United Future Organization: 3rd Perspective

Two years ago, when their “No Sound is Taboo” hit the stands the deejay/producers collective United Future Organization was, at least, on the cusp of the stateside “new thing,” drawing on a wide range of aural goodies in its finely crafted soundscapes. Now, the sound-as-signifier approach has become standardized, and UFO have a lot more company than before. Well, so what? Their latest, 3rd Perspective (Antilles 314 534 487-2; 52:25) is still a cool trip, even if the martial-arts flick sample that opens “His Name Is…” would have sounded a lot fresher before the Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA made an art out of the “Kung Fu Theater” reference. But then again, the RZA may not have been able to conjure as cool a hook as the piano figure that drifts in an out of the following tune. Stylistic curlicues like this separate UFO from the legions of sample-happy toy-boys, giving even the obligatory Latin workout (“Cosmic Gypsy;” those with long memories may recognize the hook from Dennis Coffey’s ’70s instrumental hit, “Scorpio”) a high fiber quotient. Catchy rhythms, cinema-influenced motifs, and a barely detectable tongue in cheek help “3rd Perspective”‘s replay potential of.

Originally Published December 1, 1997