November 9–16, 2000

disc quicks|electronica

Laurent Garnier

Unreasonable Behaviour

(Mute)

"French dignitary" and "brilliant techno mix" probably don’t get paired up often in word-association games. But in the case of ex-French embassy employee turned DJ Laurent Garnier, don’t expect things to add up. Garnier’s latest expedition, Unreasonable Behaviour (Mute), is like a gulp of fresh tech-house air in a genre long gone stale. What makes Garnier successful is his ability to incorporate other types of music, like smooth jazz and evil jungle basslines, into his songs without making them sound foreign or complacent — afflictions that strike many other electronic musicians. From his first trailblazing days of spinning records at "Madchester"’s Hacienda club to his astonishing full-length release 30 in 1997, Garnier has been at the forefront of bringing exhilarating sounds to intelligent audiences. He expands on his tradition by creating a pleasingly somber compilation of all-original tracks. On its own, the album hardly works up the inclination to get down and boogie, but rather, conjures a torrent of resonating beats that join body and spirit while gratifying them both. Tracks such as "The Sound of the Big Babou" and "Man With the Red Face" are immediate resilient stand-outs, and exemplify the degree of artistic ability and range found throughout Unreasonable Behaviour.

—Arbell Camron