The 2kDozen 500: #86 - Mouse On Mars, "Parastrophics"

Opener "The Beach Stop" features a cracked young woman's voice over fizzing techno bits and pieces, sounding like a self-help tape. "Chordblocker, Cinnamon Toasted" sounds more like about Facebook being a cunt-blocker, but I don't understand how that would work. But my ears start to stick up on the third track, "Metrotopy" - heavy, clattering clap-based power and growling key stabs.

"Wienuss" whips about tightly too. "They Know Your Name" gouges its way with a Dalek-like voice on top and employs many bells and whistles and slicing together voices at the end. A hyperactive Kraftwerk. "Syncropticians" lurks about in the undergrowth, spitting and blurting. But I'm starting to lose focus again.

"Cricket" doesn't sound too much like the game I know. "iMatch" throws down a hefty chunk of 8-bit business in along with the tune. But I'm not finding my way into the album at all. Each new turn throws up another wall in front of me. Each track segues into the next and I can't get my fingers in any cracks.

"Polaroyced" is channeling an Eighties spirit in a big way. "Gearknot Cherry" starts out like a haunted piano, before dropping through a couple of gears. "Baku Hipster" (another great title - no shortage of great titles on this album) is chopped up Azerbaijani (?) and drums and video games. Can't get to grips with it either. Maybe MoM are best when they're lassooed around a big personality like MES. Maybe I should retire my ears and try and smell my way around the album.

"Seaqz" sees out the record with some acid squelch. I love a bit of acid squelch. The rest of the album is a frustratingly impenetrable experience.

Rating: Slipping out of Sync