Metromonk

The Austrian-born percussionist and composer Manu Delago has become the foremost proponent of the instrument known as the hang, having turned to it in the mid-2000s following his studies of jazz drumming in London. Metromonk is only his third solo effort – having collaborated with Björk, The Cinematic Orchestra and Anoushka Shankar for much of his illustrious career – and it places the hang at the forefront for its duration.

Metromonk also has fewer guest features than its predecessor Silver Kobalt, providing the listener with a fuller appreciation of its beguiling sound world. This is accompanied by live electronic manipulation that tends to build rather than detract from the sounds generated – for the first half of the album at least – and tracks such as the delicate ‘Pointillism’ and ‘Freeze’ swirl and grow beautifully. A faster pace underpins the second section of the release, although with mixed outcomes. Lyrically both ‘Abrupt’ and ‘Mesmer Mesmerising’ are trite and underwhelming, while ‘Chimp Rave’ possesses a brash mix of UK bass and Brazilian rhythms. Again the best results are from his more subtle experimentations; the stripped-down album closer ‘Herzkeks’ is truly joyous. Delago is yet to find the right balance for his solo work, but there's still plenty to enjoy here.