Another Late Night

by Dean CarlsonMixing obscure brain funk with the erogenous pulse of jazz, soul, and left-field electronic chamber pop, Fila Brazillia's first attempt at a mix album is one of the most enjoyably indiscriminate chill-out compilations in some time. New York's Kinetic label, best known for its Tranceport franchise, was wise to let Fila Brazillia's Steve Cobby and Dave Pork step in and kick off their new Another Late Night series. The duo's liking for accessible, caricature-based, mischievous downtempo blends well in this mix environment, where the freedom to place elements like Prince Alla's roots reggae, the Swingle Singers' Prelude and Fugue in C minor, and the stoic lunacy of the Beta Band in the same arena as Kelis and Marvin Gaye goes unchallenged. It's both an excellent introduction to the band's idiosyncrasies and a tacit triumph of naked eclecticism in its own right.