Nikki Nack starts off brilliantly, with the first two tracks picking up where the previous album (Whokill) left off, with a further bombastic twist added to her previous delightful weirdness. Unfortunately this isn’t followed up with the three tracks that follow. On their own, these aren’t particularly bad, but putting them in succession loses all momentum built by the opening and the album descends into a real lull. This does pick up as the album progresses, but unfortunately the eccentricity of previous releases is somewhat restrained, detracting a little from what makes tUnE-yArDs unique. There are also a few tracks (‘Wait For A Minute’ in particular) that, while not bad by any stretch, don’t really fit with what the delightful staccato, African influenced groove of her best work. Though this album may receive more critical acclaim, as it feels a lot more ‘mainstream’ than her previous efforts, there is a sense that this is a step backwards for an artist with such a wonderfully unique sound.

Tags: