Search - Mescalito :: We Disappeared in Style

How to disappear in style....

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 02/12/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Mescalito created an entrancing blend of jazz, funk and chilled electronica in their debut album. In their sophomore album "We Disappeared in Style," they continue that sound in more laid-back trip-hop. The only flaw is that the too-short album is filled out with remixes, rather than a few more songs.



It opens with the sparkling, somewhat cluttered "Botnik," which swirls with panoramic electronica and airy vocals. That song sets the tone for most of the songs that follow, whether the ominous, trippy space-rock of "Voodoo Gold" or the loungey prettiness of "Overproof"; they all have a slightly dreamy, out-there feeling.



"Songai" is one of the exceptions, an out-there, hazy funk song. And near the end come two remixes from their first album: a swirly, downtempo version of "1/2 Tested," and a sputteringly spacey remix of "Lovegate." They're pretty good remixes in themselves, but it feels a little disappointing to have only seven original songs.



After creating the ultimate chillout album in "One Path in a Million," Luke Shepherd and Derek O'Sullivan don't mess with the formula -- if it ain't broke, don't fix it. As they have done before, they take what could have been completely ordinary chillout electronica and craft it into a surreal, dreamy journey.



Their music style stretches from Britpop to trip-hop, funk to lounge, with echoes of jazz and rock here and there. Brass pops up against jazzy percussion and wobbly trip-hop, and exquisite electronica sweeps across the ears like a series of little waves. "Botnik" is a bit of a stretch for Shepherd and O'Sullivan, since it is crammed with what sounds like dozens of musical layers -- electronic blips, keyboard melodies, jazz drumming and more.



If you took acid while listening to the best jazz, the result might be something like Mescalito's "We Disappeared In Style." While it lacks enough new songs, the sophomore album is still exquisite and rich."