Benge (
Ben Edwards) and
Si-Cut Db (
Douglas Benford) released their own glitch-oriented solo records, but it's their ongoing collaboration under the name
Tennis where both artists do their best work. 2001's
Europe On Horseback is an often fascinating blend of glitch's insular sound world, with more immediately accessible downtempo beats. This results in marvelous soundscapes, like the druggy, dubby "Self-Seal Mishap," and the downright slinky "Port Helix." Even the more abstract tunes, like the first half of the nine-minute "Weakness Together," with its blurry, wavering synths and echoing ping-pong effects, are intelligently composed and engaging. At its best, however, as on tunes like "Debonair Content," which marries a backbeat created from staticky popping sounds to a bubbly vintage-synth bassline,
Tennis create a happy medium between glitch and downtempo, pleasing to fans of both subgenres. ~ Stewart Mason