Earth Leakage Trip, the duo of Neil Anthony and Tony LoBue, has come up with some dreamy electronica on "Research." This lounge influenced CD is led by electric piano and, on some tracks, ethereal female vocals. It leans toward nu-jazz, but the playing is minimal. The instruments make a groove or suggest a feeling, instead of trying to fill in all the spaces.

1. Moonrise
2. Ironfist
3. I Like You
4. Brake Fluid
5. Flying High
6. Lose Yourself
7. Peace On My Mind
8. Bygone
9. March of Time
10. Walking in This World

Different parts wander in and out, as your mind will while floating along with the ten tracks. There is a hint of exotica, too, with the otherworldly moods that many of the tunes create. There is also a bit of soul, as on the groovy, funky "Lose Yourself."

The only downsides are the canned beats, which are too repetitious and heavy for the often fragile melodies, although they are more tolerable with repeated listening. The worse is on the seven minute "I Like You," which sounds like a vinyl record skipping.

But that complaint is small compared against the beauty of this album. Whatever the duo were researching, the experiment can be considered a success.

~ Dave Howell

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