A surprisingly diverse mix from the Londonese duo..
Takis Tz. | InYourHead | 06/12/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The first thing that becomes obvious after listening to "Love Philtre Magick" is that you can't easily categorise it. If at all, that is..
Throughout the 13 songs the mood shifts from eerie easy-listening sounds to doomy vocals (as well as lyrics) even to some light hearted drum n bass as well as several soundtrack-sounding passages.
In comparison with their previous album this is certainly an effort to mix things up more. But in the end, what counts in cases like this is the final result. It doesn't matter how many times you put your ideas in a blender or the quantity of the ideas themselves but how they all stand together and deliver.
In that respect "Love Philtre Magick" is a definite winner.
Keeps you interested but, more importantly, keeps you curious. And that's the ace up the sleeve here as you can't know what to expect as you listen through the album, the surprises keep coming and coming.
The element that's most welcome, at least for my tastes, is that this album has a subtle but constantly noticeable dark side to it. Piano as well as violins contribute to the LP's moody atmosphere. Certainly fits more to autumn than summer even though it's released on a June. It's a dark side that kinda creeps in on you as the songs progress, undoubtedly much helped by the weird lyrics, stories that seem to be inspired by thriller films.
Check it out if you're looking for some fresh takes on electronica."