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Bitmap 'Alpha Beta Gamma' (Gentle Electric LP)
"When we use a bitmap, we are effectively filling in cells in a grid with colour"
That's right. Bitmap covers his screen with classic 60s psychedelia and the finest homemade daisy-age hip-hop production: the instrumental title track's sweet backing is like Prefuse 73 asleep after reading Peter Rabbit. He plays the sort of electric guitar show where you can see the plug and the extension cable. Yeah, gentle electric like the name of the label.

Not to say that the man can't rock when his mates pop round: 'Run James Run' is an old Salako song given a new lease of moronic life with Simon Fonda guesting on vocals. It buzzes like Supergrass remixed by Cornelius, complete with stop-start football whistles! On the whole, though, Luke Barwell (the Bitmapper) is more likely to twinkle with his own soft voice, "Don't be so hard on yourself" as if soundtracking a Disney film for slow kids who'd break out in a rash at Elton John-style over-emotion (I know the feeling).
He also sings about a spyrograph, a little robber, and 'Black Arts in the Town Hall' amongst his musical explorations. The latter reminds me of one of Gorky's Zygotic Mynci's parties. Not ultra happy - 'Everything's Gone Wrong', obviously, is sad as 'Pet Sounds' - but pretty well-held together in its diversity, this album could also be a just-put-into-the-fridge chilled remix version of Looper, or Brave Captain if he hadn't been in the Boo Radleys.

Bitmap, PO Box 996, Hull, HU8 8YT. www.gentle-electric.com