Swiss-via-Los Angeles downtempo electronic pop duo Mustfuzz (aka Tom Vedvik and Daniel Wihler) first emerged back in 2004 with their debut album Sequential Circus, and three years on, this follow-up, also released through the Bern-based Inzec label sees them crafting glacial downbeat pop landscapes that sit somewhere between a considerably more chilled Royksopp and classic period Depeche Mode. While opening track “Around & Around’ sits perhaps closer to the streamlined easy-listening electroglide pop of Junior Boys or Datarock, there’ certainly more than a hint of David Gahan’ elegant baritone delivery in the way in which Vedvik’ clear vocals slide against slow laser-zap rhythms and icy synth arpeggios on stately-sounding New Romantic-tinged ballad “Across The Ocean.’
“Before It’s Lost’s meanwhile rouses proceedings out of their dreamy haze, placing vaguely sinister electro sequences that carry a hint of Middle Eastern arrangements beneath tense jerky robotic rhythms and subtly placed snatches of live bass, the dark underlying edges providing one of this record’ most memorable moments. Throughout, the aesthetic focus is dominated by a production approach that favours digitally pristine and precisely sculpted synthscapes, the subtle placement of minimal rhythmic elements and occasional glitchy flourishes sometimes reminiscent of Mark “LFO’ Bell’ work on DM’ glitch-influenced Exciter album. While it’s certainly beautifully conceived downtempo electronic pop with care and attention to detail evident throughout its eleven tracks, as a whole Mosaic occasionally runs the risk of being a bit too tasteful for its own good and fading into mere background listening.
Chris Downton
