Fi Sci is a new label founded by members of London- based band, Ute, renowned for their mellow, jazzy, sooper groovy take on rap and funk. But as with so many artists, the members of Ute got distracted from their music by record company politics. So, like artists before them, they decided to skip the beancounters and set up on their own label. And rather than fill their fledgling label's debut release with all their own material, they've restricted themselves to just one track and offered the remaining 65 minutes to other practitioners of the mellow drum-n-bass groove.

Five Knolls' "Chalk Hill" opens up Eclipse of the Moon and Falling Star in a very floaty, ambient style. Five Knolls bring a violin into the mix as they evoke the rolling, curvaceous landscape that lends its name to the track. For those of you enamoured of LTJ Bukem's Logical Progression series, you need look for no other reason to buy this disc. "Chalk Hill" is easily the equal of Bukem's material and, because of the live dimension that the violin brings, quite possibly superior. For those of you looking for ruffage, you're going to have to hold on.

But not for long, because "Hotel Full of Cops" by-- ahem-- Anchored in the Bay of Sots is near to satisfy most dancehall cravings. Built on a loopy Hammond groove, "Hotel Full of Cops" incorporates a sampled, befuddled kid muttering, "Ooh! I'm all messed up!" Soon after, flutes and marimbas come in to settle our little kid down. He's soon right as rain and frugging merrily along with the rest of us. Bet you nine bob that that kid'll be in seventh heaven by the time nice Mr. DJ drops New Era's self-titled cut-- it begins as a heartical reggae skank until the sublimely daffy bassline kicks in. It's like the Orb's "Toxygene" but on nitrous oxide instead of DMT. If y'all aren't smiling when that kicks in, then you really must be a sorry excuse for a risking- it- all day trader.

Have you ever wondered about the outcome of some mercury- maddened alchemist fusing Brian Eno with the MC5 and then remixing the resultant goop with some big beat high jinx? I hadn't either. I supposed that anyone attempting such an experiment would long have been sentenced to life without parole in a maximum- security correctional facility. So, how surprised do you think I felt when I discovered Brett Schreiber (no relation to round- faced Pitchfork editor Ryan Schreiber) of Arcanum's track, in which he doffs his mild- mannered genre of folk trip-hop, and goes raving barmy with his sampler? The song is called "When I Commit," and I recommend that-- if only for the public's peace of mind-- we change the title to "When I Was Committed, I Was Given a Shed-Load of Mood Stabilizers and, Yes, Thank You, I am Quite Well Now. No Need to Be Alarmed at All. Would You Like to Meet My Closest Pal, Spod the Invisible Penguin?"

Ute's own track, "Outlines," is the opposite of Schreiber's. It's a pointilliste depiction of tranquility, a mixed- media piece incorporating muted trumpet and hand bells topped off with a tuff jungle riddim. And La Bella's "The Lord's Garden" goes even further out into the bliss zone with nary even a beat to interrupt the chill out.

So Eclipse of the Moon and Falling Star can boast of both moments of bliss and moments of ruffage. The only thing it lacks is decent cover art. But, we're adults, and we can overlook that deficiency. After all, only a total mong'd be put off Metamucil, that colon- sustaining wonder stuff, on account of the dreary packaging.

-Paul Cooper