Ralph Myerz And The Jack Herren Band

Norway’s Ralph Myerz follows up the buzz-heavy A Special EP with this full-length effort, a rather weightless yet pleasing mix of good-natured cheese and sunny downtempo. With a light trip-hop touch, Myerz draws from artists like Bent and Gus Gus while incorporating elements of dub and astral jazz. Some songs have a Martin Denny-esque exotica quality about them, like "Casino," but the record plays it straight most of the time, infusing mellow electronics with dreamy reverb and throbbing bass tones. The silky tones of the title track, for instance, create a sexed-up ambience ideal for late nights and candlelight. Myerz’s experiments do go occasionally awry; the retro-funk of "Funky Bizness" goes nowhere. Nevertheless, A Special Album promises great things in the future with its airy, off-kilter sensibilities. --Matthew Cooke