Back in the day, before ringtones made travelling on a bus unbearable, the only way you could annoy people with small snatches of tunes was by setting them as alert sounds on your computer. The Mac Classic came with about six, the standard 'quack', 'eek' and 'oops' of software legend, plus a lesser used, somewhat exotic noise entitled 'generic', which was essentially one sustained keyboard note.
However, such were 'generic''s powers that whenever it went off those around would immediately chip in with dreamy house anthems that began with that very sound. It is somewhat comforting to note that one can still confuse much of the Faithless cannon with the sound of an alt key related error on a twelve year old computer.
Of course, there is more to the Faithless armoury - Rollo Armstrong and Sister Bliss are fine purveyors of the modern soundscape and unlike other acts from the dance arena they perform live with a full band - but generic cheese sounds are never too far away.
And so it goes that, opening track, 'Donny X', begins with a glacial synth wash, cunningly coupled with a klaxon. Indeed the first three songs play to their strengths - haunting, atmospheric and occasionaly, banging. 'Not Enuff Love' is a dark, brooding, late night plodder and recent single 'We Come 1' is a crescendo building anthem.
The album's highlight is the gorgeous, upbeat 'One Step Too Far', which sees Rollo's sister and oft Faithless guest in the past, Dido make her inevitable appearance - her clear-as-water voice making an excellent foil to the group's techno noodling.
Dido's appearance also serves as a welcome break from the deadpan rapping of Maxi Jazz, a strange individual who can always be relied upon to provide an unintentionally amusing couplet. Here, on the pugilistic homage 'Muhammad Ali', he excels himself: "Your achievements defy belief/From the belly the beast/Rising like yeast".
Zoe Johnston sings on several tracks - the lightweight ballad 'Crazy English Summer' and closing spiritual epic 'Liontamer'. And, pleasing as these excursions into Enya-world are, it still makes you long for the simple purity of Ms Dido.
That Faithless will continue to rise (rather like yeast) is in little doubt, their ability to press all the right buttons and capture the imagination across genre audiences (from clubbers to gig goers) continues. But 'Outrospective' is a far from impressive album.
