Rest

An intriguing work sounding like little that came before it, Rest reconciles a host of disparate electronic subgenres: the rugged synth-pop of the early Factory Records bands (A Certain Ratio, Section 25), acid house, the ambient techno axis of the early '90s, and experimental dub of the Basic Channel/Chain Reaction variety. Drum machines, noisy effects, and angular, gloomy synthesizers battle for supremacy on these dozen tracks, most of them defiantly unpolished and tough-sounding. The obvious highlight is the chill-out classic "Beau Mot Plage," already a veteran of countless mix albums before the release of the full-length. That fact takes nothing away from the power of the full-length in total, a daring album of sophisticated melodies and raw machine backing. ~ John Bush