Review:
Leila Arab is a fascinating producer, capable of both comforting IDM and stark, almost industrial experimentation. For the most part, U&I - her second full-length for Warp and fourth in total - sits somewhere in between. Boundaries are consistently pushed, with dark noise and break core-influenced soundscapes nestling side by side with twisted, balls-out synth-pop, mawkish industrial freakouts and impossible-to-pigeonhole oddities. There are, of course, calming moments between (see the rather lovely "In Motion Slow"), but the overriding impression is of a woman on the edge, having bucket loads of fun in the process. Fellow noise-wave knob-twiddler Mount Sims lends a hand on a few tracks, adding his distinctive vocals to Leila's futuristic, nightmarish visions. In summary: bonkers.