Rose de Shiraz

It took Troyer (aka Uli Troyer, aka Ulrich Troyer) three years to come up with a full-length debut to follow up his infectiously funny 3" EP Nok on Mego. Rose de Shiraz drops the glitch research that granted him access to the pioneering experimental/electro label for something more dancefloor-friendly, hence its release on Deluxe. Luckily, Troyer's sense of humor remains, so does his taste for the bizarre. On this effort, his weapon of choice is the sampler, but he also plays a lot of guitar to give his tunes an earthier feel. But don't think of Fennesz yet, because the tunes pop, slap, and cough in a jerky way, combining cartoonish electronic asides with Frankenstein-esque rhythm tracks, and a world beat flavor. Vocal contributions come in Italian, Turkish, Kurdish, and Persian, but the singer's role is often limited to a line or two from which Troyer extracts an essence of tradition to offset his modern constructions. Explained like that, it seems a bit cavalier, or even colonialist, but the process works out very well, giving the music warmth and soul. Field recordings from Mexico, Egypt, and Ghana, also pop up in the mix. Highlights include "Je T'Aime," an intelligent (though not quite original) variation on Serge Gainsbourg's idea, "Tre Elefanti Danzanti," and "Sono a Cozze," the latter's oddity linking back to Nok. In a day and age where everyone and their baby sister works with software, it's good to hear a producer putting the harsher qualities of the sampler to good use. Troyer's music is inventive, and poses a challenge without alienating the listener looking for ear candy. Recommended. ~ Francois Couture|