RECORD COLLECTOR REVIEW - FEBRUARY 2001

THE EXILE

Towards Fear

Overgrown Music OVER 002CD

A superb collection of ambient, dubby music along the lines of the Orb's first album and Orbital's calmer moments, "Towards Fear" is the ideal soundtrack for a summer afternoon of herbal refreshment, a tedious car ride or a post-gig chill-out session.

If it's soothing atmospheres you're after, they're here; if menacing trance is your cup of tea, you can find it all over this album; or if your tastes lean more towards Pink Floyd-like indulgence, Roger's your uncle. Tracks such as "At A Time Of Great Despair" and "Blood Of The Saviour" may be miserably titled, but the considered layering of sound hits bullseye every time and you can - as Pete Tong would have it - lose yourself in the music with the greatest of ease. Just buy it, will you?

Joel McIver