When we are not raving about all of the great music coming out of Scandanavia, we can usually be found with (at least one of) our ears tuned in to the frequencies of Berlin. Once a drab Cold War metaphor, Berlin has reinvented itself as a thriving artistic metropolis. It's no coincidence that one of our favorite Scandanavian artists has made Berlin his second home. Besides the warmer weather, Berlin's attractiveness lies in the fact that it is one of the pioneering cities of the 'microhouse' or 'tech house' or 'minimal' or 'whatever-you-want-to-call it' electronic movement.
Apparat (aka Sascha Ring) is a Berlin native and a large figure in the city's musical renaissance. DJ, producer, and owner of his own label (Shitkatapult), Sascha has made important contributions to Berlin's musical tapestry over the years. Released in mid-May, his latest solo album, "Walls", is further evolution of his (and Berlin's) style: the LP infuses glitchy beats, warm string arrangements, and sometimes even classic song structure and vocals (courtesy of Raz Ohara) into colorful tracks that run the gamut from IDM-inspired pop to downtempo sound collages to latenight dancefloor fillers. It is Apparat's variation of style that makes this album his most accessible to date, yet there is somehow a cohesiveness that ties the whole thing together and makes for a rewarding listen from start to finish. While the album most definitely shows its Berlin roots, it also fearlessly extends its branches to create something wholly original and refreshing. Berlin's native son has made his city proud and raised the bar once again.
Check out some tracks below:
Apparat - Fractales Pt. 1
Apparat - Holdon (feat. Raz Ohara)
No comments:
Post a Comment