artist: Atom Heart country of origin: Germany style(s): Techno, ambient, lounge, electro essential releases: Jet Chamber [with Pete Namlook] (1995, Fax) Real Intelligence II (1996, Rather Interesting) Jet Chamber III [with Pete Namlook] (1997, Fax) Real Intelligence III (1998, Rather Interesting) As Datacide: Flowerhead [with Tetsu Inoue] (1995, Rather Interesting /Asphrodel)

The delightfully eccentric Frankfurt-based musician and designer Atom Heart (real name Uwe Schmidt) has appeared on CD in a bewildering number of solo and collaborative guises since the early 90's. Schmidt makes some of the most quirky, surprising, funniest, freshest-sounding electronica on the planet. His creative freedom is guaranteed by the fact that he's released most of his works either on the fiercely independent Fax Records or his own imprint Rather Interesting.

Of his dozen or so works on Fax the first and the third volumes of the Jet Chamber series with Fax boss Pete Namlook rank among the finest for ambient connoisseurs. On the first one Atom Heart furrows about inside his machines and emerges with some striking, twisted beats and dissonant industrial tones, while Namlook's trademark synths offer enough melodic hooks and atmosphere to keep the rhythmic squiggles, squelches and burps never less than intriguing. On this album and elsewhere, this pair have proved to be a great collaboration. Jet Chamber III is more polyrhythmic, adding the stuttering breakbeats of drum 'n ' bass to a pot pori of vaguely third world beats and atmospheres. The result is quirky yet strangely haunting: Atom Heart's contributions notwithstanding, it's also one of the more unusual ethno-ambient excursions the hugely prolific Namlook has done. 

The Rather Interesting catalogue also boasts a pot pori of weird and wonderful - if not always successful - electronica for armchair listening. Fearless techno knob-twiddling and voice samples mesh with retro pop, spectral ambient sounds, lounge music and countless other unexpected combinations. Perhaps the best places to start are the second and third entries in the series of Real Intelligence compilations, which contain both solo and collaborative works. Want demented Latin brass and beats? Try "El Coco Baile". Jazz-rockabilly fusion played by robots? You'll hear it on "Wurlitzer Price". Or how about warm, slow funk with gorgeous flute, or a mellow Brazilian guitar riff, both punctuated by electronic burps and bleeps? That's "Stereo Kiss" and "Copacabana Palace". It's innovative. It's subversive. It's Atom Heart. And I imagine his devoted legion of followers wouldn't want it any other way.

A more cohesive example of his Rather Interesting output is the extraordinary Flowerhead. It's the mellowest and most consistent of several albums recorded under the project name Datacide with Japanese composer and environmental sampling genius Tetsu Inoue. Bathed in a slowly shifting purple haze of electronic clouds and urban environmental samples is an enticing mix of vaguely pop-sounding melodies, late 60's-style psychedelic jams, backwards guitar effects and sprinkles of light machine beats. If initially it seems quite difficult, it should start making sense after a few listens and soon reveal all its dreamy, paisley-coloured glory. The subtle retro flavour is ever-present, though the overall effect is something suggesting not so much nostalgia but more a collection of blissed-out vibes for aliens on holiday. Can you dig it?

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