Mushroom Jazz-man Mark Farina steps out from behind the decks for the funky and unpredictable Air Farina, his first self-produced artist record. Farina’s experimental streak has always competed with his Chicago house background, but this one is a complete grab bag. Sparse beats mix with electro and ambient textures, with grooves hovering just out of reach, lingering in a funk-jazz haze. The theme of aviation fits in the cracks and crevices, expressed literally with five different "layovers" of air traffic dialogue and flight school instruction. "Dream Machine" is a standout, as Sean Hayes’ vocals stretch out and sigh over cowbells and Farina’s laconic production. The house DJ does make an appearance now and again on songs like "To Do" (featuring label mates Kaskade), but other tracks ("Dropped into the Water") could pass for a poor man’s Mouse On Mars. It’s a tribute to Farina that despite the sonic diversity on display, his record still has a sense of unity. Nevertheless, while his ears are admirably open, Air Farina would be better off keeping a few ideas in reserve for artist record number two. --Matthew Cooke
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