Elektrostaub – Humility (Digital/CD Album – Alfa Matrix)
This is the third album for Patrick Knoch’s German solo project Elektrostaub. It is not a project that releases new material on a regular basis, which may well be due to the fact that the musician continues to work with a variety of guest vocalists. The new album had already been introduced by several promising singles and now arrives with 12 tracks in total.
The guest vocalists on this release include Richard Bjørklund (Spektralized), Salva Maine (Culture Kultür), Lis van den Akker, Echo Image, J:Dead, Alex Braun, Lilli K. Engelhardt, René Anke (Logic & Olivia), Beyond Border, and Mel Gúntzelsson (Future Trail, davaNtage). What stands out in this lineup is the complete absence of label mates, although that is of course not a requirement. Overall, these are all strong vocal performances, and Patrick Knoch has clearly succeeded in finding fitting collaborations. Musically, the compositions remain rooted in pronounced Future-Pop influences. At times, the music evokes a slightly nostalgic, almost retro feeling, yet the tracks fit together seamlessly, combining danceable rhythms with strong melodic structures. Above all, this is an album made for the dancefloor, where fans of classic Future-Pop will feel right at home. Several collaborations stand out in particular—most notably the tracks featuring Echo Image (already a known quantity), Lilli K. Engelhardt, and Beyond Border.
If you believe that Future-Pop is definitively a thing of the past, you may want to skip this release. For everyone else, however, this is a polished and highly successful production. (Rating:8).
Listen to “Too Far From The Pack – Female Edit feat. Lilli K. Engelhardt”:
https://alfamatrix.bandcamp.com/track/too-far-from-the-pack-female-edit-feat-lilli-k-engelhardt
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