Bonobo-a-Go-Go

Be prepared to experience your fair share of "post-modern existential bewilderment" with this release from the Guelph, Ontario band Bonobo-a-Go-Go. Comprised of Adrian Strickland (drums), Chris Dowling (bass), Alun Piggins (guitar), Tania Siwick's (vocals) and Marc Meyer (keys), this dub/funk and trip-hop group barrel through this seven-song EP, unable to settle on a happy medium. The dub influence constantly swallows the trip-hop on the sticky mess of "Honey Brown Blues," making it near impossible for Siwick's emotionally aloof vocal delivery to affect anything but apathy. Unable to wrench you into the cruel and moody soundscapes like Portishead, many of the tracks sound like sloppy, modern day excursions into free jazz. That and the album's intellectual pretentiousness lure it closer to the Mars Volta or the '70s prog rock of Can realm. "Breathe" and "Pretense Millenium" combine garbled musical meandering, some Hendrix-style riffage, and socially conscious lyrics attempt to salvage the album from being a complete write-off. Not entirely successful, it does show promise.