Unequal Equality (EU)

A collection of collaborations between Mathias Schaffhäuser, owner of the Ware label, and a variety of other artists -- including a posthumous one, if one chooses to believe the story behind the Jan Jelinek discovery of Ursula Bogner -- Unequal Equality should be more of a striking modern electronic/dance effort than it is. But rather than showcasing a variety of individual approaches, most of the songs feel of a piece, and if that's a reasonably attractive and listenable piece, it's not as remarkable as it could be. At the album's slickest, on "Confusion (Rules OK)" with Markus Güntner and "My Old Man" with Lucy, the latter's melody a true standout, everything has a lovely if formal flow, while the opening kick on "Marathon," with And.Id, starts another strong track well. Still, Unequal Equality feels more like a pleasant curio than anything else, of interest to preexisting fans but unlikely to win over more listeners. ~ Ned Raggett|