And just when one might have thought that the variability and perfection of form in Suchen would not be easily surpassed, or even equalled, this new album comes to subvert this idea and give an even more intriguing dimension to Arne's already multifaceted work...
A four-song EP of energetic funk rock, flirting with punk and jazzy elements and with some beautiful melodic moments. The songs denounce the injustices of life and the vanity of the world, with vigorous, passionate vocals and lyrics that manage to be angry and sensitive at the same time.
The new album by Der Tollwuetige Kasper (Arne Pahlke's side project) "welcomes us into our lives" - in a life that we shouldn't feel too happy or privileged to be living... I will not refer to the technicalities concerning this particular musical style - others have done that much better than I ever could - but I will approach this work subjectively and emotionally, based on my impressions after repeated listens of Manchmal kommen sie wieder.
This is an album out of this world... Music that comes from an unknown, seductive universe, and the voice of a mermaid or a fairy, with an almost archetypal sound that speaks directly to the heart.
First of all, the cover is wonderful - both the composition and the colours set perfectly the mood for what is about to ensue... And what ensues is one more panorama of Arne Pahlke's familiar themes and stylistic explorations - this time with more emphasis on the voice and the acoustic arrangements, relying on guitars and the discreet presence of virtual instruments for the most part.
Interesting blend of voices, with an echo of something between Nina Persson and Tracey Thorn - not the kind of female voice that appeals to me personally, but with a very distinct timbre and colour that enhances the atmosphere of the songs. Their lower notes are sweet, showing perhaps the real "character" of the voice. Ethereal guitars and keyboards, robust but not overwhelming percussion. The lyrics are beautiful, some of the melodies "difficult" enough to make a difference.
An almost entirely acoustic album, relying heavily on guitars. The voice is a very beautiful hybrid of Brian Molko and Kurt Cobain (mostly Molko, especially in the way the voice "slides" on the notes in Angel's Fly), with an edge of its own and a remarkable expressiveness and flexibility. The lyrics are some of the best I heard lately, conveying powerful, dark emotions.
After his rather self-explanatory album Fuck the War (which included a little jewel entitled Butterflies), Ralph Buckley makes a spectacular comeback with an album that bears a deceptively colourful cartoon figure on the cover, and the equally deceptive title cocoa krispies & lucky charms.
A pretty but somewhat disturbing cover, a mysterious title... and twelve beautiful acoustic ballads, with very nice lyrics and a voice that caresses the ears. The fragility of the fallen doll on the cover is reflected in the sensitive melodiousness of the songs.
Dreamy melodies ranging from jazzy to ambient-electro. The voice is beautiful, warm and sensual; the slow-moving rhythms and almost whispered words have a calming, soothing effect. Dysphoria is an ominous note in the heart of the sweetness, a menacing but not unwelcome agitation of the waters.
Besides being the stunningly mature and elaborate work of a young prodigy, Music of Youth by The Melchiades Estrada Band constitutes also a historical point of reference for digitally composed music, since the medium used for the creation of these tracks (Protracker on an Amiga) is now obsolete. But the artistic value of this work is undeniable as well, demonstrating the composer's absolute mastery of his material and means.
Well, in fact this is a single that doesn't take itself too seriously, and for me at least, the cover is a clear indication of that. It's sensual in an ironical, self-deprecating way, and all that pink (strawberry and stuff) gives a note of exaggeration which I dare say was intentional.
This isn't usually the kind of music I listen to, but I was attracted by the black humor of the cover. The 1-hour track begins with a rhythm and female vocals that have a kind of dreamy quality, only for the rhythm to become gradually more energetic and invite the listeners to dance, or simply get immersed in the ambience and enjoy.
An album of strangely seductive melodies - sweet sonorities with an epic and poignant, or at times even violent touch, an element of originality and some unexpected "turns of phrase".
Nice voice and lyrics, a good guitar and warm melodies. The style and vocals remind me somehow of Lou Reed.
Maybe because of the initial cover that had to be replaced by the (very nice) current one, the title of this album always makes me think of The Beast Within - second episode of the Gabriel Knight game trilogy, which tells the story of a forbidden passion and of a fight for life and principles. The hero's internal conflict is as powerful as the struggle against the enemy; and when the enemy also exerts a fatal attraction on his rival, the fight becomes a lot more than a matter of life and death.
A very sweet and original album, conveying the alternating ambiences for the four seasons of love in a descriptive and at the same time pleasantly abstract and figurative way.
When art defines itself in technical terms from within a work of art, then it becomes meta-art. Accordingly, when metal music defines itself in the same way from within the songs of an album, it becomes meta-metal. And when a generous dose of humor is blended in the mix, then we have parody at its best, making merciless fun of metal music while paying comprehensive homage to it at the same time.
An extremely original mini album, creating a kind of "film noir" atmosphere through entrancing sounds and a beautiful voice.
Very nice vocals, high-spirited rhythms, vigorous melodies, general atmosphere reminding of some of the best '90s bands.
The beautiful minimalistic cover is another plus.
This is one of the very first albums I discovered on Jamendo, and one of those that are seldom made any more. Each song is a jewel of rare beauty, combining splendid melodies and a voice of crystalline perfection with lyrics that tell sensitive, nostalgic stories from the distant or more recent past, from the dreamlike world of maritime legends and fairy tales.
And how can they, since they are born from the deepest, purest darkness of the soul and the mind, from the very essence of feelings and experiences... This album is rather raw material (with distinct references to Depeche Mode), but I wonder whether some more elaboration would actually do it any good.
I laughed to tears reading the short chronicle of this collaboration, and the cover already gave me the impression of a humorous album, created by the combined forces of Arne Pahlke and Kangaroo MusiQue.
Besides the powerful beauty of the music, one of the elements that always impress and pleasantly surprise me in both Digital series by Project System 12 is the titling of the tracks. Titles that could also refer to paintings or other works of visual art; unexpected combinations of words, pieces of sentences that seem to have been cut out of a narration, references to mythical events or unknown stories that the listener is tempted to "reconstruct", using his/her own imagination and feelings.
A very well-made work whose cover art concept predisposes for the dominant atmosphere. I liked the lyrics in most of the songs; the melodies are pleasant to the ear in spite of the somewhat dark themes, while the voice is beautiful and expressive. It's the kind of music you can listen to again and again, and always discover something new.
The title predisposes perhaps for something different, but what the creators of this album have in store for the listener is in fact an orgy of guitars: two amazing guitarists demonstrate their talent and virtuosite in improvisations full of passionate madness (or mad passion).
A pleasant album with nice lyrics and good recording quality. The singer's voice is very warm and the instrumental melodies create a dreamy atmosphere that carries the listener away.
It is always welcome and refreshing to see an original idea applied to well-known material. This album takes us back to the lost paradise of childhood, through beloved, universally familiar melodies.
Soft, moody melodies, lyrics combining humor and tenderness and a pleasant voice with potential. I like this expressive way of singing, making each song sound like an interior monologue or an intimate dialogue with the listener.
An extremely interesting album from an artist who knows well how to make contradictions co-exist in a far from harmonious, but deeply thought-provoking way. The poetry of the lyrics is cruel but intriguing, while the theatrical singing style reminds me a little of Udo Kier.
Last in the series, the tenth Digital Wonderland album constitutes the epilogue to the fantasy saga of the same title. Powerful compositions of a cosmic magnificence are interspersed with dark, ominous ones or lighter and more playful, all characterised by enticing melodiousness and great beauty of form.
Maybe the technical means are limited, but there is evidently such passion for music that it makes the album well worth a listen, as well as paying attention to the lyrics.
An interesting album whose tracks suggest a series of images, inviting the listener to visualise the scenes of a musically narrated chronicle. The story of the Zen Master's rise and fall is told in artful melodic sketches where moods and ambiences alternate.
Beautiful melodies sung by interesting voices, honouring their influences (The Beatles, Belle and Sebastian, Simon and Garfunkel, R.E.M. and others, as also noted in their profile) but also contributing their own element of originality.
The sound echoes bands like Nirvana or Pearl Jam, but with an even darker twist, while the little word-game of the title (Eye/I) is potentially a reference to Marvel comics and The Residents (on a lighter note, it also sounds like "ice cream").
With melodic echoes from the past combined with the epic-rhythmic element more prominent in the previous Digital Wonderland instalments, this album conjures up and invites us to explore a brightly coloured world of fantasy creatures and landscapes - unicorns, dreaming elves, dragonflies on parade, fairy princes, sleeping centaurs, sunsets and falling stars.
An album full of robust energy. Even the darker-themed songs are brimming with a high-spirited dynamism that dispels all melancholy, leaving a trace of elation and hope in the listener's soul.
A very pleasant album to listen to, with interesting guitars and good vocals. There are echoes of '90s British bands (and maybe some '70s), but still the sound has an element all of its own.
Interesting to listen to, although at the beginning the harshness of the sounds is almost overwhelming. But from the chaos emerge strange, sweet melodies, sometimes verging on atonality, creating an atmosphere of futuristic fairy tale with beautiful and surprising musical imagery.
I ran into this album by chance and once more, found myself before a pleasant surprise. An intriguing mix of moods and emotions, conveyed to the listener with fluent directness.
A journey into the soul and the spirit, borrowing its symbolisms from well-known archetypes/prototypes and uniting sounds and aromas from all around the world in an interesting, attractive blend.
Nice, moody melodies and interesting titles - the only problem is that the (English) lyrics aren't heard very clearly and, my usual complaint, aren't published on Jam either.
Well, it's true that what attacks the ears from the very first notes is... surprising (to say the least). But after the first "shock", one begins to adapt and recognise the ghost of something... the rough outline of a half-formed/morphed thought? The embryon of a melody that never takes shape? The sketch of a musical idea that was deliberately left at that? Reminds me (remotely but persistently) of something I can't identify right now.
Interesting melodies with a bittersweet edge. The voice has a pleasantly dark feel to it. All tracks are beautiful in a rather singular way - although I prefer the ones with the simpler arrangements (like Feelings or Scared, for example).
I had first discovered this album via the now defunct Jamendo Spiral (an interesting, experimental feature that consisted in "rotating" all existing albums, so that each user of the platform could discover new music at random) and was instantly captured by the imposing ambience, haunted by strange melodic imagery.
Beautiful, strange sounds creating a dreamy ambience, with an alternation of melodic repetition and intense rhythm among the tracks.
An interesting, "exorcising" journey into strange echoing dreamscapes and the subconscious, with sounds and voices that seem like coming from inside the listener's own head.
