These guys have rapidly been gaining plaudits over the last year or so with two excellent EPs and a collaborative project with Howard Marks. This self-titled album follows the band's instrumental forays into jazz composition, psychedelic abstractions and carefree folk poetics. 'A Hot Day On Arthur Street', all shuffling beats, strummed guitars and muted trumpets, leaves you wishing you were writing a postcard from an exotic location (maybe Arthur Street is in Mauritius, who knows?). There's a hip-hop feel to a lot of the drums on this LP and this is best exemplified on the slo-mo 'Transitions' and the equally hypnotic 'Aaahhh'. The tempo is raised a notch on 'At the Gates of Dawn' where the breaks collide with the furious percussion head on, but those trumpets gently ease you back. Be sure to bring your smoking jacket, backgammon set and a fat bag of herb because once you enter the world of the Mystery School Ensemble you'll find it a bit of a task to leave.

PETE YAK
(IDJ)

After releasing two EPs this release is a chance for the non vinyl buyers to catch up. This intrumental band are taking jazz and beats to a new horizontal level.

BLAH BLAH

Interesting bunch of characters working intelligently on the cusp of jazz, electronica and funk grooves who nevertheless manage to avoid the Frankenstinian assembly of the aforementioned parts.

KEVIN LEGENDRE
(ECHOES)

Relaxed,impeccably played and produced, sumptuously smeared with expensive mixing and boasting a full cast from the hippest reaches of the world music community, quote;"teenage alto sax prodigies, Czech percussionists, Iranian sufi singers and international dope dealers".... An Ideal soundtrack for hip n cool people...

UNPEELED