I read a review of this album in a well known, dedicated drum & bass publication recently which claimed it was as good as Ed Rush & Optical’s Wormhole. It’s good, but it’s not a classic. Sure the crisp production and nasty growly bass are there, but unfortunately it falls flat on its face when it comes to variation.

Norwegian producer and DJ Teebee has collaborated many times with Calyx of the UK, check out Follow The Leader/Cyclone as just one example of their excellent work together. It was only natural that the pair join forces for a full length release, and it’s been a while in the making, with the hype surrounding the album huge. I am a fan of both of these artists, as there’s something about the clarity of their sound and the way the bass draws you in. It’s not ‘smashing in your face’ bass, rather it has somewhat of a funk to it. But, it is very serious and masculine drum & bass, and you first get that vibe from the titles of the tunes; Ultimatum, Warrior and Vortex, for example.

My favourite track on the album is the only one with a vocal in it – MCing from Verse – Dual Processed. It starts off with the typically ominous build, the start up of lyric, “this music’s computer created,” and then the bass just rips in with a series of chops that hit you right in the ear. This gives way to a more rolling feel, with the techy waves washing over the track and Verse’s rhymes continuing. Make Your Choice is another standout, featuring bass that just rips through your ears and into your guts, whilst still maintaining the funk. This tune is more characteristically a Calyx track (the choppy bass sounds!), though Teebee’s atmospheric string samples are evident.

The pair work well together, and you can still hear the individuality of each artist in the tunes. That being said, the tracks are smooth and there aren’t any major stylistic arguments to be found. All of the tracks on the album are great as singles, and would be smashers in a club. It’s a highly energetic album, remaining true to that trademark dark and techy sound. However, listening to the tracks as an album is difficult. Yes there’s consistency, and yes the production is excellent, but I found myself having trouble distinguishing between songs.

Calyx’s 2005 solo album No Turning Back worked because, while it featured a number of big dancefloor tunes, it had the variety to make it an interesting listen at home. So although this will work on the dancefloor, Anatomy falls somewhat short as it isn’t a good lesson in variety.