Various Artists Far Out Spaced Oddyssey Review

The punning title of Far Out Recordings' latest compilation delivers 12 tracks that take the listener on a tour of the off-beat edges of Brazilian music. However, it's hard to recommend this collection very highly given the patchy sequencing and lack of consistent feel.

Jose Mauro's Apocalipse is a great mix of funky and medieval sounds while Joyce's Tudo Bonito comprises an intricate filigree of picked acoustic guitar notes over which the singer surfs and soars like an exotic seabird. Binario is all tinny drum machines, fuzzed guitar and lovelorn harmonious vocals. It's a melancholic, hypnotic sound that makes you want to hear more. Next up, Rabotnik deliver a floating, pensive piece that's not a million miles from the experience of drifting off to sleep in a public place, voices fading in an out of consciousness. Binario return again with psychedelic guitar snarl and bugged-out synths, but as the track's only a minute in length it does little more than tease the listener.

Black Magic by Kirk Degiorgio Presents Offworld is from a one-off 2001 album project in which the veteran UK producer re-purposed source material from Brazilian supergroup Azymuth into brilliant, driving techno. In danger of dropping off the radar, it's great to hear this track again, but it sounds rather strange sequenced after Binario's brief roar. Azymuth's Caca A Raposa makes more sense as a delightful piece of laidback Rhodes groove made for driving the freeway on hot summer days, or lying back on the beach.

Penultimate track Switch, by Troubleman, is a puzzling choice as the artist is better known as Mark Pritchard, one half of ambient pioneers Global Communication; the connection to Brazil is unknown. The compilation ends with another Azymuth remix, this time by Rabotnik. It's less subtle than Kirk Degiorgio's, but its range of unpredictable, left-field moods finishes up proceedings on the right note at least.