MASERATI : rehumanizer : Temporary Residence

RNK: 10 minute songs. Musical monoliths built from Krautrock and Psychedelic blocks, twisted and pushed into the shape of pounding post-rock epics. Robotic beats. But why “Rehumanizer”? Using the most inappropriate title for their ice-cold and stomping new full-length, Georgia-based Maserati still drive stick, and they still shift gears without even needing a producer to find the right balance. The bass lines truly serve as drained foundations, the guitars are sharp enough to cut steel, and the occasional vocals, which are new for them, are either non-human (fittingly: “End of Man” – and do they sing “let’s get down” or “let’s get out”? The former would be ridiculous), or just fuckin’ dark and shrouded in guitar riffs, but who needs words anyway? These guys have known each other for so long (16 years), they can probably shut their mouths in the studio, close their eyes even, and the result still sounds like an insurmountable wall of retro-futuristic BLAM! Again, there’s nothing more human about this one if you compare it to, say, “Pyramids of the Sun”, except that it’s slower, more an album to bang your head to than shake your limbs. 

 

DEERHUNTER : fading frontier : 4AD

Seven: For the majority of people Deerhunter clearly is a show run by Bradford Cox, the charismatic and deliciously outspoken frontman and main songwriter of the Atlanta-based quartet that in the past certainly knew how to polarize an audience. This might finally change with “Fading Frontier“, their sixth album already, which not only introduces a first-time duet between Cox and fellow-bandmember Lockett Pundt (aka Lotus Plaza) on the lush and close-to-perfect pop song “Breaker“, but sees a tonal shift away from the dark and claustrophobic superstructure of “Monomania“ as well. Don’t let the uplifting first single “Snakeskin“ fool you though, their new record is their most laid-back, band-driven, seemingly electronic and melancholic one so far - a sound that perfectly matches the cover artwork by the great John Divola. It was always very easy to instantly pick your favorite song from every new Deerhunter release, the homogeneous totality of “Fading Frontier“ makes it actually impossible this time around.

http://www.dooloop.tv/video/4253417/deerhunter-breaker

KHRUANGBIN : the universe smiles upon you : LateNightTales

Seven: Seriously, having predicted that things would move rather fast - and exactly in the right direction - for Texan trio Khruangbin after they appeared from seemingly out of nowhere with “A Calf Born in Winter“ on Bonobo’s compilation for the celebrated Late Night Tales series, was no rocket science. The only remaining question was: will their trademark sound of ridiculously laid-back instrumentals filled with summery psych, luscious Thai funk and more than just a nod to vintage surf soundtracks have enough meat to its bone to make for a convincing album? Well, if there ever actually were any doubts, their debut “The Universe Smiles Upon You“ just loves to prove you wrong. Khruangbin doesn’t shy away from delivering the occasional vocal tune, and they certainly don’t mind exploring the line where a sense for nostalgia and untouchable cool meets. Nothing feels forced or agitated, it's a bit like a jam session between Tommy Guerrero and Yellow Magic Orchestra on mushrooms. So, yeah, sit back, relax and let the universe work its magic.

 

NEW ORDER : music complete : Mute

Seven: New Order are back, high on another iconic Peter Saville artwork and low on guitars and Peter Hook’s trademark baselines. Instead they’re celebrating their new found euphoria for dance music, which is actually quite remarkable keeping in mind that Bernard Sumner is turning 60-years-old next year. The record´s first teaser “Restless“ isn’t only a prime example of pitch-perfect melancholic dance pop, but a reminder that this particular band has many strengths - but making a coherent, thrilling album certainly never was one of them. New Order clearly is a “singles band“ that will somehow always sound up to date and true to their own legacy at the same time, but it’s rather evident that for every brilliant song like the aforementioned one, there’s at least three fillers to justify the length of an album. So I guess it’s no coincidence that there are manifold ways to read the term “complete“ in the album’s title, right? But then again, fuck it, does it actually really matter? The band by now is their very own living, breathing, music making monument, pretty much untouchable and still - well, at least partially - ahead of the majority of hip whippersnappers. They should just try their best to get rid of these nasty Eurodance components for their next album, alright?

MANO LE TOUGH : trails : Permanent Vacation

Skism: Wenn man solch Hype erfährt wie der Ire, so durch die grossen Clubs der Welt gereicht wird, plötzlich in den RA DJ Top Ten auftaucht, was die Nachfrage und Präsenz für gewöhnlich nicht verringert, kann es schon mal sein, dass man mal’n Päuschen braucht, sich verkriecht (hier wohl irgendwo in ein Häuschen oberhalb des Zürichsee), in sich kehrt und dabei viel nach aussen kehrt. Angeblich war es Winter. Das nach aussen kehren bedeutet hier, nicht alles dreht sich um und auf dem Plattenteller, kreist mehr um Listening Electronica, rückt auch mal seinen Gesang in den Vordergrund. Ziemlich weit sogar. Will sich auch erst mal getraut sein. Auch wenn ich das alles komplett verstehen kann, alles wunderbar und wunderbar gemacht ist, ist’s mir auf Dauer dann doch zu melancholisch, zu entrückt. Für jetzt. Fragt mich im Januar noch mal.

LYMBYC SYSTYM : split stones : Western Vinyl

RNK: Can’t believe it’s been almost a decade since I first noticed the unique chemistry between the Bell brothers: returning with their sixth album this fall, “Split Stones,” it’s still lovely to be abused by their increasingly electrified and retro-tinged blend of instrumental post-rock soundscapes, which open majestically with “Generated Bodies,” a tune that almost veers off into the kind of club you’d expect in Alice’s Wonderland. Whereas Brooklyn-based Jared has been busy designing lots of sleeves – he also did Botany’s new cover, as well as working for Diane Coffee, another great release dropping these days – Mike’s apparently back in Phoenix, meaning they used a lot of bandwidth to create what’s essentially soundtrack music in the vein of Vangelis and some 80s “body relaxation cassette” they discovered in a drawer at their parents’ place: There’s dreamy tracks with staccato hi-hats (“Split Stones”), understated interludes (“Detached Objects”), and even proper 80s pop hymns like “Paraboloid”. Split and detached by living in different places, you can tell these keyboard-loving bros are nevertheless tight as stone.