Officially untitled (or self-titled), like the rest of its releases, here Wilson as Bass Communion offers a sideways peek into his work, as this album is a collection of various tracks recorded between 1995 and 1999. Unlike the apparently more thematic "official" albums, these pieces are assembled in no apparent order but still hold together as a collection. Every so often, songs suggest alternate versions or approaches to previously released material -- the plucked strings on 43553E99.01 instantly recall Drugged III and its use of the same, though the combination here is with heavily echoed piano. One interesting diversion comes in the form of "Three Pieces for Television," which all stay under the three-minute mark while functioning as distinct, separate compositions. As a taster for Wilson's overall aesthetic goals in Bass Communion, all succeed surprisingly well. Grammatic Fog doesn't quite replicate Grammatic Oil, but it possesses a near equal amount of sheer chills and unsettling mood. Otherwise, it are the expected lengthier tunes which dominate, beginning with the very Main-reminiscent Amphead, a rumbling shimmer and scream of feedback treated to sound like a cold chill of creeping fog. Slut 2.1, besides having a curious title, stands out due to the use of a prominent, clear drum loop throughout, combining dub echo and depth with slow hip-hop grooves, not to mention audible snippets of sampled conversation from who knows what source. Likely Wilson held it off the other releases due to that distinct difference from pretty much all the other Bass Communion tracks. Calmer but still noticeable rhythms crop up on Sickness, with a weird, calm jazz overtone thanks to the keyboards floating amidst the laser blips and thoroughly worked-out feedback. Regular Bass Communion collaborator Theo Travis again makes an appearance, this time on the final cut, the serene Reformat Spiders. ~ Ned Raggett, Rovi

1		Amphead
2		A-Sonar
3		B-Lina Romay
4		C-Grammatic Fog
5		Slut 2.1
6		43553e99.01
7		Sickness
8		Reformat Spiders