LA LUNA

Something of an oddity even in Holger Czukay's decidedly eccentric discography, this 'electronic night ceremony' is 47 minutes of minimal electronica that defies easy classification. There's a steady pulse throughout, a kind of industrial churning with a steady beat underneath and a couple of higher pitched rhythmic sounds in the foreground. Various other beats and sounds, presumably picked up on Holger's short wave radio, flit in and out of the mix and about half way through his muse/partner U She's voice joins the proceedings. And that's pretty much it. Highly atmospheric, with some intriguing sounds and samples here and there, but rather less substance than usual.

2 stars for this not because it's bad - if you're in the right mood it can be quite compelling, although U She's voice seems to divide opinion sharply - but because this is really one for hard core fans rather than the curious newcomer. If you haven't heard any Holger Czukay before, try Movies or On The Way To The Peak Of Normal first. If you're a fan, be prepared for one of his more minimal excursions, turn the lights down and prepare to lose yourself in a dark soundscape for three quarters of an hour.