Pest ‘All Out Fall Out’ (Ninja Tune)

While most releases on the Ninja Tune label are the work of a producer or two armed with a boxful of samples and the occasional guest musician, Pest are actually a proper band. Yep, a real band with guitars, bass, keyboards, a brass section and of course, a DJ, come rhythm section.

‘All Out Fall Out’ is the follow up to their 2003 debut ‘Unnecessary Measures’ and continues the group’s excursions into weird jazz and glitchy funk. Their experimental side has been toned down a touch since that album but they can still grab your attention with the out of control electronic rhythms of ‘Click Bitches’ or twisted noise of ‘Rumourtism’. On the other end of the scale Pest show they can keep things simple and smooth, like on the slick breaks and sweet guitar licks of the excellent single ‘Pat Pong’. ‘Try Again’ is fast and funky, while ‘Wu Ju’ features strings and a rolling rhythm with decksman Adrian Josey adding a simple rap about life’s simple pleasures. Josey’s vocals are one of the record’s big letdowns, lacking charisma or anything of particular interest to say, and you end up longing for the usual Ninja-style collaboration with established MCs.

Vocals aside, there’s still plenty of interesting instrumental action on ‘All Out Fall Out’, like ‘Donde Pesta’, a perky electronic track featuring an undercurrent of Latin rhythms, that’s both laid-back and manic at the same time. As a proper band it works, now Pest just need a proper singer.

words: Colm Larkin

Have your say here