Mr. Scruff – Friendly Bacteria

This isn't the Mr. Scruff album you're expecting. Not that his bouncy, jazzy, cartoonish broken beat had lost its charm – but fans certainly knew what to expect. Here, Andy Carthy nudges them in subtler directions. Opener Stereo Breath is a dark, bass-driven slice of neo-soul, followed up with the drifting, piano-laced two-step of Render Me, both featuring the vocals of Denis Jones. It's a lean, spare sound, with none of the nudge-nudge, wink-wink humour of earlier records.

The wonky disco of Deliverance is more familiar, while Thought To The Meaning is almost a little too slick, borrowing from commercial folk and R&B. The title track is a delicious, Brainfeeder-esque dose of stoned synth-funk. Vocal contributions from Robert Owens and Vanessa Freeman explore smooth house and garage; the over-clocked, drunken house of What is a standout. Despite a few moments of over-polish this is a considered and appealing step to the left.