I've been meaning to try out some Bochum Welt for a while, based on discussions
on this list. So, I just picked up "Martians and Spaceships", and I really must
be missing something.. Either that or I'm misunderstanding this release.
Does anyone know anything about this album? Is this representative of other BW
releases? I really hope not..
To me this sounds like the first blurry stabs at music from someone in the late
80's who just bought his first synth, not someone with a few records on Rephlex
under his belt. Preset synth patches and drum samples abound..
Here is my mini-review: (7 tracks, total length 19:20)
1: I really thought this track was a joke at first listen, with an
awful-sounding Italian singer singing an awful pop song. But it goes on for
2:30, never changes the canned drum pattern, even uses that airy pan-flute
sample in the background. It's really hard for me to listen to this song.
2: Actually not bad, some OK chords, and the two different string-instrument
patches used are not annoying.
3: Sounds like a continuation of the last track, but with a different canned
percussion track over it. Now those patches are annoying.
4: 0:57 of "Hm let's see what patch 28 sounds like", noodle noodle noodle
5: Most promising intro yet, OK drum beat, but then the rave triads begin: G
major triad, A minor triad, C major triad, repeat ad nauseam for 3:00. A filter
is messed around with a tiny bit at the end, but that's about it.
6: "Clair de Lune" by Debussy. This is the only thing I remember from pj's new
releases description, I assumed it would be an interesting IDM take on an
interesting classical piano piece. But it just sounds exactly like a sloppy
performance of the piece (with the beginning and end inexplicably chopped off)
on a tinny player piano, complete with missed notes, but not enough to make them
sound missed on purpose. No interesting take at all, just the midsection of the
piece repeated twice. Please, if you are interested in electronic takes on
classical music, check out Isao Tomita's recordings.
7: A pulsing "Vocal Chorus" patch holding C and G, with short jumps up to F and
C every few seconds, for 3:08. Now, I can appreciate minimalism, but c'mon..
Overall, I would describe the release as wholly amateurish. I haven't hated an
album this much since that Tranquility Bass album I bought based on the strength
of his track on Reich Remixed.
Please, I must be missing something here. Is this a 'concept album' I can't
wrap my head around? Is it a reissue of a hard-to-find early early release?
Thanks,
Andy
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