The jazzy bass of "Theme to the Last Puma" kicks off Ian Simmonds' LAST STATES OF NATURE, preparing you for what's to come. Mainly: more electronic jazz. The deep percussion on "The Ice Waltz" shows Simmonds' interest in dub, as well, even if that track focuses on a simple piano line to buoy the electric chords and vocal samples beneath it. "Man with No Thumbs" has a dark urgency to it, while "Trying to Breathe" slows things down to a throb. "The Millennium Question," on the other hand, has a hint of Middle Eastern percussion, and "The Leopard" brings up the tempo. "Stray" brings back the mysterious, abstract melodies to accompany the barely-there lyrics, while "N.V.Y." conjures a long desert journey. "The Preacher" caps the album with a rhythmic workout, showing that these last states are here to stay.