The first project that Shpongle (the duo of Simon Posford and Raja Ram) ever attempted together was a 20-minute epic about the emotional effect of witnessing a solar eclipse, which says a bit about the level of their ambition, if not obsession. Despite being together since 1996, this 2005 album is only their third (and reportedly final) full-length release, a schedule that allowed the studio time necessary to create this sprawling and spectacular 20-song outpouring. Their first two albums are impressive and groundbreaking, but this album is truly a leap beyond. A wildly inventive mix of the familiar and the unexpected, it moves in countless different directions, sliding from downtempo to frenetic without losing the beat or the listener, as one idea dissolves into another with precision. Sounds range from mysterious, watery swirls to the driest synthesized scratches, with vocals, horns, a wide variety of textures, and Middle Eastern rhythms and melodies add to the psychedelic swirl. And because they understand dynamics so well, they never work an idea to death; they may want to drive you into a trance, but they also want your attention, and they achieve both brilliantly on Nothing Lasts… But Nothing is Lost. If you were moved by either Are You Shpongled? or Tales of the Inexpressible, this one will blow you away.