Notstandskomitee / THX 1971 – Elektrofusion (Album – Minimalkombinat)
Genre/Influences: Electro, Electro-Wave, Experimental.
Format: Digital, Vinyl.
Background/Info: “Elektrofusion” is a split album between famous German artist Notstandskomitee (aka Malte Steiner) and the less familiar German project THX 1971 (driven by Thomas Meier-Goldau).
Content: Notstandskomitee doesn’t need any further introduction for lovers of Minimal/Experimental-Electro. Malte Steiner composed 5 tracks, which are immediately getting the listener into an intimate, minimal and robotic Electronic music universe. The last track is the darkest one and still features space-like sound treatments.
THX 1971 sounds also minimal, but definitely more ‘pop’ orientated. The 6 songs are bringing us back to 80s nostalgia and are driven by robotic vocals.
+ + + : I’m not that often fond of split albums, but this is one I highly recommend. It’s an opportunity to get back to Notstandskomitee, which according to me remains an essential artist in the history of Electronic music while it’s also a way to discover a new and talented artist THX. Nodstandskomitee didn’t take me by surprise, but it sounds good to hear new stuff from this artist. Both last tracks are brilliant for their sound treatments. THX 1971 sounds like a good surprise; melodic, minimal and danceable. This is great vintage electronic music.
– – – : I only wish to hear more music from THX 1971 and new stuff by Notstandskomitee.
Conclusion: Robotic Electronic music with attitude; original old-styled music by two talented artists.
Best songs: “Testgelände”, “Totmannschalter” + “Das System Gewinnt Immer”, “2021”.
Rate: 8½.
Listen to “Elektrofusion”:
Artists: www.block4.com / www.facebook.com/Notstandskomitee-128400571965 / https://thx1971.hpage.com / www.facebook.com/thx1971
Label: www.facebook.com/groups/2208128859484635
About Notstandskomitee and THX 1971
Notstandskomitee is the electronic project of Malte Steiner, a German artist who now lives in Aalborg, Denmark. The discography starts with the 1992 cassettes “Maschinenberichte” and “Bohrmaschinenmorde”, followed by “Elektronisches Picknick” in 1993 and “Kassettentäter” in 1994, all issued through Steiner’s own Block 4 imprint.
The CD album “731” appeared on Gothic Arts Records in 1995 and “Strom” on Kafue Systeme in 1997. Block 4 released the “ReEngineered” 12-inch in 2002, “Thermal Explosion Machining” in 2011, “The Golden Times” in 2017, the anniversary set “50” and “The Quarantine Report” in 2020, and the CD album “The Doomsday Layout” in 2023. Serendip issued the cassette albums “Release Candidate” in 2018 and “Deleted” in 2019, and Subcontinental Records released “Unstable Release” in 2021. Side-Line later published a Click interview with Notstandskomitee: ‘The idea was to paint with sound’.
THX 1971 is the project of Thomas Meier-Goldau. The split album “Elektrofusion”, which carries five Notstandskomitee tracks and six by THX 1971, was released on October 22, 2021 by Minimalkombinat.
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