Rob Ellis

Perhaps best known for his drum/percussion work with PJ Harvey, Rob Ellis is a producer and musician with many, many outlets including his art/rock project Spleen. This collection supplements the 2000 release, also on Leaf, which saw Ellis composing for piano as well as numerous other instruments, real and "fake” including suites for "imaginary music boxes.” Vol. 2 starts off with four "real” piano pieces subtitled "Four Pictures With Debussy.” These miniatures conform to classical style, returning regularly to a motif or phrase, and resembling, not only Debussy, but Satie — if occasionally more like Satie for speed readers. Elsewhere pieces for "fake piano” and "fake alarm clock” alternate between dense synthetic clusters of sound and austere passage which exhibit little in the way of fakery. The closing six pieces are the most varied, using sounds from church bells to traffic noise mixed amongst the piano/"fake piano” sounds. More for fans of classical than electronic music, but ambient and moody enough to work for both.