Mux Mool: Planet High School - Album Review

Mux Mool
Planet High School
Rating: Grrrr

Brian Lindgren, better known by his producer moniker, Mux Mool, is a throw anything against the wall and see what sticks type of guy, whose debut Skulltaste was almost too eclectic for its own good. It held my interest, only because it dared you to not like it. But the constant genre hopping could get rather exhausting. His latest LP, Planet High School, doesn't really change that game plan much, but there seems to be a method to the madness this time around, each track working with each other instead of against the grain. The album, while definitely flashy in parts, gives the listener time to get into the flow, each track growing better and better in the mix. By the end of the album, you are totally on board with what he is doing. Does Lindgren limit himself to a few genres this time, making his definitive statement for each? Not really; there is still the restlessness apparent. In describing his sound to a friend of mine, I noted that it sounds like four record collectors running into each other, their albums all getting mixed up, with a little hip-hop, bass music, beat music, old school house, and early 80s robo-funk-R&B thrown in for equal measure. But instead of being an unholy mess, it mixes well together like a Reeses' cup.

The beginning of the record starts out more subdued. Drawing from DJ Shadow's crate digging experimentalism and Boards of Canada's elegant pastoral IDM, "Brothers" is a stunning down-tempo track full of hip-hop beats, and atmospheric keyboards.



"Live at 7-11" continues the low-key vibe, featuring a funky organ and lush synth underbase, before a late beat music breakdown that wouldn't be out of place on any current Brainfeeder release.



Just as things seem to be staying a little too sleepy with the languid beats of "Palace Chalice" and "Ruin Everything," Lindgren starts notching things up, adding faster tempos and more intricate layers into the mix. "The Butterfly Technique" adds crisp drums, piano rolls, and clipped vocal samples into a heavenly mesh with 80's R&B synths and bells. The late song drum freakout is stunning.



"Raw Gore" feels like the lovechild of Cameo/The Gap Band and Flying Lotus. The shuffling drum programming driving the 80s robo-synths into a fury.



"Cash For Gold" is the best Daft Punk song that Justice has been trying to make for years.



Which all leads to the amazing track "Get Yer Alphabets (Guns)" which throws together deep electro, beat music, and dubstep into the blender and comes out with pure ear candy. The inventiveness of this track alone makes the album worth getting.



People may be put off by all the genre hopping on Planet High School, however, this, for me, is what makes the record so special. If you tire of one track, there is not going to be another track like it and you can move on to something different. Some have said they wish Lindgren would focus on one type of sound, but I think that does a disservice to how people listen to music these days. I don't listen to one type of music. I fluidly jump back and forth between electronic acts, guitar driven indie, R&B, pop, and hip-hop, so much so, there is bleed-through with all of them. I say, keep doing what you are doing, it sure the hell is working for me.

Rating Scale:

Chilfos: masterpiece; coolest thing I've heard in ages.

Woof Daddy: excellent; just a hair away from being a masterpiece.

Grrrr: very good; will definitely be considered for my top releases of the year.

Yeah Daddy Make Me Want It: good; definitely invites further listens and peaks one's interest for more material.

Meh: not horrible, but certainly not great; could have either been polished, trimmed, or re-thought.

Jeez Lady: what the hell happened? Just plain bad. They should hang their heads in shame and be forced to listen to Lady Gaga ad nauseam as penance.

Tragicistani: so bad, armed villagers with pitchforks and torches should run the artist out of the country for inflicting this abomination on the human race.