Kreidler - Flood - Bureau B - Out October 25th 2019
Celebrating some 25 years making music, Dusseldorf's Kreidler have stepped up several gears for this fifteenth studio album. Whilst the pace of previous Kreidler albums isn't being surpassed here, the consistency certainly is with the second-half of Flood forming something of a suite of expansive atmospheric electronica that evokes warm hazy days by the ocean, rather than threatening tidal surges.
But let's rewind to the first wave of Flood. These first three tracks reference Greek mythology (Eurydike), techno and dub (Celeration) and click languages of South Africa (Nesindano) - hardly commercial radio material in a land of hateful Brexit and an aversion to foreign speakers, yet as engaging, celebratory and enthralling as any motorik synth-driven electronica this side of any corner of the world. It's a timeless music that transcends stereotypical and atypical boundaries and offers up escape and engagement within 20 minutes.
On side two, the five cadenzas that make up the extended title-track range from cinematic nu-jazz through to dubbed-out druggy downbeats, replete with sweet melodies and portentous hooks. Musical reference points could be early Artificial Intelligence albums on Warp (particularly the gentler side of B12 and Speedy J), Bureau B's Automat and the likes of Ultramarine, Biosphere and Oso Leone.
The seemingly featherlight music carries a certain amount of bassweight to render it essential.
8/10
But let's rewind to the first wave of Flood. These first three tracks reference Greek mythology (Eurydike), techno and dub (Celeration) and click languages of South Africa (Nesindano) - hardly commercial radio material in a land of hateful Brexit and an aversion to foreign speakers, yet as engaging, celebratory and enthralling as any motorik synth-driven electronica this side of any corner of the world. It's a timeless music that transcends stereotypical and atypical boundaries and offers up escape and engagement within 20 minutes.
On side two, the five cadenzas that make up the extended title-track range from cinematic nu-jazz through to dubbed-out druggy downbeats, replete with sweet melodies and portentous hooks. Musical reference points could be early Artificial Intelligence albums on Warp (particularly the gentler side of B12 and Speedy J), Bureau B's Automat and the likes of Ultramarine, Biosphere and Oso Leone.
The seemingly featherlight music carries a certain amount of bassweight to render it essential.
8/10