Scrabble doesn’t amuse me all that much for some reason; maybe because to be good at it you have to learn loads of stupid two-letter words with no vowels that look like typos. I do enjoy cryptic crosswords though. I don’t necessarily expect you all to share the joy I experienced when I worked out that “synthetic cream” was an anagram of “Manchester City” or, even better, that “Presbyterians” could be rearranged to give probably its exact opposite, “Britney Spears”. However, if I had the time I’d probably even consider setting a puzzle or two on this site. Consider yourselves lucky then, that this strict twenty four hours per day/seven days per week system that we seem to be dragooned into prevents such self-indulgence. This new album from AGF (7 points. Hang on, that’s not a word! Challenge!) probably caught my attention by challenging the rules of language that my brain holds dear, but it kept it by virtue of being their - or rather her - strongest suite to date.

The opening track defiantly declares that “Words Are Useless”, being some breathy cooing set to some scrabbly clicking. It goes on to further drum home its point via the furious hundred-mph Countdown of “Letters Make No Meaning“, with Antye Greie spitting letters like Carol Vorderman on speed until they blur into the trackís teutonic rhythms. And again, later on “Cognitive Modules Part II” whose lyrics look like what happens when my cat decides she could do a better job of typing than me (she is probably right a lot of the time) i.e “a a a a a a M M M M M M a a B a a B”. Ooops indeed, and “Ooops For Understanding III” uses that word to punctuate some exhilarating electronics, before the track ascends to higher planes on an astral winds at the end. Meanwhile “Presswehen” is a bloody burble spilt by the force of two huge wordless screams which I found rather uncomfortable to listen to. Elsewhere there are a dazzling and disorientating selection of instrumentals, from complex clank and clatter to minimal melodic murmuring ñ a range and intelligence that wouldn’t disappoint the many out there enamoured by Autechre’s Quaristice.

Fraiche creme d’monde is endorsed (11). And available from the shelves at AGF Producktions.