Zombielicious

Album Review

There's no question that no matter the style, it never hurts for an act to start off strong, a lesson that Zombie Nation doesn't forget for this album. Beginning with "Mas de Todo," an aggressive bit of sleazy funk-techno that is both retrogressive in its rework-the-'70s basis and completely forward driven in its crisp digital impact — the flute breaks are nice touches — Zombielicious shows again that Zombie Nation may only be a collective tribute to plenty of acts and movements in the past, but it's a very good one. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the energy level ramps down a bit after "Mas de Todo" but Zombie Nation know how to make consistent catnip for rave-damaged listeners of a certain age, never quite distinct enough to be unique but never unlistenable, either. Both parts of "Worth It" are compressed early electro squelch for a newer generation, at once skronk and stuttering breakdown. If crackling builds like that on "The Fact" are standard issue, the live drum breaks add something more, while the nervous strings and arrhythmic handclaps on "Mystery Meat Affair," the compressed brass and vocals on "Seas of Grease," and the smoother swoops of "Stand By" are each standout moments.