artist: Woob country of origin: UK style(s): Ambient, tribal, entho-ambient, cinematic essential releases: Woob (1994, Emit/Instinct) Woob 2 (1995, Emit, 1995)

These two striking albums released by composer Paul Frankland and his "virtual band" are among the most refined, subtle and innovative examples of the meeting between electronics and live instruments that flowered in the ambient environment of the 1990's. Both come from UK label Emit, a highly acclaimed purveyor of post-dance technological ambient music and which has also featured several Woob tracks on its classic compilation albums.

The first album simply called Woob is highly revered and arguably the greatest single album Emit ever released. Its a hybrid of melodic synthscapes, slow tribal grooves, avant-garde sound collage and Third World instrument sampling that defies mere categories. The ideas are so focused and execution is so assured that even the 30 minute opener "On Earth" doesn't drag for a second. The visuals are strong, too; some tracks play like a surreal movie allowing the listener any number of interpretations. It's music with light and shadow, capable of making you melt or making you jump. "Strange Air" builds the tension slowly, playing with synth drones and dialogue samples from an old suspense film for over 10 minutes before suddenly scaring the shit out of you.

Woob 2 takes you on another surreal journey, this time though some deep, dark tropical jungle teeming with life, an aural travelogue filled simultaneously with visions of beauty and lurking, unseen menace. Once again, Franklin's mix of electronics and live instrumentation is quietly dazzling - drums, bass, electric guitar - and here he adds further to his palette with some smart touches of flute and piano. There’s a little less melody and more thumping, dubby grooves than on the first album, though the 25-minute “Depart” drops the beats to a whisper and opts for a dreamy, disorientating flight through some mountainous inner landscape.

Since the 2nd Woob album Frankland has continued under the name Journeyman making weird dub and mutant drum'n'bass but it seems his Woob project is no more. With these CD's now out of print and fetching ridiculous prices on internet auction sites, can't he at least re-release these as digital download albums?

HOME