Little Lost Soul

by Jason KaneLittle Lost Soul is the Third Eye Foundation's first album of the 21st century and the most consistent to date. TEF uses the drum'n'bass elements of u-ziq and Squarepusher but leaves the trip-over-yourself aspects behind. Combined with swelling synths and angelic vocals, this album is a ride through the dark side of a genre appropriately labeled "drill'n'bass." The percussion is meticulously constructed; each beat is placed for a purpose and new rhythms are exposed upon repeated listens. Vague tinges of jazz are also present, mostly in the tappy snare drum and fretless upright bass sounds. All parts combine and build chaotically, most notably halfway through the album on "Half a Tiger." Little Lost Soul does have its calmer moments, too, where strings and slower trip-hoppish beats gel into a truly melodic package, as in "Lost." A clever use of dynamics and note placement, along with a knowledge of when not to play, prove Matt Elliot's progress as a modern electronic composer. In the end, Little Lost Soul is what many electronic albums aren't. It is tasteful.