Robert Devereux is a master of uneasy listening. Fungicide represents well over an hour of music that, at least at first blush, sounds like it is part of the Deep Forest world of ethnically influenced world music mixed with a bit of dark ambience. Then the initial thirty seconds of the CD elapses and the listener in plunged into a surreal experience that never quite makes things easy on anyone. Devereux's style is hard to pinpoint. There is an extensive sense of world music but very twisted. Many segments of this CD should be pleasant, but he has the tendency to seemingly insert notes that are just off enough to create uneasiness and tension. The album does get a bit excessive towards the end. For instance, "The Man Who Had No Eyes" is an eleven minute piece composed of atonal and sporadic piano bits. It reminds me far too much of my humanities course in college where the professor played as much atonal experimental music as possible to see if he could make his class squirm in total discomfort.

Without a doubt, Devereux has created something entirely unusual with Fungicide. I'm certain there is a segment of music listeners out there who crave music that is two steps outside of the norm and specializes in doing odd things at all times. Fungicide is disturbing music for the deranged and I don't recommend it for anyone who requires serious amounts of mood regulating medication.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 04/2004

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