Mummy Fortuna's Theatre Company Born Of Man & flies EP Somewhere in the shadow of the valley that lies between hiphop, thrash metal, emo and drum & bass, Brighton’s Mummy Fortuna’s Theatre Company can be found setting up stage to do their thing. This debut EP from the duo of producer Coops and emcee/producer Sketch serves as a far too brief appetiser for a forthcoming album’s worth of expansive apocalyptic blizzards through which frantic assaults of machine gun abstract angst rap continually rattle. Whereas Sketch’s astounding rapid-fire delivery and auctioneer phrasing of morbid “everything is…nothing is…” sweeping statements invites favourable comparisons with Sole and a pre-Subtle Dose One, Coop’s intense haunting instrumentals crafted from unearthly soprano sighs, brooding indie guitar phrases and thick arrangements of cymbal-driven rhythms owe as much to the work of DJ Shadow as DJ Mayonnaise or the latest output from Alias. Indeed, the furious thrash metal rhythm and guitar licks of Rain By High Lantern Are clearly modelled on DJ Shadow’s Stem-long stem. If it were possible to distil and then synthesise all the best elements of Unkle, So Called Artists and Radiohead it might sound as good as this. Lex Records appears to have in place a structured release programme for artists on its roster whereby an appearance on the Lexolium compilation series is followed by a four track taster EP which becomes the launch-pad for at least one full album. In this instance, MFTC should have gone straight from compilation contribution to the full album because they are definitely not a singles group. This is four voyages outside reality - four opportunities for the listener to lose themselves in fierce emotional tempests and definitely not four catchy radio-friendly singles suitable for casual listening. - Sumo Kaplunk | profile  Related Links: Lex © CD Goldie/ukhh.com 1999 - 2002