Robert Christgau: Dean of American Rock Critics

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mu-Ziq

  • In Pine Effect [Astralwerks, 1995] A-
  • Lunatic Harness [Astralwerks, 1997] Neither
  • Urmur Bile Trax Volume 1 Volume 2 [Astralwerks, 1997] Dud
  • Royal Astronomy [Astralwerks, 1999] Dud

Consumer Guide Reviews:

In Pine Effect [Astralwerks, 1995]
Oh goodie--after two years of Les Baxter and Ennio Morricone assailing my precious hegemony, I finally get to apply for membership in the too-hep-to-be-square club. Sired by Esquivel out of rockist techno, it's Another Fluorescent World, in which moderately intricate synthbeats drain a kitschy kitchen sink of electronic harpsichords, foghorns, string quartets, bubble machines, tintinnabulations, screams, and what can only be called natural synth noises. Anything but ambient (although hum a few bars and they'll fake it for you) and not about cool, it maintains its spritz at all times, so that even the atmospheric low points sound something like fun. I miss the illusion of a centered subject that only a singer or soloist can provide, and am not overrating schlock's use value. But it's my highly complimentary guess that this schlock is way too fine to get me into the aforementioned club--or any other. A-

Lunatic Harness [Astralwerks, 1997] Neither

Urmur Bile Trax Volume 1 Volume 2 [Astralwerks, 1997] Dud

Royal Astronomy [Astralwerks, 1999] Dud