After the success of 'Digital Asia' - which was probably the most aptly titled cd for the Asian dance scene - DJ Asif and MRT have returned with 'Outer Perspective', aimed at moving Asian club music into more open waters.

As you would expect from Fusing Naked, 'Outer Perspective' kicks off with a definite subdued groove to get you in the mood, with bits of desi adlibs, percussion and strings bouncing off a thumping b-line. It's pretty much the same groove throughout, so don't expect anything to happen but as an introduction type track it's spot on.

Asif takes us into 'Saladin's Empire' for track two, which has more of a garage/D&B feel, with a grimey bass pumped beneath an electrified tumbi-type sound. An amalgamation of its parts, Asif's words are provocative even if his flow seems overindulgent and the production is well worked within the beat.

'Firefly' comes next, a more positive and uplifting taal, which is a great tune to drive round the city to. The breaks bring the best out of a beautifully simple flute, and the sprinkling of keys across the music is trademark Fusing Naked. I liked this a lot, just a progressive Asian dance beat that doesn't try to hard or fall short.

Track three is 'Ultrasonic', a more house-type dance tune, with its oscillating string samples and simple strummed b-line. Not as likeable as the previous track, but still in the same instrumental format, it's ok but doesn't grab your attention after the first sixteen bars.

The pressure releases for 'Deeper Reality', which is a more open and drawing track featuring Ms Kat on vocals. Although having almost no Asian influences, it's amiable and sounds better when Ms Kat provides adlibs as her chorus is a bit off key and the lack of bars irritates.

Some Asian flutes flitter back in with some Hindi wailing and a nice taal again from the boys. This is another city driving tune, very modern and the chords give great effect to the tune.

The first proper Asian vocal comes from Najma Akhtar on 'Chale-A-Na'. This is a slight misfire, but only as far as the vocal isn't great and with Fusing Naked predominantly do instrumental music so to conjure something out of this would be asking a lot. The strings are decent, as is the beat but when multiplied with the vocal it falls apart.

The tone darkers a little for the more dirtier 'Monotheistic Faiths', which has a bit of an Arabic feel. I really like the way the drums pound in and out as well as the weird spaceship noises which eminate from within the track. The breaks sometimes seem a bit long and a melody change with the strings would have been nice but the bones of the song are very good.

We then venture on the 'Path Of Pilgrims', which is a road of dramatic chords, telling tabla riddims through a forest which sings to you. You'll encounter Asif on the road sounding like the frontman in a metal band, as well as Swami Baracus speaking some incendiary words which are stapled to the beat to good and bad effect and the whispering Port M who like good children can be seen (in the credits) but not heard (on the track). The low frequencies are deep and filling throughout, and despite some lyrical underperformances I really like this track.

Swami Baracus stays with us for the next track, which he announces as 'Transcendental Knowledge'. His lyrics are full of vivid imagery, and good content, but I'm not convinced by his flow, it just lacks that X factor. Like when you hear Wiley, Kano or one of the top hip-hop MCs, they could spit some absolute nonsense but it would sound good, whereas Swami Baracus is chatting sense but it doesn't sound hot. The beats are nice, some more laid back and slowed up drums, and it's reminiscent of early Wu Tang type stuff, but these tracks need monstrous MCs, which don't appear here.

With 'Inner Pulse', the heart gets going faster as the electronica returns at a higher tempo. I really don't like the opening sound, which is a shame as the stuff underneath it is very nice, but the swinging melody just dominates the entire track.

A second female desi singer enters the fray for track twelve, entitled 'Medusa'. The beat is grimier and the subtle sitars sound superb, but Sonia Mehta's input happens quite late and although a clean cut type of vocal it sits great on this track. More of a club tune, the production levels are very high, although I would have lowered the volume on the unrelenting high hat.

Deep chord sequences are aplenty on 'Alcazar', which is a dangerous sounding melting pot of traditional desi sounds and electronic durge which result in a tune which keeps you on edge but doesn't surprise you. There is a lack of bite in the sounds, and it doesn't move too much and there isn't a big drop which could've made it.

Now, if you ever wanted a track which, like Ronseal, does exactly what it says on the tin, then 'Pieces Of A Dream' is right up your street. Think a curiously probing bass line, spatterings of well played tabla, a nice easy garage beat, some nice drops and breaks laced together with good chords and you have the pieces of that dream. This is a tune which needs nothing more, it covers all areas and will get dance floors moving and grooving and stereos being turned up. Massive tune and excellently hidden at the end of the album, but don't be afraid to listen to this first and then go back.

The tempo drops for 'Fusing Faces', the penultimate track. We are graced with the MC'ing prowess of Rowdy Brown, the artistic pseudonym of Radio 1's Nihal, who guides us through how to fuse races and faces on a track praising multiculturalism whilst keeping roots. I gotta rate Nihal for stating something with good vocabulary even though his flow is not as easy on the ears. Overall all parties will probably agree that he is better on radio than on tracks.

We then get a rendition of the superb pressure building club tune 'Asiatic' from Digital Asia, although Sulal Kool spoils the piece with some terrible spitting, but the hook is alright despite being far too long. Don't stay on for this.

With Asian dance music being a bit quiet recently, it was nice to see some perseverance by Asif and MRT to keep this side of the scene moving. 'Outer Perspective' is a decent album, and the standards were set at a good level by the previous album and this is almost on the same plane. There is a good mix of styles, but all within a certain bubble and is let down by some substandard vocals. 'Outer Perspective' gets 7.2 out of 10, but the outer perspective is on the same thing we heard last time but looking from a different direction.