It's fair to say that, in my humble opinion, ACCRETIONS' releases tend to hit the target more often than not. And although it may not have immediate appeal, this eclectic collection from one of their leading lights most definitely falls into the former group. Ambient street recordings seem popular these days, and the opening piece on this album - "Port Of Call" - is an average example of this - well recorded and interesting in that it has snippets of what sounds like North African street music, pompous drumming and a snatch of Irish accordian. "Science Boy" is an ever-intriguing journey through exploratory electronics and compulsive tribal drumming. It works as a busily complex piece of Ambient rhythm - the heavy drums give the piece warmth while a delegation from all the electronic Insect planets throughout the universe hold a slanging match about 'Hive Mentality'. It's difficult not to be drawn into the hypnotic dance of bizarre spirits - an addictive trance piece which is ever eloquent in it's sonic diversity. "Undercurrents" clears the pallate with it's amalgam of Jazz Sax, disconnected voice, echoing miasma, exploratory bass and general star pool of noise. As random and disconnected as it initially seems, the distinct sax motif leads us into a more structured saunter through twisted genius. Tight, snappy drums pull the sound together, solidifying into a gentle but determined chill rhythm. "Convergence" takes a wander through the icy side of New Age with a sound which delves into the Native American spirit world - slow drums, long fade-in flute-like instrument and Witch Doctor bone rattles. It gently coagulates into a more solid rhythm which nevertheless takes the disquieting atmosphere along for the ride. "Bullets For Ballots" takes a minute or so of stolen voice and disconnected instrumentation before it forms into a ponderous sequence plod which takes the occasional break into madcap jazz scurrying. It has an overall Surreal feel, and I'm sure it probably tells an intriguing story, although it ain't in English (uneducated guess - Spanish?). It works a peculiar magic on the listener - somehow sounds like something from a 21st Century-altered 1930's Speakeasy. "Manifested / Manifesting" begins as an abstract percussion workout - if it makes a noise, hit it! Some tight drum rolls and inventive use of an extensive drum kit. Slowly it forms into a tighter, more logical rhythm, disassembles again and again, exploring every concievable nook and crabby within the limitations of it's own agenda. "The Orange Line" continues the abstraction with an almost pained combination of trombone, bass and guitar through which the rolling percussion builds on the tension, making the entire sound as tight as a high tension wire one moment away from snapping. They seem to delve further and further into madness as the led display clocks up the minutes. When they form this mass of threads into a rhythm it is tightly delivered at slightly over a decent jogging pace. And as the tension keeps rising it becomes a burning collaboration between a more Old School Jazz style and more modern blistering electronics and novelty ideas. Deserving the longest stretch on the album - when it finally sets about creating a ripping dance groove it blows most similar music out of the water. "Scintillation" returns to similar territory to the opening track, except here we have what I assume to be a mass of badly tuned radios babbling a babel of badly broken voices through the speakers and into the room. Eccentric, self-indulgent, occasionally humorous, with more than a bucketful of talent in each of the thirteen people involved. Originally reviewed for Metamorphic Journeyman.