AAAA 1/2 rating (range: A to AAAAA).
Twisted Helices is Ram Samudrala. I reviewed a five-song demo some time back, and so he sent me this 22-song release.
Four of the songs from the demo appear here in different forms. And the way Samudrala works, there's no way they could sound the same way twice.
One of the reasons I like Twisted Helices a bunch. Samudrala isn't afraid to challenge his listeners. Every bit of vocals and instrumentation is altered, or twisted, into the shape he wants. And with plenty of eastern (particularly Indian) musical influences infused into his unusual concept of electronic pop, it's not like the music started out sounding like your average American stuff.
A definite acquired taste, one that many will not want to venture into, I suppose. Too bad. I can only think of a handful of folk who have such an original vision of music and manage to successfully pull it off. Twisted Helices cranks out not only strange music, but music with a powerful beauty.