Burp Featuring Nini - noctis labyrinthus

Hear The Track Here

I was real excited to see the return of the Master of Lower Case this month in another collaboration with Chinese chantuese Nini. If you remember we last enountered this pairing when I reviewed Recent Colloquy (June 2006) and loved it. I've always valued Burp as an innovative, intricate musician but I have to say the teaming up with Nini added a whole different feel to a much loved general vibe. After all, almost everything I have ever liked of his (all of it) has been instrumental, and intense and a rewarding rhythmic oddessy that never fails to please, even in his wilder moments and - as an unqualified member of the Experimental Sounds set - he can get pretty wiggy and - yes, dare I say it? - scary as fekk.

Actually, I'm never sure what scares me the most; his ideas or his music.

For those who have had the pleasure of making this enigmatic artist's acquaintance, noctis will come as no surprise because - musically - it's everything we have come to expect from this composer. There is the usual crowd of attractive aural shapes and sounds, the usual endless drive that doesn't seem to be driving the track at all but actually is, the odd sploinks, boinks, whizzes and whirrs that are almost past of this artists compositional palette. On the musical front then, same old same old. Although to say that about Burp's work is to do it a great injustice. Although he generally works with electronic instruments, there is nothing electronica about his stuff, unless you counted the sequenced bass line in this track, but even that is delivered with the usual Burp dash of different.

As I commented before, in my review of Recent Colloquy, Nini doesn't as much sing as make vocal noises but between Burp's treatment of her vocal and the tone of her pipes, you will not even notice. All you will be aware of is how clear everything is in the mix, how cosily everything fits. All the while having your ears pinged by the sequences, sploinked by the odd noises and utterly, utterly seduced by the lady whispering sweet nothings right into the pleasure centres of your brain. The kind of track you couldn't pass by without listening to the next bit, and the next bit, and the next bit. Ooops, it seems to have ended. OK let's try that again... See what I mean? The question I want answering I where can I hear some of Nini's original stuff, or does she only work with Burp who obviously is a lucky guy - as well as being extremely talented. All inherently hateable traits I might add ;) Seriously, chill out? Yep, but you'll have to stop the hairs on the back of your neck rising up, as they will do. If you like electronica, world music, tonal variations and all points south, this is the track for you....

Highly Recommended international collaboration. (In both it's varieties)