genres: neoclassical + avant garde electronic
Properly labeling every genre touched on this album is impossible. It’s instrumental music in the compositional tradition of the baroque and romantic eras, but there’s also blastbeats. Pianos and pipe organs tradeoff primary melodies, but glitchy 8-bit electronics and static distortions provide otherworldly textures. And even those seemingly contradictory elements are only the start of the experimental madness going on here. If the sole aim of this record was to push musical boundaries beyond any logic, it would be a resounding success. But after the maximalist genre whiplash begins to fade, we’re still left with a strikingly well written piece of music. It demands attention in a way few modern instrumental albums ever fully achieve.
Breaking down neoclassical compositions, or even instrumental music in general, is not my strength so I won’t offer too many specific moments here. Besides, that would spoil much of the fun that comes from hearing the unexpected, unwarned twists that appear on every track. That said, “Gebuerjeit” is the best place to start for those looking for a single track introduction. It offers a sampling of everything the album offers in one place, and conveys a powerful amount of emotional variety from an act that elsewhere tends to operate at full blast all the time. Even on the more aggressive tracks, there’s a surprisingly organic atmosphere, given that presumably all instruments are synthetic (though they sound perfect) and often playing parts near the limit of human performance (to say nothing of being a project from the same creator as MASTER BOOT RECORD, perhaps the most intentionally inhuman act out there today). There’s a lot to like here, in a surprisingly accessible package. No matter if you like instrumental music or not, give this album a listen.
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