SCHLAMMPEITZIGER - DAMENBARTBLICK AUF PREGNANT HILL - review

Schlammpeitziger - Damenbartblick Auf Pregnant Hill - Bureau B - Jan 26th 2018

German electronica indie Bureau B kicks off 2018 with a new set of abstract grooves from native Jo Zimmerman. Named after an amphibious groundfish and not far removed from the Automat school of creativity, Zimmerman's Schlammpeitziger pseudonym utilises primitive synths to weave a tapestry of fractured beats and atmospherics that hark back to the days of Warp's Artificial Intelligence series of the '90s and other Bureau B labelmates such as Der Plan and Pyrolator.

Predominantly instrumental, save for the album's strident opener Ekirlu Kong and closer What I Got, Damenbartblick auf Pregnant Hill is by turns varied, playful and engaging without being twee or over-elaborate. Thus the rhythmic patterns across the album have toes dipped in dub on the trippy poetic Angerrestbay, soft techno on Bock Bounceburg and minimal electro on Smooth Motion Kaukraut.

None of the tracks are standouts - the whole album is worthy of your complete attention from start to finish although Bock Bounceburg has a certain club-night feel to it reminiscent of early Depeche Mode b-sides and a hookline memorable enough to turn heads and twitch feet.

7/10