by John Bush
More complex and idiosyncratic than his previous full-length works (and much less danceable as a consequence), Unreasonable Behaviour focuses on midtempo jams in the verge between evocative techno, electro-jazz, and even melancholy synth-pop. If 1997's 30 was his Chicago album, this one is definitely the Detroit installment, from the Motor City shoutouts at the end of the excellent &Communications from the Lab& to the future-imperfect electro track &Greed (Part 1+2).& Still, most of these tracks come closer to updated jazz-fusion than techno, with highlights like &City Sphere,& &The Sound of the Big Babou,& and &Forgotten Thoughts& driven by fuzzy, distorted melodies with dreamy synthesizer lines over the top and an emphasis on live(-sounding) drumming. He'd surely think twice before plugging any of these tracks into one of his DJ sets, but Unreasonable Behaviour is a solid fusion of jazz and techno.