| Two Chicago-based producers-extraordinaire constitute the Opus, and this, their second long-player, just screams out to be played in trendy wine bars with dim lighting. It's all after-dark atmospherics, creepy samples and subtle hip-hop beats. Mr. Echoes and the Isle of Weight have done work for Aesop Rock, Murs and Slug before, but there's no returned favours here, which is definitely for the best; leaving only the rich, dexterous instrumentals of two guys who are clearly masters at their trade. The one exception to the instrumental rule is "Isis," where some free flowing rhymes from Lord 360 add some meat to the primordial soup. Not that there isn't more to this album than amorphous ambience - there's plenty that's distinctive and notable elsewhere, as the twangy synths and vocal sample on "Mission Control" amply demonstrate. They've chosen their vocal samples well throughout in fact, and despite an apparently unhealthy sci-fi fixation (their first record was called First Contact, naturally) the atmosphere the Opus create is firmly on the uncheesy side of b-movie shtick. That given, these guys would be more capable than most of soundtracking the next big serious sci-fi horror Hollywood can produce: if you remember how Godspeed's "East Hastings" worked so well as a soundtrack to earth's decline in 28 Days Later, then similarly the Opus's Breathing Lessons would be a perfect backdrop to exploring creepy new planets or sitting in Cuba Libre in Islington with a glass of '97 Claret... either way really. - Dot Alt |
2XLP/Out Of Print