The Dining Rooms – Tre (Schema)
There’s a fine line between blissed-out Sunday afternoon tunes to fall in love with and pleasant but tepid muzak. Italian duo Stefano Ghittoni and Cesare Malfatti’s third album on the excellent Schema label treads the line carefully, putting the odd steadying foot on either side. The warm, bass-driven grooves, bongo loops and piano flutterings are perfectly executed and there are quality vocal licks from Anna Clementi (Tosca) and Sean Martin but ultimately it’s a just a little too tame and predictable to grab your attention. But then I’m sat at a desk in West London, not on the terrace at Café del Mar. Alastair Lee 11 April 03

useful link: www.ishtar.it/frameschema.htm