Flunk
For Sleepyheads Only
Beatservice/VME
Rating: 6/10

Initially, Flunk was an escape from producing music for Norwegians
Ulf and Jo Bakke, time off from their respective bands folk&røvere
and Happy Campers hanging out with a few beers and a truckload of
guitars in a sitting room is where the Flunk project germinated and
the sound took shape.

Melodic and downtempo, this collection of tracks is focused heavily on
gentle muted guitars and mild breakbeats. Highlight of the album is
their cover version of «Blue Monday», their own nod to the unnecessary
eighties revival, that is bound to feature on at least one chill out
album this summer. Other highlights of the album include the Mazzy
Star-esque «Your Koolest Smile» and «Honey's In Love» as well as the
seedy spoken words of «Miss World».

Despite moments that seem to have set Ulf and Jo to sleep at the
production desk, making for some limp wristed breaks, and hint of a
stolen Enya backing track in «Distortion», the album as a whole is
relaxing and intimate if a touch bland.
A dash of samples from odd TV and radio slots add some colour and
a sense of the contemporary but also places the album in footsteps
of others.
JR

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