Amun Ra was my pick for best self-released recording of 2003; their keyboardist Neil Gregory Larson was a big part of the group's inviting and polished sound. Larson also cultivates a side project as Dr. Nigel. Seeing in Squares is trance electronica of the IDM sort, rife with off-kilter beats and lush harmonies.

The title track creates a complex arrangement by combining a number of simple elements: a bass ostinato, glitchy beats, synthetic vocals, chordal pads and a number of solo voices. These are juxtaposed effortlessly; many sounds enter and leave in the midst of phrases, imparting a subtle fluidity that is confoundingly seamless.

"Human Life" leads with single line piano melodies and a more vigorous trip-hop groove. A few measures in, a strongly melodic bass line enters, serving as an interesting counterweight to the treble keyboard solos. We even get some ambient train sounds as part of the package, but these are well integrated as rhythmic punctuations. Even "A Beautiful Day", which features one of those spoken-word samples I usually dislike, won me over by surrounding it with an intricate rhythmic design, one part ska fighting against a heavy bass groove. When something self-released is this good, it's kind of scary!