Fast Asleep (2002)

**Ambient trip hop with DVD visuals fit for horizontal consumption.** James Braddell's been making music for years in various guises; first as a supplier to media outfits in Italy, then as half of 9 Lazy 9, before releasing his first album Hed Phone Sex as Funki Porcini in 1995. His latest, Fast Asleep, is as the name suggests, a very laid back affair. Church bells, aeroplanes and weirded-out vocals (including a weather forcast) are layered over drawn-out strings and muted, jazzy beats. Like the term "trip hop", the album feels slightly dated and while it's pretty soothing stuff, it rarely manages to really suck you in. The single The Great Drive By is the main exception. But slip the second disc into your DVD player and the experience gets a bit more interesting. James has enlisted the help of Rupert Small (Team Alcohol) to create a series of visuals to accompany the music on DVD, and it works well. It's the kind of thing you see being used to spice-up live shows (The Beta Band, Cornelius), and it looks set to become more popular on DVD. The Super Furries did it with Rings Around The World and SFT is set to follow suit with his album on Mute in August. Not so much a music video as a collage of images to fit the mood. Be prepared to find yourself snorting awake in front of the telly at 3am. AL 11 July 02