| Trip-hop, the genre that barely existed save for the likes of Djs Shadow and Krush, has become in recent years an interesting entity unto itself. What used to be a record store half-section of mix CDs is now a sprawling subgenre of polyrhythm symphonies, movements inside of movements of b-boy beats scattered, smothered and covered by drum programming and dexterous fingerplay. Its limited breadth of influence, however, frequently becomes the shortcoming that keeps its appeal limited to backpackers and sample junkies; too many times have the same beats been employed to the same effect with but the slightest of tweaking marking the difference between the two, and as often by different artists as by the same artist on the same record. Villain Accelerate's Maid of Gold is the exception that proves the rule; the bass-heavy, guitar-laden beats never wander into territory unpaved by the scores of Morricone-obsessed producers which preceded them, but hardly has a familiar groove felt so comfortable. From the title track to "When I Was Your Age," the album's closer, Villain Accelerate's melancholy soundscapes explore chill-out dens and anticipate the decadent scores of movies not yet made, registering rhythm patterns and skittering percussion in one cohesive and collection of mood music. Maid of Gold is a proud return to excellence for a floundering genre, a rebirth in the guise of a retread, and a welcome addition to an already accomplished family. - Entertainment Weekly |
2XLP/Out Of Print