by Tim DiGravinaReleased on the heels of two instrumental collections comes this stellar collection of remixes, covers, and collaborations. As always with the Bristol duo, quality and artful atmosphere abound. Newcomers might be drawn in by the famous names in the track listing: a spacy remix of Coldplay's "Yellow" warps that over-earnest track into a light joy, Massive Attack's "Inertia Creeps" is given new creepiness but feels unexpectedly dated, and Jarvis Cocker offers a Baroque, wonderful Scott Walker impersonation amid '60s-style strings on "This Is Where I Came In." Cocker's contribution sits among the highlights, and equally delightful is the soulful "The Way You Are," an Alpha production/collaboration with their Don't Touch signing the Heavy. Labelmate James Roberts is featured on two fine efforts as well, as is reggae legend and Massive Attack collaborator Horace Andy. While frequent Alpha vocalist Wendy Stubbs is given a gorgeous bed of electronic samples and piano undercurrents for her take on Tim Buckley's "Song to the Siren," her inflection feels too studied for a song that's usually emotionally devastating no matter who's covering it. This slight misstep doesn't take away from the album as a whole, and it's likely many listeners won't take issue with it all, especially those unfamiliar with the Buckley original. Whether they're crafting hazy instrumentals, swinging jazzy electronica for their well-chosen vocalists, or remixing other artists, Alpha prove their skills and taste again and again. Without Some Help is another fine addition to a sparkling discography.