Mana Medicine

Somewhere along the line, artists had the idea of melding downtempo and psy-trance (called psy-tempo), as featured throughout Mana Medicine. Not a bad idea, since the two electronica genres are quite complementary, where rhythm takes a subordinate role to melody and improvisation. In fact, oddly, it's not a million miles from the jam-band ethos. In both cases, the tunes establish a ground, a canvas on which the performers can paint, and some do it excellently, like Drift on "Infusion," working over a soulful idea. But it's a style that can encompass a lot, from the almost new age piano of Lisa Walker's "Orcadrift (Turtledub Remix)" to OTT's "Escape From Tulse Hell," a slightly dubby outing with heavy reggae inflections and the kind of effects use that would make the late King Tubby smile. A couple of tracks do pass a little like wallpaper, but for the most part there are interesting things happening. "D'Maot Malach," from Angel Tears, seems to have at least a little of its inspiration in the Cocteau Twins catalog of the '80s. Since it does cover so much, you have to wonder just how much of a movement this can be. But the selections here do hang together with a similar sensibility, and devotion to melody, diverse as they are, making for a complete, enjoyable listening experience. ~ Chris Nickson|