Ah, my good friend Ninja Tune. For those of you that don't follow Pitchfork on a regular basis, allow me to elaborate on my love for this undeniably awesome, England- based electronic imprint:

Ninja Tune are a lovable little label, if only for the fact that they consistently release quality electronic music with a sense of humor. Sure, some of their records are wackier than others-- Chocolate Weasel's Spaghettification and Coldcut's Let Us Play are fine examples of Ninja weirdness at its best-- but most often, they unleash seriously swank-ass, laid-back records that beat the pants off most of the electronic stuff on the market today.

The ambient grooves showcased on the Irresistible Force's most recent full- length, It's Tomorrow Already was a pretty decent example of trademark Ninja Tunes in action-- its sometimes political, sometimes goofy, and always charming samples are merely a sprinkling over the solid basslines and bitchin' breaks that served as the glue that kept the music together. The Nepalese Bliss EP, a five- track remix companion to It's Tomorrow Already, is just an added bonus that fans of the long- player will be thrilled to add to their collection. But it does have moments that make it worthy of purchase on its own merits.

Fila Brazillia's "Nepalese Fish Dances" remix combines elements of "Nepalese Bliss" and another track from It's Tomorrow Already, "Fish Dances." The end result is a sexy, aquatic soundscape to which you can either dance or chill out. The record's best moment, though, comes with-- surprise-- Amon Tobin's remix of the song. Tobin slows its down to about one- fourth its original speed, giving it that perfect Friday night, pot- smoking haze. Another less innovative remix is turned in by the usually impressive DJ Food who seems a bit uninspired this time around.

Naturally, I'd recommend that you start with It's Tomorrow Already. Then, if you like what you hear-- especially of "Nepalese Bliss"-- pick this one up. After all, what's another $6 if it's going toward the purchase of a quality remix EP?

-Ryan Schreiber

"Nepalese Bliss"

[Real Audio Stream]