Signed during the mid-1990s raid on "electronica," Jochem Paap (aka Speedy J) started out as a lightweight ambient techno composer. Then in 1997, he discovered distortion, and released Patterns, an album's worth of filler tacked onto one stellar, hypnotic title track full of blown-out drum machines and stratospheric ambiance.

It was obvious that Mike Paradinas' work as µ-Ziq prompted Paap to loosen up on Patterns-- Bluff Limbo made gorgeous use of distorted drum machines back in 1994-- but on Speedy J's latest, Autechre are also a key influence.

A Shocking Hobby, unlike all of Speedy J's post-Ginger material, is built around two good tracks rather than one spotlight-stealer. The record's post-intro opener, "Borax"/"Ferber Mudd," is a well produced and varied foray into µ-Ziq's former stomping grounds (distorted drum boxes and ambient waves), while a hackneyed title betrays the record's best cut, "Balk Acid," a fine amalgamation of Autechre's AE album and, duh, old µ-Ziq. A funny thing about "Balk Acid"-- I'd swear the opening sample is from the AFX/Squarepusher collaboration "Freeman Hardy and Willis Acid." If so, Paap's shooting at the moon-- and with blanks-- because the rest of this record is totally derailed by his newfound, objective fascination with ugly noises.

The "gorgeous hideousness" theory has been thoroughly explored over the last five years, and it's grown exponentially stale. Paap is operating years behind the times on fuzzy drum-machine tracks like "Vopak" and "Drill," chock-full of boring knob-twiddling and EQ manipulation. Take "Drill" and place it next to "Hector's House" from µ-Ziq's Bluff Limbo-- Speedy J is either totally oblivious to the last six years of electronic music, or somehow trying to relive it. Either way, I don't need to know about it.

The played-out techniques really come home to roost on "Sabina Seat," a forced attempt to pen a lengthy ambient piece that ends up sounding like a teenager's first 10 minutes with a quality keyboard. Paap's use of ordinary, preset shapes makes for some embarrassing listening here. But the record's closer, "Manhasset," is just atrocious. It's probably supposed to be the soundtrack to a short film, but in any case, there's no reason it should be on this record. A boring, mildly distorted piano line is employed in a feeble attempt to recreate some of the desperate echoes heard on heartier work by Massive Attack and Radiohead.

Glossy techno acts always have a lot to answer for if they're operating outside the dancefloor. It's one thing if an electronic record comes out of the backwoods on an indie label; in those instances, there's no means with which the artist can be marketed above and beyond their merits. But when big labels start pushing the stuff, the music better back up the investment a la Richard D. James or Tom Jenkinson. Sans the originality and inventiveness, there's no justification for an artist having access to a major label's resources. Speedy J has yet to prove he deserves their attention, let alone ours.

-Chris Ott