This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Andrea Parker is a techno composer, a classical cellist and has a collection of 3,000 sound effects records. Somehow, she seamlessly combines all three disparate passions into one of the most magnificent debuts of the year — the exquisite and utterly unique Kiss My Arp.
Look no further than the second track, Clutching At Straws, one of the best things I’ve heard in ages: A tensely elegant classic movement that could be the score to a European drama — until it gracefully evolves into a trancy trip-hop groove worthy of Portishead. It’s just one of several sophisticated hybrids here that grab you by the ears and refuse to let go. Like a plate-spinner, Parker balances tremendous classical technique with a flair for luxuriant, ambient grooves and a keen sense of experimentation. And in their midst, she finds the missing link between sci-fi film scores, thriller movie soundtracks and relaxation tapes. A must-have.
