Klute: No One’s Listening Anymore

Herald rating: * * *

Klute chose a risky title for his fourth album. Commercial suicide you might call it, especially given this is a two-disc drum'n'bass opus. Or maybe it's designed to be felt, not heard. Disc one is a sub-woofer enthusiast's dream, particularly the window-rattling opening track Time4Change and its mind-slaughtering ending, Hidden Hand. It's easy-listening enough to play outside the car stereo too. Things warm up as he drops lush melodic waves, shifting harmonies, ethereal vocals and the occasional flute arpeggio into the mix.

Although it's beautifully produced, at times reminiscent of 90s stalwarts LTJ Bukem and Alex Reece, it's not all good vibrations. Time and again it slips into wishy-washy, yoga-soundtrack territory. That's not helped by the distant, synthy chords or the spacey, pseudo-spiritual vocals sung by someone who sounds like a stoned Norah Jones.

Disc two suffers the same fate as he veers away from drum'n'bass and into the atmospheric mood pieces, topsy-turvy breaks and haunting house that would no doubt go down a treat at a Thai Full Moon party. Ultimately though, it fails to ignite a sense of excitement. Bring on the Downward Dog.Label: Commercial Suicide