MAGIC MUSIC

This is the last album (to my knowledge) of their second birth and again a fairly controversial one. It is very similar to the previous Brain Waves and uses some of the same techniques including samples. What was highly suspicious on BW is not very evident , they were didling with sampling machines , programming etc... Not what I expect from the once mighty TEB . I do not appreciate this album for a few reasons , although the results make yet another avreage TEB album for the non-demanding John Doe. I am here also putting on the spot the label Materiali Sonori at stakes: I strongly suspect them to have watered down the few tapes they had from this session and elongated the sauce to make a two album worth of too few ideas.

Clearly , the Arab influences are again present (as was the main novelty in the previous Brain waves) , but what is immediately noticeable is Sweeney's percussions are simply too perfect methodic and repeated endlessly without any breaks not to be programmed.The second track Runes is probably the highlight in an otherwise relatively lacklustre selection of tracks that have that definitive "déjà-entendu" feel. A very disappointing album.

Should you choose to investigate the second period TEB , you might be well advised to Live Ghosts or Radio Sessions.