Unreasonable Behaviour

by John BushMore complex and idiosyncratic than his previous full-length works (and much less danceable as a consequence), Unreasonable Behaviour focuses on midtempo jams in the verge between evocative techno, electro-jazz, and even melancholy synth-pop. If 1997's 30 was his Chicago album, this one is definitely the Detroit installment, from the Motor City shoutouts at the end of the excellent "Communications from the Lab" to the future-imperfect electro track "Greed (Part 1+2)." Still, most of these tracks come closer to updated jazz-fusion than techno, with highlights like "City Sphere," "The Sound of the Big Babou," and "Forgotten Thoughts" driven by fuzzy, distorted melodies with dreamy synthesizer lines over the top and an emphasis on live(-sounding) drumming. He'd surely think twice before plugging any of these tracks into one of his DJ sets, but Unreasonable Behaviour is a solid fusion of jazz and techno.