Kiss My Arp

The debut from acclaimed DJ and slightly less acclaimed electronica artist Andrea Parker is a winning mix of the electronic and the organic, a rather dark but never depressing examination of the psyche that relies equally on vintage synthesizers (hence the album title), cutting-edge beatcraft, and real orchestral string arrangements. And she sings pretty well, too. The album opens with the downbeat and contemplative "The Unknown," on which a minor chord progression and how-low-can-you-go bassline are leavened by big synth washes and a soaring chorus. "In Two Minds" is a fairly abstract synth piece with pizzicato violins and a chirping analog noise that Allen Ravenstine would kill for. "Sneeze" charmingly samples the sound of Parker sneezing into a surprisingly funky four-bar rhythm loop and also uses analog synthesizer to approximate the sound of water-pot percussion. "Return of the Rocking Chair," however, is a ponderous and annoying waste of time, but everything else on this album is well worth listening to. ~ Rick Anderson|