| And so the great Afo Celt adventure continues
into a third chapter. Whereas Volume One
was bursting with the energy of new ideas
but maybe lacked focus, their second album
Release was for the most part a bland, uninspired
affair. With Further In Time, however, things
are looking up. Recapturing the fluid feel
of the first album, they wisely decided to
build on their sound rather than just recycling
a few ideas. Opener 'North' ups the dance
ante from the off, a pulsating floor shaker
built around a eiree vocal chant and easily
their most successful marriage of the organic
and the electronic so far. A greater advance
is the increased use of vocals, especially
the chiming, African harmonies that pepper
the album and give it a joyous, uplifting
timbre. Label boss Peter Gabriel's contribution
'When You're Falling' benefits from such
an approach and is an undoubted highpoint,
as is Pina's atmospheric duet with Iarla
O'Lionaird on 'Go On Through'. Sadly Robert
Plant's effort 'Life Begin Again' is a load
of old bollocks but you can't have everything
and O'Lionaird more than makes up for it
with the dreamy 'Persistence Of Memory'.
Afro Celt Sound System - great idea, great
name, finally a great band. |
