t seems that when IDM decides to take a break from being soulless glitch, it almost always decides to be playful, melodic, and nostalgic. There's nothing inherently wrong with that - I love Boards of Canada and all - but it can lead to stale and derivative music (Am I the only one who thinks the vast majority of Morr Music artists sound the same?). The reason I love electronic music is that it provides a seemingly endless forum for innovation. That's why The Uncertainty of the Monkey, the debut album from Posthuman seems so refreshing. Posthuman is not afraid to explore the darker textures of IDM.


The opening track, "Jason Of Israel Beautiful Beast" starts things off promisingly. Orchestral melodies flit by almost imperceptibly as incredibly forceful beats lie in the forefront, snares jumping from side to side. The beats on this album are meticulously programmed - they cycle through endless permutations, but retain cohesiveness. In this way, I was reminded of early Autechre, Posthuman's most obvious influence.


"15 Seconds To Get To Spain Hogan" is mostly percussive, with distorted textures very reminiscent of Autechre's Amber "Wednesday," the third track is by far my favorite. Dark hums build a melody, and then the beat jumps in, backed by powerful low-end synths. Everything really lines up perfectly in this song, and where other tracks amble somewhat through abstract melodies and drum programming, "Wednesday" is remarkably focused and, surprisingly danceable (someone remembered what that 'D' in IDM stands for). It's dark, powerful, and unforgettable. I noticed Posthuman deliberately pays homage to electro by basing all their drums on Roland 909 samples. It can be distracting at first, but helps create a unified feel for the album.


More recent Coil surfaces as another major influence on Posthuman in "Quezacotl Grathard Debacle." Atmospheric strings build for a while until a tribal beat comes in. At the two-minute mark the song switches into some crunchy clicks and more delicate Amber-esque melodies. The album goes through some dubby electro workouts, but maintains a spooky, almost primal feel. The final track is a live rendition of "Quezacotl Grathard Debacle," which keeps the Coil-esque atmosphere, but kicks the danciness up a notch. I've heard live renditions of other tracks on the album, and I imagine a Posthuman live show probably rocks the body quite well.


The major problem for The Uncertainty of the Monkey is a lack of distinctive songs. With the exception of "Wednesday," nothing really gels. Posthuman has a knack for creating texture and atmosphere, but not memorable songs. Nonetheless, there are plenty of other goodies throughout The Uncertainty of the Monkey for anyone willing to dig a little. The music is layered enough to remain consistently interesting, with multi-layered textures and melodies. Posthuman effortlessly infuses the complexity of IDM with elements of more traditional techno, keeping things more catchy than purposely obscure.


I have no doubt that Posthuman can become a major figure in electronic music in the future. Their debut is promising: consistent, dark, and original. With a little more focus, they could easily make something monumental.