Former Björk and massive attack collaborator Martin Virgo and so-called breathy ingénue Siobhan De Maré – a k a the British duo Mono – have named their debut album well. Formica Blues is equal parts moody and prefabricated, with a glossy finish that reflects the duo's love for setting Sixties pop to electronic beats. The Portishead comparisons are inevitable, but Mono's palette features brighter colors than that of their Bristol, England, peers. The opening track (and the disc's first single), "Life In Mono," samples a very James Bond-like snippet from John Barry's "The Ipcress File," embellished by Virgo's languid trip-hop arrangements and De Maré's enticing, albeit self-conscious, croon. "Slimcea Girl" and "High Life" borrow heavily from the Bacharach/Spector school of bleating horns, layered vocals and baroque production values. Calling Formica Blues derivative isn't a slam. Creative appropriation is Mono's forte, and the results are seductive enough to stand on their own. (RS 783)

NEVA CHONIN