Pest – ‘All Out Fall Out’ (Ninjatune) Released 12/09/05 Released 12/09/05

Finally… A genre bending stew of dance beats, funk and jazz that actually works. Usually when words like fusion, eclecticism and, gulp, jazz are used to describe a band you can’t help but wretch. The smugness of such endeavours more often than not power through any hints of anything that even remotely resembles a choon but Pest have got the balance just right. They haven’t come anywhere close to hitting the jackpot but the stakes are still pretty high…

From the outset ‘All Out Fall Out’ funks and slinks with the elasticity of ten Stretch Armstrong dolls, therein lay the only fault: it’s plastic. Hovering between the sublime and the ridiculous, Pest’s technical ability is the best and worst thing about ‘All Out Fall Out’. Sometimes they sound like Blue Lines era Massive Attack, other times they sound like a stage school trip hop tribute band. When they get on the ‘M-I-C’ it’s just plain embarassing, couplets like “I miss my family, those hardcore dealers…” sound a bit sixth form. Luckily for Pest (and their listeners) the groove on ‘Wu Ju’ is soooooo irresistable that even the most cynical of listeners won’t be able to stop themselves doing a little Ian Brown style baggy dance to it. Later on the LP, the cleverly titled ‘Rumourtism’ with its thumping bass reminiscent of MOP’s ‘Cold As Ice’ takes the CD to an altogether murkier level. It’s hardly Mobb Deep’s ‘Shook Ones’ but it sure as hell isn’t Jamiriquai.

On the whole ‘All Out Fall Out’ is a gem, hardly a masterpiece, but a worthwhile listen nonetheless. Some moments make you cringe more inwardly than a drunken advance on your cousin; others make you want to fall in love. A decent record sure but not one you’ll still be playing in three years time…