Bathtime With Loop Guru

Album Review

The British duo of Salman Gita and Jamud (Loop Guru) make their re-entry onto the EFX/dance groove scene with yet another clever outing, as the band's transcendental musings are augmented by world percussion grooves, bird sounds, subliminally rendered spoken word, and more. Highlighted by a layered and textural approach, these folks also incorporate synth-based jazz and classical orchestrations into the production. No doubt, the musicians project a sense of warmth amid airy themes and pulsating backbeats in concert with an abundance of warmly expressed themes. They adhere to some of the more conventional aspects found within this musical genre, such as Indian divas and ambient EFX stylizations. But the duo's intricately devised parts offer a mark of distinction, evidenced by the electronic processing of a church organ and an endearing trombone-style pattern witnessed on "Spring." Melody plays a vital role here — hence a satisfying presentation despite a few lulls in the ingenuity cycle, primarily on the last two pieces, where the artists seemingly digress into an autopilot-type mode.