Two Banks of Four (2bo4)- Junkyard Gods

After a five year hiatus mostly spent touring the overlooked yet moving "Three Street Worlds" LP, the Banks return with a glitchy, electro rub down for their sophomore set. "Junkyard Gods" sees Rob "Galliano" Gallagher and Dillip "Demus" Harris strip down to basics a bit more. The fabulous and underrated Valerie Etienne and Bembe Segue split vocal duties once again. This time Valerie's touring time with Matthew Herbert seems to have influenced the 2bo4 sound a bit more, allowing glitch and abstraction to reside in many of the jazz anthems. Especially on the title cut where blips, bleeps and circuit hums seem hellbent on supporting the chaos that has our protagonist ranting against the "machinery of night. "How much more time can there be to let it out?". The electro glitch creeps in on classic spiritual jazz jams like the classic "Shadowlands" where choral chants are proclaimed and swaggering bass lines domintate. The bold declaration of "Flags and Words" skillfully combines classic 70's jazz and protest speak with a modern drum & bass twist(which I'm sure made 4hero take notice.). These songs round out the duets for Val and Bembe. To prove the Banks are worthy of there takes on spritual Jazz referencing they close the LP with a meditative rendition of Sun Ra's "Lights on a Satellite". Stripped of backing track and reduced to the dialogue of communicating flutes it's an contemplative closer. It's a great album that will transport you to other places and at nine tracks leaves me wishing there was more... http://www.2bo4.com http://www.sonarkollektiv.com/data.pl?artist=1882