THE YUMYUM TREE

As soon as I began this, I knew I was in for something very akin to Spirals in Hyperspace and yet something very different. The trance and house sensibilities are still in full force, but it seems Ed Wynne has incorporated some fresh sounds, ranging from synthetic strings to synthesizer leads. However, like the aforementioned album, I really only enjoy half of this album (in this case it's the first half) before I get bored silly.

"Magick Valley" The opening tone made me cringe initially (although I can't reasonably say why), but what sounds like the electronic equivalent of a gargling monster gradually becomes something more coherent and rhythmic, if rather exotic.

"Oddwierd" Some bouncy, slippery tones begin this fresh piece, as punchy yet deep bass swing in underneath it. The guitar soloing is stellar, as are the upbeat drums, all of which make this an undeniably happy track. It's my favorite here.

"Mooncalf" Brighter synthesizer takes over, and the exotic melodies make me think of Jon Anderson's Olias of Sunhillow. It's at once mystical and soothing. But soon the tempo picks up, and over a simple bass groove, there's guitar solo and lush pads. Later, the piece becomes something like electronic reggae.

"Oolong Oolong" There's some exceptional guitar playing here that initially serves as a lead instrument before melting into the liquid fabric of the piece. The funky bass line welcomes a warbling synthesizer solo and many other strange sounds.

"Yumyum Tree" The title piece gets going with some light synthesizer and bouncing bass. The middle section is a bit of a disaster, but things pick up again fairly quickly. The trouble I have with this piece is that there's nothing to make it stand out- it essentially sounds like urban club dance music.

"Plant Music" An electronic rhythm pulses in the background while drums, bass, and the like come in. The lead guitar is an excellent aspect, and there's a great bass excursion in the middle, but other than that, the track suffers from the problem as the previous one, just to a lesser degree and of an unnecessary length.

"Nakura" This is mostly an empty track, with occasional percussion sounds and a tin-can-sounding, zigzagging synthesizer. It's an airy piece with not a whole lot going on.

"San Pedro" Electric piano and heavy drumming make up this one. It's kind of a spacey mess, though.