Funki Porcini - On [Album]

Ninja Tune

Considered to be one of the progenitors of the trip hop sound, Funki Porcini (known to his parents as James Bradell) does have the weight of expectations on his shoulders. Eight years between albums may have been a bit too much for fans, but for any innovator, people expect something magical every time; further development, envelope pushing, basically excellence in excelsis. Beginning cheekily with 'Moog River', which takes melodies from Mancini’s original 'Moon River', Bradell pays tribute to the late Robert Moog while not doing a disservice to Mancini.

'This Ain’t The Way To Live' delves into a darker, more mysterious, filmic, trip-hopped world. Listening to it you can just imagine a film noir setting: A 50s private investigator in a back alley somewhere in New York, smoking a cigarette, waiting for some damsel to emerge or a gunshot to ring out. 'Undermud' is a moody piece that centers on a simple motif and again cries out to be used in a soundtrack. If he hasn’t done this already, the time is right for someone to approach him, because if this album proves anything, it’s that Bradell has an adept instinct for the cinematic feel.

'Belisha Beacon' features some great piano work over a funky beat, but it doesn’t really evolve, which is a criticism you could level at most of the album. That’s not to say it doesn’t work, you just don’t get the feeling that there’s a genius at work here.

'The Third Man' is purportedly the centerpiece of the album and begins with a few simple piano notes and the sound of what appears to be someone trudging through snow, which is conceptually fitting seeing as the title comes from the phenomenon of Antarctic explorers feeling the presence of an invisible third man pushing them on in their quest. It’s very basic in its structure, with sparse synth strings, the ubiquitous piano lines and not much else. It is probably not the obvious choice for the heart and soul of "On".

The jazzy 'Bright Little Things' and 'The Magic Hands Of Fernando Del Ray' incorporate live drums and open themselves up to a looser band sound. The performances, particularly the drums, are superb, most noticeably on the latter track, with the bass and vibraphone (which may be a sample, it’s hard to tell) really giving the impression that Funki Porcini has become a group for six minutes. They certainly liven the album up.

On the whole, "On" is a passable record and while it may not change your life, it has enough going for it that it just might enhance it a little bit.