Being the best band on the planet at any point in a group's existence has its downsides; chiefly, unless you release nonstop masterpieces, you're bound to disappoint a few fans with heady memories of the old records. However, like most great bands, Boredoms/V∞redoms don't let expectations get in the way of their vision. Eight years after the last Super Roots EP, Eye (CDJ, turntable), Yoshimi (drums), ATR (drums) and Yojiro (yep, drums) deliver SR9, diving headfirst into an ocean of drums, voices, and cycles upon cycles of subtle rhythmic variation. There are few places to catch your breath during the 40-minute race through Eye's human turntable symphony, but since Rhys Chatham and minimalist composer Jon Gibson get thanked upfront in the 40-page CD booklet, you can't say the band didn't forewarn of walls of repetition and tidal noise.

"LIVWE!!" is the lone track on SR9, and consists of music that should sound familiar to anyone who's seen recent V∞redoms shows, as the piece (or some variation thereupon) is a staple of the band's repertoire. Essentially, it consists of lengthy blocks of rhythmic patterns played by the drummers (similar to Vision Creation Newsun), but rather than radically change textures or beats in each section, Eye ties the entire piece together via vocal samples from his turntable, modulating them up or down to create ad hoc melodies. On SR9 (taken from a 2004 live Christmas Eve performance), the samples have been arranged for a 24-piece choir-- the booklet contains the entire notated score-- and the effect of hearing them ride over the pound of three drummers can sometimes be angelic.

However, it can also be a bit monotonous. Over 40 minutes, despite generally clear transitions from pattern to pattern, the sonic range of choral parts is relatively small, and the actual harmonies being sung can be distractingly same-y-- which makes sense when you consider they were borne out of a single chord that was merely pitched up or down. Still, the drum-less (except for jingle bells) opening, with those magical major chords from the choir is heavenly, and the moment that the drums enter (after an obviously enthused audience reaction to the introduction) is one of those times I wish I could jump into the CD and see what all those people saw.

In truth, V∞redoms' music is so relentlessly positive, so unafraid of galloping into the cosmic ether that it's hard not to like the record. About 12 minutes in, Eye leads a call-and-response just before the choir drops out and the drummers settle into a great, quasi Afro-Cuban pattern; it's the kind of thing that would send party-goers over the edge two minutes before midnight on New Year's Eve, because they know when everything gets quiet like that, something huge is just around the corner. Super Roots 9 sounds like music for endlessly celebrating: It's a long ride, so prepare accordingly.