Suncoilsect are a group of musicians based in Bristol whose album is entirely instrumental with the exception of the sampled vocal snippets. When I heard "Suncoil" images of the jazz club sketches from the Fast Show sprang to mind as it is such a shambolic jazz improvisational song with Dennis Ackermans saxophone technique becoming tiresome by the minute. Much of this album follows the same pattern with a droning mess replacing tunes which are nothing more than extended studio jams. Its just pure muso over-indulgence.

Much better and a lot more tuneful is "Some Kind Of Itch". A fun, uptempo, melodic and likeable track which funnily enough is the only song on display which has any trace of funkiness. Ralph Josephs guitar, feedback and samples are really worth a listen as combined they are so impressive. The chilled out atmosphere on "Red On Black" is alluring with Ewan Newmans electric piano lending an air of class and sophistication.

Final track "Freeform Energy Freakout" is an atrocious, over ambitious jazz tune which is a disappointing end to the album. This is average, dinner party background music perfect for fondue evenings or rotary club meetings but pretty boring if you sit and listen to it in one sitting. The album will probably have its audience with jazz fans and has its moments but to be honest these are few and far between.

Nicholas Paul Godkin