ANONYMOUS NOISE

“IN VISIBLE SILENCE.” Art of Noise. Chrysalis. Art of Noise represents the “future as anonymous” school of music, in which unseen craftsman and machines rule the dance floor. This is an album of instrumentals, some gracefully jazzy (a vibraphone lazily glides through the Sunday-afternoon torpor of “Eye of the Needle”), others hip-hopping through the now familiar territory Art of Noise established on its breakthrough dance track “Beatbox.” The unseen technical wizards of Art of Noise (Anne Dudley, Gary Langan and J.J. Jeczalik) try to let music, rather than their individual personalities, do the talking--which is ironic, considering that the highlight here is Duane Eddy’s very personal signature, as he revs up his old twangy guitar for a futuristic revision of his 1960 single “Peter Gunn.” This ingenious meeting of a great ‘60s instrumentalist and three ‘80s sound sculptors has resulted in the most intriguing novelty track of the year. But it’s only one shot on an album full of filler by three arrangers, producers and synthesizer programmers in search of a song.