Ever since debuting as Ursula 1000 in 1999, a suitably iconic year, Alex Gimeno has been on a wild musical journey, and he's been kind enough to take all of us with him. From a sound and image that may as well admit themselves synonymous and simpatico with Rob Myers' swanky, swingin' world of Austin Powers, Ursula 1000 has steadily morphed into something entirely different. Though still a reflection of modern pop culture, the sound and image of Ursula 1000's latest album "Mystics" is more like a pop culture caricature as seen through a kaleidoscope.

1. Summoned From the Void
2. The Wizard
3. Rocket
4. Rump
5. I.C.O.M.E.
6. Losin' It
7. Zombies
8. Do it Right
9. Star Machine
10. Tension
11. Step Back
12. This Magick
13. Mystics

Perhaps this has to do with all the time Alex has spent living in New York. When you consider the flavor of artists like Lou Reed, you'll come to some understanding of the forces at work on Gimeno's creativity. I'm not saying he's emulating Reed's sound, or even overtly reflecting its influence. From what I hear in his music and see in his new image, it is the very cultural "blood" of the city that is affecting Ursula 1000's "now sound". If you've read Properly Chilled's review of his last album, Here Comes Tomorrow, you'll notice this isn't a new observation. It's just gotten deeper now.

The artwork on the album's cover has Gimeno rising from a cloud of mist in skinny, black jeans, brandishing a guitar. His black silhouette is set off dramatically against a psychedelic aurora of light bursting behind him. If you didn't know what he was all about, you'd expect to hear some kind of psychedelic space rock on play. Thankfully however, you don't get that. Well, not the way you expect.

There are songs like "The Wizard", whose deep bass lines and squelchy guitars, tempered by the repetitive vocal verses and breakbeat, should easily conjure visions of magical duals being played out on a dark, jagged, rocky landscape. The lyrics don't make those visions hard to see; "Only a fool would fight in a burning house. Lightning strikes descending from the clouds, children of the night. Take heed of my steed, black skies, we bring you light."

Just when you might be a little frightened however, "Rocket" comes in with a little old school Ursula 1000 frivolity. Let yourself imagine an unholy alliance of Austin Powers and the Buck Rogers light rope dances, then put them in an 80s, electro disco. "Rump" shows another part of New York culture that is making its way into Gimeno's work. This one brings on a very Brooklyn style of hip hop. The electro hip hop style keeps going on heavy here.

Maybe it's Alex's many years as a DJ, but he can mix together an incredible array of genres, from hip hop, rock, disco, house, funk, dancehall, and electro, into something that is just seamlessly badass. And yeah, it's really all in here. As an album, Mystics is really solid work. In fact, there are large number of incredible cuts to be found here.

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