JAH WOBBLE AND KEITH LEVENE - "Yin & Yang" CD

I first learned about this when a few of the songs were released in advance, but held off on a review until I heard the whole album.  This reunion of sorts (Wobble and Levene were the original bassist and guitarist of Public Image Ltd. respectively) is a moody, simmering musical journey where the duo's blend of propulsive muscular bass and (often) jagged shards of guitars meet over a diverse sonic bed that builds the post-punk soundscapes Wobble and Levene are known for and filters in the blues, ambient music, and dub elements.  Sometimes upbeat and commercial, sometimes ominous and introspective, the tracks here can go from danceable to unsettling but maintain an aural cohesiveness throughout.  While you can hear the occasional familiar influence, there's something here that stands out compared to a lot of the music around these days.  (BOONE)