The nineties were a great time for beat cooking, and the London-based Ninja Tune label had some strong stew, from DJ Food's tasty hors d'oeuvres, to slices from Coldcut and Funky Porcini, to The Herbaliser's homegrown selections. But that decade has passed and-- post-pot smoke and the deleterious effects of "trip-hop" on the reception of downtempo grooves-- it's hard to deny that a good chunk of it sounds really dated. Not so for the man called Amon, whose ability to evoke entire jazz symphonies from two turntables and a sampler caused much jaw-dropping and salivation. He quit school and composed Bricolage and Permutation, each blending jazzy samples and drum-n-bass into tours de force that still sound fresh today.
Of course, given the rapid pulse of the electronic scene, it's easy to forget that Tobin has steadily churned out an album every two years. In 2000, he dropped his first real departure, the aggressive Supermodified, which digitized his sound into fractals for the 21st century. Having paid his dues and grasped his contribution, he's left the exploration of improv's interstices to DJ Spooky and Thirsty Ear's Blue Series and has since ventured into the furthest realms of space. Out From Out Where beams back at us from one of those planets where mutant morlocks throw block parties and robo-dogs get it on with intelligent fire hydrants. It's a future that may not end in dystopia; there are a few user-friendly moments once you get past all the sharp edges.
The physics of drums and bass haven't been abandoned altogether, evidenced in the insane opener "Back From Space" as a barrage of tech fills skitter amongst chimes and the surprise accompaniment of heavy metal guitar. But Tobin seems less concerned with showing off tricky breaks and Krupa-on-crack rhythms here, and more taken with just rocking the house. Thus, "Chronic Tronic" oscillates cycles of beats with hissing snare pistons, mining post-electro territory similar to that explored by Skinny Puppy or Download. "Cosmo Retro Intro Outro" likewise pursues a dance vibe, though this time it recalls an old-school rave-up as synth vamps come at the climax to push aside the junglist influence. This isn't easy listening in any sense of the word, but you have to nod your head to the nasty bass tremors on "Rosies" that echo the collaborations of Techno Animal and Alec Empire.
There are traces of the organic instruments Tobin previously used, especially in the orchestral swells that dramatize a few of the tracks. More often they're stitched into the frames, as with the rumbling double bass that forms the engine of "Searchers". The later songs slow down for a series of drifting atmospheres punctuated by dubby upstrokes or hints of Brazilian percussion, and it's increasingly mind-boggling to believe that all the featured sounds originate from a sampler. But Tobin insists on his method, so we have to imagine that the plips and plops of "Proper Hoodidge" might have been guitar licks at some point, and that the ominous drone haunting "El Wraith" may have been a foghorn in a past life. Describing all the ethereal sounds flooding the beautiful closer "Mighty Micro People" would require a few hundred words alone.
Out From Out Where's most dynamic workouts bounce along energetically, completely enamored of themselves; "Verbal" comes close to dopey big beat territory, with vocals from MC Decimal R diced into Prefuse and Chipmunks soundbytes. Tobin's definitely out to have some fun with this record, though the immense density of these soundscapes prevent them from being reduced to chop-shop filler. Unfortunately, he seems less interested in taking you on a journey, as each piece ends in roughly the same place as it begins. Where the pleasure lies here, however, is in listening to the rich layers unfold, and the music just glows, filled with his enthusiasm. Amon Tobin may never put out a party album, but this is probably as close as he's going to get.
