Product Description

This being a project including members of Tortoise and other Chicago post-rock/new jazz scenesters, the general direction of THE UNSTABLE MOLECULE is pretty much what you'd expect, but that's not to say it doesn't work. Isotope 217 combines the embryonic jazz-rock approach of Herbie Hancock circa SEXTANT and BITCHES BREW-era Miles with a very '90s dubwise cut-and-paste postmodern aesthetic, mixing in '70s funk and adash of art-rock along the way. The themes are simple and the musicians humble, the focus being on song structure rather than improvisation (the crucial factor that leans MOLECULEcloser to "rock" than jazz), making for an uncluttered, propulsive soundscape. Recommended to fans of the aforementioned artists, or the rest of the Thrill Jockey roster.

Track Listing

1. Kryptonite Smokes The Red Line
2. Beneath The Undertow
3. La Jetee
4. Phonometrics
5. Prince Namor
6. Audio Boxing

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #219997 in Music
• Released on: 2001-08-10
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

excellent leftfield post-jazz
This album from Tortoise affiliates Isotope 217 on Chicago's Thrill Jocky Label treads the sort of path that you would expect from members of the aforementioned post-rock/jazz heros. Mixing traditional jazz influenced instrumentation with some very tasty dub style effects and twisted electronics, The Unstable Molecule manages to surprise and delight in equal measure. If you think of Tortoise and Fridge, jamming with Miles Davis, you're not far from the sound of the album. Of course this is No Bad Thing. For the most part, a deeply organic sound consisting of some amazingly fluid jazz drumming, and and lush horn arrangements, is punctuated by the odd retro synth/drum machine workout, which keeps the listener fully engaged. A good mix of downtempo, chilled tunes and off kilter funk influenced tracks means that there is enough variety and depth here to keep you coming back.