When the ides of classical, jazz, and rock meet, the results are usually ponderous, pretentious and mostly misguided. Somehow, when the talents of Bill Nelson, Roger Eno, Laraaji, Kate St. John, and Mayumi Tachibana merged, the group christened Channel Light Vessel swept clear the barriers separating the above genres in service of a hybrid style truly refreshing and free of arrogance.

The music of Automatic goes from David Sylvian-like raga-rock one minute ("Ballyboots") to percussive grandeur the next ("Train Travelling North") and on to modes of bizarre atmospherics yet further on ("Flaming Creatures"). And though the proceedings never get too raucous, a preponderance of unusual sounds and instrumental smarts helps these short works to stick with you despite the album's relatively short running time. Also, despite Eno's contributions, Laraaji's command of zither, Tachibana's cello, and St. John's classical oboe and cor anglais, Automatic distinctly reflects Nelson's provocative garnishmes. Indeed, many of the surging rhythms and angular electronic and guitar effects strongly recall his classic LOVE THAT WHIRLS and CHIMERA. Channel Light Vessel is certainly a force to be reckoned with in the progressive music hemisphere.