| The next wave of laptop musicians appear to be providing a little more of the human element in their work by taking their faces from the blue glow of their displays and putting them in front of a microphone. Not only does this literally breathe new life into the genre, but also makes for the possibility of more interesting live performances. As Clue to Kalo, Australian laptop artist/producer Mark Mitchell blends his vocal and other musical abilities with his programming skills to give an hour's worth of complex electronic-pop compositions over the ten tracks on Come Here When You Sleepwalk. The pleasant upper register bass playing of "Empty Save the Oxygen" is combined with keyboards, machine rhythms and assorted pops and clicks. Mitchell's restrained and winding vocals deliver such lines as "I'd like to love you, but I'd like a lot of things," which pretty well sets the lyrical tone. "We'll Live Free (in NYC)" mixes up soul bass, broken-up funky drum samples, Rhodes piano and electronic elements with long vocal tones and samples to build up and morph into what sounds like its own re-mix by the tune's end. The eleven minute "Still We Felt Bulletproof" opens with some neat Wurlitzer playing and prominent vocals, again gradually building to a controlled pop chaos with patches of squelchy keyboard sounds, the splintered swing of a drum machine and walking electric bass line. Mitchell's creative songwriting, vocals and ideas appear to be very musical, strong and cleverly orchestrated. Although more of a laptop disc, at times there is an overabundance of electronic decorations on the more pop-oriented tunes where it feels drawn out as to make sure that no module goes unused. When the tunes are settled, they sound and feel nice. - The Brainwashed Brain |
2XLP/Out Of Print