In anticipation of a new full-length album, Rainer Landfermann has unleashed this two-track release consisting of the title track and another named “Originalstimme”.
Backed by an elegant mass of synths alternating between intimations of orchestral grandeur and jazzy affectations (or whatever mode demanded by the many moods of this eclectic song), Landefermann’s voice, as always, takes the center stage, acting like some malleable dark matter that stretches and dances in accordance with the song’s evolving emotional nuances. The effect will be naturally shocking for the unaccustomed, specially given the contrast generated by the relatively modest instrumental part. The music can get as dramatic and overwhelming as Landefermann’s famous vocals (such as in the bridge before the verse’s last iteration, or the percussion first transition between the main sections) but for the most part remains relatively modest, providing either the ethereal calm of a beautiful choir or the relaxed smoothness that one would expect from a jazz-fusion record on the quieter end. The vocals alone provide a narrative unto themselves, with Landefermann holding back the full cathartic power of his mighty vocal chords for select moments of purge. His voice sounds like a thick, vast black cloud in which the listener can easily get lost.
On a very different register we have “Originalstimme”. Unlike the previous track, this one, like Landefermann’s first studio album, makes use of many of the trappings of metal music (guitar riffs, blast-beats) for an all-out assault on the senses. Compared to the relatively self-contained nature of the title track, “Originalstimme” presents a more sprawling attack, starting off with a discordant metal riff broken by an eerily meditative synth interlude before taking charge again through a bass solo that resumes the song’s hyperkinetic pace. Further along the way we still have space for a tranquil piano solo and, of course, Landfermann’s vocal theatrics. The entire song is built around the effect of powerful contrasts, like a stream of energy that is successively harnessed and then unleashed throughout its run. The excitement is mainly derived from how unpredictable the track is while maintaining some form of twisted logic that nonetheless resonates with the unconscious, much in the same manner as the films of David Lynch or Alejandro Jodorowsky. While “Mehr Licht” works as a gesture towards a new direction, “Originalstimme” feels like a recap of the previous album’s tendencies.
Both tracks are satisfying and certainly unique in today’s musical panorama; if they’re any indication of the upcoming album’s content, we can hold reasonably high expectations; although a new, well-executed album in line with the previous one and “Originalstimme” could provide relatively good material, I hope Landfermann opts for the more exploratory ground covered by the first song. In any case, we have a great although brief offering of truly adventurous music in the meantime.
