Astral Social Club & Grumbling Fur Time Machine Orchestra - Plasma Splice Trifle LP

Debut collaboration between these like-minded English underground titans, perfectly mixing the long-form pop eccentricities of Grumbling Fur with the free electric sound of Astral Social Club to produce four epic and memorable tracks. The music is dense and layered, with hidden hooks, haunting vocals, unidentifiable electronic shuddering, delicate ambience, etc. Challenging but completely accessible and beautiful stuff. After a brief vocal declaration of purpose, 'Back to the Egg' rides a motorik pulse ala Harmonia or Kraftwerk for 10 hypnotic minutes. 'Three Years Apart' pulses gently in a burbling cloud, reminding that along with crafting song gems, Grumbling Fur has collaborated with noted avant-composer/performer Charlemagne Palestine. 'Ozone Antifreeze Intelligence' layers electronics over a haunting piano and vocal melody, framed by subliminal fuzz guitar. 'Toejam Boxdrum' closes the album with an uproarious polyrhythm hidden by more layers of soft-focus electro-fizz, gradually giving way to thick bass riffs and tremelo'd interjections.