Ván 2018
Krautrock rendezvous between American purveyors of psych and Austrian industrialists.
DER BLUTHARSCH –
Desire
When two different entities go in search of space, common ground may seem to define potential success, but while these two collectives could agree on stoner approach, they opted for unexpected pastures of lighter, if gloomy, ambient noise. That’s what their EP’s artwork suggests, rather than affairs of the heart.
So whereas the wobbly “Await The Moon” will unfold dreadful balladry for the listener to get enchanted and swayed to embrace translucent pleasures, the frozen funk of “Lover” can’t move the sound past the pale. There is romanticism in “Nom De Guerre” whose belligerent throb is wrapping a riff in velveteen expectancy, yet Ego Sensation’s deadpan delivery deliberately destroys Albin Julius’ cosmic schemes to cast them into exciting electronica abyss, the title track has the blues buried in its lazily relentless progress.
The result of this collaboration feels quite puzzling – not as beguiling as it could be, but the bleak charm is as riveting as it gets.
**1/2
