Baselines

Bill Laswell’s first solo album is like a darkly joyful celebration of all the music he had been making up until this point in his (still early) career. It opens with “Activate,” a tune that blends Ronald Shannon’s aggro drumming with weird but tightly-arranged horn parts and Laswell’s odd-sounding bass, and then segues directly into the aptly titled “Work Song,” an avant-funk workout that features R&B horns and cut-up vocal samples. Other tracks feature readings from the Old Testament and abrasive No Wave improvisation. Totally unique and altogether brilliant.