Xiu Xiu + Eugene S. Robinson – Sal Mineo

The free-noise assaults of Oxbow and the discomforting balladry of Xiu Xiu merge, evolve and mutate beyond recognition in this collaborative work by the main members of both bands. The twenty-three heavily experimental tracks on offer here mainly come in bite-size pieces, but that's not to say they're easy to digest. Far from it; listening to Sal Mineo is like taking a guided tour through the distorted mind of a schizophrenic on a bad acid trip. Or listening to a Scott Walker record.

Robinson handles the lyrical and vocal end of the partnership, leaving Jamie Stewart to deal with the sonics. The Oxbow frontman's performance is all over the map, ranging from whispered anti-poetry to mental patient shrieks, and the Xiu Xiu brainchild tinkers with electronics / high and low-end synthesizer textures. It's an ugly, anti-melodic drift just begging to be unpacked, but don't expect it to amount to the mere sum of its parts: this is another experience altogether. [Ross Watson]