Mandelbrot – Zeitsprung (CD Album – Audiophob)
Genre/Influences: Electro-ambient, IDM, industrial.
Background/Info: Partners in life and active in several music projects the duo Barbara Teichner – Philipp Münch have been active under the Mandelbrot moniker since 1994. They became less prolific than before, but unleash new work from time to time. “Zeitsprung” has been inspired by introspection or the search to analyze their own beings.
Content: Behind the conceptual approach of the work, which makes me think of an imaginary sonic psychoanalysis, “Zeitsprung” is a rather diversified composition. You’ll easily recognize the ambient fascination, which is mixing darkness and astral atmospheres, but also more danceable pieces dealing with elements of IDM. A few other passages are more into sound experimentation.
+ + + : The reputation and talent of Philipp Münch has been illustrated in numerous projects. Together with Barbara Teichner, Mandelbrot sounds like the work of sound/noise architects who’re exorcizing very different sonic ideas. I like the cold and somewhat tormented passages, clearly illustrating their ambient side, but I also enjoy the more danceable and intelligent parts like ”Blocksberg” and “Again Into The Catacombs”. The songs are well-crafted and I especially like the analogue feeling emerging from numerous sweeps and other effects while some of the bass lines are quite efficient as well.
– – – : I like the album’s diversity, but it also has something versatile moving in between pure ambient and IDM.
Conclusion: “Zeitsprung” is an introspective voyage, which must have something intimate for both protagonists and, which feels as a sonic voyage for the listeners.
Best songs: “Blocksberg”, “Again Into The Catacombs”, “Krabat”, “Herr Der Berge”.
Rate: (7½).
Artist: www.facebook.com/mandelbrot.de
Label: www.audiophob.de / www.facebook.com/audiophob
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