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CORRUGATED TUNNEL We Are Electronix Seedyr/Invisible Agent ***

Edwin James has been a prolific player on the local electronica scene for quite a few years, yet, as seems to be the case with many Irish producers, it's taken until now for his debut album to emerge. What's clear, however, is just how useful his many compilation appearances and, particularly, live appearances have been in terms of developing and fine-tuning a particular approach to sound. Be it the pristine electronics that make up the groove on the shimmering Not Coming Back or the jumpy bleeps on Pink Is the New Black, James has the confidence to wait for his own particular sonic map to unfold from the creases. He also has an eye for the wry electro-indie crossover, as Rock Stars shows. Occasionally, James veers too near the Kraftwerk autobahn for his own safety (especially on 303 on 31 and Fifth), but he possesses enough ideas and notions of his own to prevent that happening too often. www.weareelectronix.com

Jim Carroll