Jangly guitars wash over you in an oceanic wave, reminding you of the mist of a chilly November evening in Chicago. You can hear a strangely comforting saxophone in the distance... peace. And the sudden blast of a house beat-- thump, tssh, thump, tssh! It's that startling, generic rhythm that echoes throughout every abandoned city warehouse, recalling raves of summers past-- where every beat seems to be emphasised by an invisible exclamation point. Then, without warning... the calming vocals of Everything But The Girl's Tracey Thorn.

That's how Deep Dish's third release, Junk Science, kicks off-- a two- minute opening wave of ambient melody, followed by a post- disco groove called "The Future of the Future." It seems more than just a little coincedental that Thorn was called in as a vocalist for these guys' opening cut. But one thing's for certain: "The Future of the Future" is either a nod to Massive Attack's "Protection" or a direct theft of originality.

Half of the beats on Junk Science are recycled from old Todd Terry and Junior Vasquez records-- they're loud, repetitive and worn out. But there are also instances where Deep Dish meld two styles together for decidedly interesting results. On "Summer's Over," the guys take a Meat Beat Manifesto- style industrial/ dance rhythm and blend it with Moby- style atmospherics. "Sushi" sounds like a cross between Jam & Lewis dance beats and the theme music from Konami's most recent "Castlevania" release for Playstation. "My Only Son" sounds like Trent Reznor getting caught inside Pink Floyd's machine, and "Wear The Hat" is like James Brown's Funky Divas shaking hands with Armand Van Helden.

So, while Deep Dish is anything but original, they are somewhat innovative, and that's what makes this record special. Yeah, there are plenty of better electronica discs to spend your money on, but if you're looking for a slice of that Classic New York House mixed up with weird, unexpected appearances from other genres, get your pacifier out.

-Ryan Schreiber

"The Future of the Future (Stay Gold)"

[Real Audio Stream]