The 39 Steps - Coming Clean

The 39 Steps aka the collaboration between DJ Kato and vocalist Laura Fowles have produced a very heady, atmospheric sampler here. There's obvious comparison with the trip hoppy sound of Morcheeba and Massive Attack but I'd say that 'Coming Clean' is more at the claustrophobic end of the scale occupied by the lies of the Sneaker Pimps. In fact, I'd even go as far to say that I found this CD a little bit oppressive – it's definitely a winter-type release but I felt the walls slowly coming in on me. Then there was something in the track 'Ghost Writing' – Fowles long drawn out vocal seemingly suffocating the potential for the melody in the track to ever get going at anything more than a steady heartbeat. But whatever you feel, you will definitely feel something after listening to this record, and that is the greatest compliment of all.