Again, I don't know how I missed this one. I think that Lemon of Pink left me thinking these guys were out of tricks, and didn't encourage me to pursue their later stuff. But hey, I really liked Thought for Food, lets give it a try.
The basic approach is party-line Books, lots of spare samples, rim-shot beats and drawn-out cello notes, with vocal samples yanked from context and dropped onto hard surfaces. The production's more dense, and the vocal samples seem less abruptly cut; its all a little less IDM. The real difference is Nick Zammuto's singing. Scarce in the past, here he lends a consistent, persistent voice to the album, sometimes crooning, sometimes evoking Laurie Anderson's autotuned monotone.
The real real difference in the album is its feel though. Its a more emotional album, a sad, nervous, vaguely hopeful album. Lost and Safe is the perfect title for it. Their previous albums were distant curiosities; bristly, nervous Roombas; this one sheds its harsh edges and moves close, becomes soft, wraps itself around you. I don't know that its better or worse, just different. It undeniably still sounds like The Books, and you can't say that it really breaks any new ground, but my reaction to it is remarkably different considering its made up of the same basic parts. I owe it another listen or two 4/5
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