The Space Between

Led by new vocalist Krystle Jones, Chemystry Set's The Space Between explores a more world-oriented rhythmic approach than on their two previous efforts — 1997's Life in the Underground and 1999's Leave Your Head With the Set. For the most part, the CD is skillfully mixed, presenting the sound — and especially percussionist Avidan Rose's atmospheric vibraphone playing — with great clarity. "Sounds From Underground" begins with a resonant solo by Rose, but inexplicable sinks into a fairly typical hippie shuffle, somewhat redeemed by the occasional rhythmic flares and almost Hawaiian sounding slide guitar part. The band is more successful when they keep things slow and simmering. When they speed up (such as during the ending jam of "Magical Pie"), they tend to sound like a low-grade version of their Bay Area elders, Santana. The band's grooves are appealingly laid-back. Even when the tempo is more accelerated than it perhaps should be, there is a swing to the rhythm that suggests a well put together unit.