Challenge Me Foolish CD

Given that Mike Paradinas initially launched Planet Mu in 1995 to release his own music under the u-Ziq alias, it seems fitting that he's marking the label's 400th release with a brand new album of his own (his first for two years, fact fans). Challenge Me Foolish is, for the most part, a surprisingly jaunty and melodious affair, with only a handful of forays into mutant IDM-jungle fusion and the kind of distorted, full-throttle madness that used to be his forte. Elsewhere, we're treated to imaginative, colourful and emotive electronica that variously touches on ambient, jazz, hip-hop, Jean-Jacques Perrey style cheeriness and, most intriguingly, cinematic soundtracks. With 15 tracks squeezed into 70 minutes, it's a schizophrenic and fast-paced affair, but one that entertains from start to finish.