Babylon Zoo front man Jas Mann has the best of several worlds. Thanks to an exotic heritage (his mother and father are Native American and East Indian, respectively), he possesses handsomely askew facial features that practically demand a second look. And “Spaceman,” his group’s debut single, has a similar head-turning, hybrid quality that has made it a chart-topper throughout Europe. Boasting ecstatic, distorted vocals, “Spaceman” constructs its wall of sound from used parts: The portentous industrial crunch of Nine Inch Nails mingles with the sludgy wallop of grungemeisters like Alice in Chains and the punky dance groove of techno. Aside from scattered digressions–such as the Middle Eastern swing of “Don’t Feed the Animals” and the torchy symphonics of “Is Your Soul for Sale?”–the tunes basically reprise the sonic spirit and hooky appeal of the single. Before long you just might find yourself humming them in your sleep. (EMI)
