To say that Howie B [ tickets ]. is a producer, or simply a DJ would be the musical equivalent of claiming that Michael Jordan is just a b-baller. There's much more to Howie B. than spinning (or remixing) records, and his third solo effort, Snatch continues to prove the case.

Following 1996's ambient Music For Babies and 1997's big beat fun house Turn Off The Dark, Snatch finds Howie B. somewhere in between the two worlds. An ingenious combination of interplanetary soundtrack and intensely fun beats, it's almost as if every household electronic product started making noise simultaneously and Howie knew just what to do with it.

Looping and layering everything under the sun, the album turns the electronic genre inside out. From the drum and bass free for all of Cotton High to the Mexican techno cantina sound of Cook For You, Howie B easily avoids the pitfalls of programmed repetition. Each track builds up and breaks down in it's own unique way, a sure sign of talent behind the boards. To Kiss You opens with a lazy piano and guitar loop that slowly builds, into oddly enough, an even lazier sounding 70's soundtrack concoction.

The quirkiness of Howie B's aural combinations are matched only by the sheer brilliance of his production work. While Fatboy Slim wows with his over the top grooves, Howie B offers a much more sophisticated approach. There is something special about an artist who is blazing trails, rather than following them. Howie's innovative production work for artists like U2 and Bjork has always pushed the limits, but it's his own albums that really impress. Snatch not only expands his musical frontiers, but potentially the frontiers of the entire genre.

Howie B. / Snatch
Palm Pictures
3 out 4 stars