Dope for the Robot [Audio CD] Metamatics

Picture an incredibly loose-limbed cyborg wildly pop-locking to crazy beats; that imaginary creature could easily be dancing to Dope for the Robot. Brit Lee Norris, operating under the moniker Metamatics, has created an incredibly funky disc that often recalls electro but is retro-free. This chilly, syncopated stuff is fun-filled sonic science fiction. Zinging synth squiggles and playful fart-splats hook up with a midtempo Kraftwerkian groove on "No Condimentz." The influence of the German electronic pioneers can also be felt on "Repeater," a pumped-up, four-on-the-floor butt-shaker. A variety of staggered sonic elements engage in a playful digital dance on "Dope for the Robot." "Meander" features a riff that sounds like it could have been copped from Miles Davis's In a Silent Way. Layers of jittery rhythms give the jazzy motif quite a ride on that song, probably the best track on this standout dance disc. --Fred Cisterna