Blake Fleming is a drummer and a founding member of Dazzling Killmen, Laddio Bolocko and The Mars Volta as well as being involved in other projects. Fleming has also been an adjunct professor at the State University of New York at Oneonta since 2008, teaching private lessons and running a number of rock-based ensembles. Considering his background, you can expect some fairly aggressive drumming on 'The Beat Fantastic.' The album consists of twelve tracks, beginning with "First Transmission," a track primarily composed of noise and static with a vague, repeating melody. "Desert Frame One," which follows, is atmospherically Middle Eastern, but minimal. After some sparse electronics, "The Girl With The Electric Pants (remixed)" takes off into some solid patterned drumming. I'm hearing an invisible song on this one, and the brief break seemed reminiscent of mid-to-late period Scorn. While "Devolution Revolution Evolution (remixed)" likely has noting to do with Devo, there is a mechanical quality to it that's undeniable. "Desert Frame Two" employs similar drum sounds to the first, but expands on the theme a little. "Get Up" has a lot of percussive acrobatics and moves across the musical landscape like a tornado. "Time Slip" is more of an ambient piece than anything else, atypically droney for this album and not rhythmic, a refreshing change of pace. Got to love the hand percussion on "Drum Killah (remixed)" in combination with kit drums as well. An intense but varied number. "Dense Jaki" is an obvious tribute to Can drummer Jaki Liebezeit who passed away in 2017 and I can certainly hear his funky, yet cerebral krautrock influence on this one. If you were hoping for something more avant garde, here it is - "Paleo Cyber Kineticism (for the MC5)," a track that sounds as if it were recorded under a car from the 1960s with a bad carburetor. I've always loved the MC5 but there doesn't seem to be any connection to their music on this one. "Delancy Stomp" begins with the kind of rhythm track you might hear on a Yello album, but expands into something more aggressive/progressive before long. It all ends with "The Shadow Cast (remixed)," the most fully realized piece on the album. There is somewhat of a melody line, moving bass, chordal component, and a synth sequencer as well. I would have liked to have heard more of this kind of thing on the album.

With all of the programming beatmakers out there it's tough for a real drummer to have a standout album, but I think Blake hit the mark on this one. There is enough variety to make you want to give it multiple listens, and that it is available on vinyl (limited edition of only 300) makes it collectible as well.