Having just recently written about Hamburg-based producers Arne Schaffhausen and Wayan Raabe (known collaboratively as Extrawelt), to learn that they were to be releasing a full-length album on Germany's Cocoon Recordings a few weeks into the future was quite a treat of good news. The future is now, and Extrawelt's most recent LP, In Aufruhr has arrived.
The wide-reaching embrace that is Extrawelt's exploratory sound is audible on In Aufruhr, as the duo explains:
"We don't want cowardly Zeitgeist Techno. We want to be courageous and dare new sounds and melodies. Sunrise scenarios, energy, revolution and 'Kaputtheit' – these are all parts of the Extrawelt. We took our time and have collected tracks that have particularly touched us, no matter whether they are club-compatible or not. Besides that, we didn't want to repeat ourselves but create a unique second album that's stands for itself."
While many of the LP's tracks can be deemed 'club-compatible,' it's Extrawelt's immovable philosophy towards the exploration of techno and extremely well-crafted technical detail that make In Aufrufr arguably one of the best techno albums of the year.
"Swallow the Leader" exemplifies the club-sensibilities of Extrawelt, while still exhibiting so much of their wide spectrum of sounds taken from their respective sonic libraries. Contrasting LFO's move the track through a series of parametrical changes, various textures exchange emotive melody runs with one another and build towards a Gregorian-esque climax.
The successive sounds of "808 Slate" showcase Extrawelt's more experimental, yet still undeniably groovy side. Stuttering doubled percussion accompanies glitchy patches and digital sound-scapes–contrasted by further low-end LFO rumbling and the subtle melodic content of less abrasive tonally-friendly sounds.
Fourteen tracks of Extrawelt's finest picks are sure to please listeners for some time–the replay value of this album is very, very high. Be sure to clear some space on your iPod for this one.
You can buy In Aufruhr at the following online retailers:
Enjoy!
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