Man or Astro-man?

Everybody's favourite fake aliens are back again after god only knows how many albums of space-themed instrumental rock. This time around, there are still lots of their jerky surf guitar blasts, like "Preparation Clont" and "Um Espectro Sem Escala" that we have come to expect. There are, however, also lots of ambient-style experimental and transitional pieces such as "Pathway to the Infinite," a song that has only a geometric shape in place of a name and "A Simple Text File," which consists of two minutes of computer printer noises. These more "noise" influences, mixed with lots of electronic effects as well as some rave references, keep the mood of the record diverse, but always consistent with their concept of music as heard through a defective space satellite transmitter. Even the multicoloured laser light/computer screen album graphics point to a vision of an abstract, mid-tech future. Even though some surf fans might not be too impressed by the noisier tracks, the record moves around enough to keep most rockers entertained every few minutes or so. Being one of the only groups to deservedly make it out of the mid-'90s surf revival, these guys continue to add influences and create a new style of their own that all but leaves surf behind.