Third and the Mortal

What could they have put in Norwegian water these days to make so much great music come out of that country? These folks are a slow, trip-hop unit fronted by heady female vocals. The sexy vocals sit perfectly atop a mishmash of seductive trip-hop beats and groovy sounds, but there's a darker edge. Portishead comes to mind, and some of the song structures and beats call up Curve as well, but there is still more of a jazz element going on here. Track seven, "Those of My Kind," is a curious twist to the set, as they bring in lead male vocals that could be David Bowie's gothic evil twin, circa 1978. This is a versatile disc that has just enough mellow with the noise to please the most discerning ears.