The tentative electronica tourist has never been lacking in ear-perking hotspots. To name a few, we've got Homework, Moon Safari, Second Toughest in the Infants, I Care Because You Do, Music Has the Right to Children, Mastered By Guy at the Exchange, and from Jimmy Tamborello (aka James Figurine), Life is Full of Possibilities. Each of these albums contain something to offer folks that aren't quite taken up with techno, IDM, clicks and cuts, and the like. On the strength of the last example, I was looking forward to absorbing and musing on this new Tamborello effort. Unfortunately, there isn't much in the way of interesting programming genre-tweaks here. As intricately tweaked and phased-out as the actual blips are, there's a nagging sort of inertia to these songs.
I suppose this is the point where I should mention this: I didn't like The Postal Service. And, unfortunately for me, this record is much more Postal Service than Dntel. So I guess I'm not the ideal candidate to review Mistake. Because, aside from some historical perspective, I've never remotely engaged with whatever it is that's supposed to make the removed minimalism of Kraftwerk enjoyable. I suppose Homework is very minimal, but it also had a strong mood of goofing off and having fun. I think synthesized beats and melodies are like anything else; they're basic textures on which to build innovative, perhaps subversive, counter-textures. The music on here isn't exactly predictable, but it's not all that engaging in the end. It has some strident, melodic warmth throughout, so with the cold and mechanical backing, there's your novel juxtaposition. It's not without some appeal, I suppose. Unfortunately I can't listen to it without picturing some posh metropolitan art show where there's an extra bathroom for farting off all the fancy cheese they feed you.
Yet, despite this reviewer's precisionist electro-pop prejudices, there's a consistent inventiveness to the beats and textures of these songs. It's a lesson: don't let reviewers who don't like New Order write up your techno-pop albums. Especially ones who abuse the leeway their editor grants them and keeps the "I" a constant. This ain't no mini-blog, it's TinyFrigginMixTapes! And no matter how much this author wants to poo-poo the genre template adopted by J.T. here, there's no doubt that this is a pretty good album. It may not have the challenging, versatile and obfuscated lure of Life is Full of Possibilities, but it is an enjoyable selection of moody emo-electro cuts.
And Yet!
As far as moody electronica is concerned, nothing on here can touch Thom Yorke's solo debut, The Eraser. Yorke doesn't just wow the listener with beat and synth processing intricacies, but puts together some emotionally visceral and, as a result, memorable tunes. Mistake may be a solid, somewhat complex electronic music release, but its nerdy precision has the tendency to render the melancholic, brooding melodies somewhat impotent. Consequently, any way one looks at it, this album is a pleasant diversion at best.
1. 55566688833
2. Leftovers
3. Ruining the Sundays
4. Pretend It's A Race and I'm On Your Side
5. You Again
6. Apologies
7. One More Regret
8. White Ducks
9. All The Way To China
10. Stop
More about: James Figurine
