New Zealand duo Pitch Black have a number of things in common with their compatriots Salmonella Dub. First, they’ve been making their particular blend of dub infused electronic radness since long before the latest crop of Kiwi reggae/roots bands hit the scene. Second, while their music is often pigeonholed as ‘dub’, its complexity and the diversity of the influences they incorporate, including reggae, techno, d’n’b and even trance, take their music way beyond categorization. Third, unlike the current crop of “so hot right now” New Zealand acts, they aren’t from Wellington.

Michael Hodgson and Paddy Free began performing together in 1997. Since this time they’ve earned a reputation as an impressive live act, with the energy of the ebullient Paddy Free and visuals provided by Hodgson. Their albums have also earned critical acclaim, with their previous release Ape to Angel earning 4.5 stars from the UK’s DJ Magazine. This album does nothing to harm the duo’s reputation as purveyors of fine electronic music.

Title track Rude Mechanicals sees the boys in party-rocking mode, with vocals provided by KP (of Sunshine Sound System fame). 1000 Mile Drift is another superb upbeat track, with vocals this time by Brother J. This is dub music for people with too much energy and I defy anyone to sit still during this track.
Bird Soul starts out nice and slow, but breaks into some smooth drum n’ bass half way through, while Sonic Colonic builds on this theme with its dubbed out d’n’b feel. It rolls along effortlessly, building steam as it goes and the depth of this track beg to be explored on a good system.

Fragile Ladders is on a more ambient tip and provides a nice contrast to the heavier tracks that precede it. Harmonia is more standard dub fare, but with the trademark skittery beats that make Pitch Black so good. Transient Transmission takes a broken beat and adds some heavily manipulated vocal samples and brooding melody to create a track that is strangely both soothing and disjointed. Please Leave Quietly closes out the album, and if there’s a low point on the album this is it. It smacks just a little of being a space filler on what is other wise an excellent album.

Not surprisingly, Pitch Black have again delivered a superb album. The complexity of their music and the influences they draw upon is what sets them apart from the occasionally dull and predictable roots/reggae coming out of the Land of the Long White Cloud at the moment, and its also the secret to their longevity. If this album is any indication, they’ll be around for a good while yet.