by: Zero Sharp
Mu-ziq's new album "Bilious Paths" stakes out a lot of new territory for Mike Paradings. In the new semi-tired genre of drill and bass and IDM, Mu-ziq decides to stake out into the dirty bass and samples akin to nu-school breaks. Don't worry, though, it's by no means a breaks album. There's plenty of craziness here, and it all works extremely well. The opening track, "Johnny Mastricht", takes ideas from the garage/two-step scene, and gives them a much-needed extra half-twist in skittering drum and cymbal hits. Grape Nut Beats (pt. 1)", for instance, returns to the old school 6/8 gabber tempo in its monkeying. The song's across the shop brilliance and clever beat switching and amens work well to make an engrossing track. "Meinheld" is one of my favorites on the album; it starts in the drill and bass tradition, but a strange, almost film score like melody comes in on top of it all about half way through. "Fall of Antioch" gets my vote for best song name of 2003, and it happens to be a beautiful, haunting soundscape of cascading strings, and other, stranger sounds. "My Mengegus", the last track on the album flows beautifully from it; filled with chimes and slightly odd, sad melodies, it wraps up the album beautifully. The whole album is pretty much brilliant, and would make really good music to dance to. Up there with "Rounds" by Four Tet, this is one of the best albums that you'll hear from left field this year, and I recommend it to the jaded and fresh listeners alike.
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