Albums: Panoptica

Panoptica, Certificate 18

Certificate 18's latest signing is from Tijuana, but Herb Albert it ain't. It's not all drum'n'bass, nor anything else easily classifiable. The best I can do to describe it is as dark tech and breakbeat, with a faint Central American tint to the heavily percussive vibe. Each of the eight tracks has its own flavour, but they build ever so gradually, which means that the album finishes before you've had the chance to register it. And while a lot of dance music affects you most when you're not really listening, this one could put you in an uneasy mood.