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***1/2 Amon Tobin

BRICOLAGE

(Ninja Tune)

DJ Amon Tobin's debut CD is a laid-back, ultra-slick trip through experimental fields of jazz-based jungle beats, deep liquid bass, polyrhythmic drum lines, and creaking machine parts. It's also a personal, introspective album. Tobin is the epitome of the shy kid who stays home dreaming up new sonic tricks like the enveloping bass of "Defocus," which does for hearing what crossing your eyes does for vision, and "Chomp Samba," which drives a samba rhythm up to the frenzied pace of 150 beats per minute.

Elsewhere, Bricolage is built around ambiance and mood rather than danceability. But Tobin isn't content merely creating sonic wallpaper. His sophisticated ear for jazz phrasing makes for challenging mixes in which he plays the part of the serious songwriter, replacing the lyrics and guitars of rock with sound collages built on borrowed beats. In a genre where irony and mechanized groove rule the day, the human edge Tobin brings to techno is a breath of fresh air.

-- Chris Tweney