Cyclobe
      Plone
      Pole
      The All Seeing I


CONCERT
EVENT

    

   1. Labradford/godspeed you black emperor! (notably in various combinations including Low, Mogwai and Matmos)
   2. Trans Am / Pan Sonic
   3. Tom Ze with Tortoise
   4. Current 93 NYC
   5. four-way tie:
      v/vm
      Stereolab / Papa M
      Legendary Pink Dots
      Man... or Astro-Man??


BEST
LABEL

    

   1. Warp
   2. Kranky
   3. three-way tie:
      Thrill Jockey
      Mute
      Matador
   4. World Serpent
   5. Fat Cat
   6. Soleilmoon / Staalplaat


BEST
PRODUCER

    

   1. John McEntire & Jim O'Rourke
   2. Timbaland
   3. Jack Dangers
   4. Steven Stapleton
   5. Howie B


WORST
BAND

    

   1. three-way tie:
      Nine Inch Nails
      Limp Bizkit
      Backstreet Boys
   2. Korn
   3. six-way tie:
      Coil
      Britney Spears
      Blink 182
      Plone
      Marilyn Manson
      Kid Rock


WORST
ALBUM
YOU
BOUGHT

    

   1. Nine Inch Nails, "The Fragile"
   2. Tricky, "Juxtapose"
   3. Mogwai, "Come on Die Young"


BEST
COMP

    

   1. Warp's 10th Anniversary collections
   2. Reach the Rock Soundtrack
   3. v/vm, "AuralOffalWaffleTenPintsOfBitterAndABagOfPorkScratchings"
   4. five-way tie:
      Fight Club Soundtrack
      Matrix Soundtrack
      Eyes Wide Shut Soundtrack
      Matador's 10th Anniversaty
      Soundbombing II


BEST
MOVIE

    

   1. two-way tie:
      Blair Witch Project
      Being John Malkovich
   2. Eyes Wide Shut
   3. Fight Club
   4. two-way tie:
      American Beauty
      The Matrix
   5. two-way tie:
      Run, Lola, Run
      Dogma
   6. Sixth Sense
   7. two-way tie:
      South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut
      Sleepy Hollow
   8. three-way tie:
      Princess Mononoke
      Iron Giant
      eXistenZ
   9. The Straight Story
  10. Man on the Moon
  11. American Pie


BEST
TV SHOW

    

   1. The Simpsons
   2. Futurama
   3. South Park
   4. That 70s Show
   5. X-Files
   6. two-way tie:
      Law and Order
      Just Shoot Me


BEST
BOOK

    

   1. The Onion Presents, "Our Dumb History"
   2. "Wreckers of Civilization," by Simon Ford


BEST
ACTOR

    

   1. Kevin Spacey
   2. Ed Norton
   3. three-way tie:
      Johnny Depp
      John Cusak
      Tom Cruise
   4. John Malovich


BEST
ACTRESS

    

   1. Christina Ricci
   2. three-way tie:
      Nicole Kidman
      Heather Donahue
      Annette Benning
   3. three-way tie:
      that chick in Run Lola Run
      Jennifer Jason Leigh
      Cameron Diaz


BIGGEST
DISAP-
POINTMENT

    

   1. Star Wars
   2. Y2K and all the other hype
   3. Blair Witch Project
   4. The Haunting


EVENT

    

   1. Columbine High
   2. Seattle Riots
   3. New Year's Eve
   4. Coachella Music Festival


WEBSITE

    

   1. brainwashed
      geez, can't you get more original!
   2. Superbad.com
   3. Pitchforkmedia.com
   4. Disinfo.com
   5. hamsterdance.com


HERO
    nobody got more than one vote
VILLAIN

    

   1. Bill Gates
   2. A four-way tie: Milosevic
      the Media
      Richard D. James
      George W. Bush


MOST
ANNOYING
TREND

    

   1. Pokemon
   2. gay teen bands (N'Sync/Backstreet/98 Degrees) / teen popstars (Britney Spears)
   3. three-way tie:
      Y2K fever
      Millennial surveys/polls
      Piercings
   4. two-way tie:
      Emo
      Cargo Pants

My pick of the week is the fourth album by this German group, released in 1998. Notwist is allegedly an offshoot from the Tied and Tickled Trio, a jazz rock influenced group who can be found on more remixes than original product, including the Aerial M remix album "Post-Global Music".