at a glance...

Hometown: Glasgow, Scotland
Formed: early 90s

Personnel:
Jony Lipsey -beats, programming, decks
Jeremy Shaw -synths, guitars

Related artists:
Howie B, Daddylonglegs, G Shock, Tricky, U2, Robbie Robertson, Palmskin Productions, Neneh Cherry, Sly and Robbie, Junior Delgado

Have Naked Funk made the last great big beat album? Listening to the caustic acid breakbeat of "Hydrophonic" and "Sumatra Road" is almost enough to make you forget the hordes of funkless Fatboy wannabes crowding the action movie soundtrack circuit these days. In fact, Evolution Ending is almost good enough to make you forgive that Freestylers single. I said almost.

The best uptempo tracks here harken back to the days when big beat was on speaking terms with acid house and techno, before the chancers got so desperate to please rock radio. "Trango" turns up the acid, and "Gilly Priest" is awash in techno effects and stuttering breaks. "Alone With You" may be the standout, recalling the dramatic, trancey buildup of Leftfield's "Inspection (Check One)," all tension and tightly-packed dynamics. It's a sharp reminder of how engaging uncut, uncompromised electronic music can be.

The downtempo excursions are equally deft, save the abominable "soul" wailing on "The Fan." How this track made it past the first editing session is a total mystery. No matter - it's redeemed by the sinister spoken-word title track, featuring a captivating short story/poem read by someone named Mike Benson. Normally, I'm the first to campaign against attempts at poetry/literature in pop music, but some smart publisher had better snap Mike Benson up before they start calling him "The Next Irvine Welsh." This track is genius, and it's a fitting close to one of the finest, funkiest albums of the year so far.