The Rorschach Garden – Trust The Process (Digital/CD Album – Ant-Zen)
Meanwhile, it has been nearly forty years since Philipp Münch founded The Rorschach Garden. More than thirty albums later, and with the assistance of Barbara Teichner, this German project hardly needs any introduction. Yet, it continues to surprise listeners with new and intriguing work.
With “Trust The Process”, Münch attempts to build a bridge between nostalgic sounds reminiscent of the 1980s and more contemporary, forward-looking sonic landscapes. The Rorschach Garden has always embraced a progressive spirit and a distinctive sense of artistic freedom. Situated somewhere between Electro-Wave and Minimal-Pop, this new album is awash with delightful vintage synthesizer textures. Subtle, crystalline sounds have been carefully woven into the arrangements, while deep bass lines add an extra layer of nostalgia. At times, the music even brings to mind the spirit of Fad Gadget. Dark and mysterious, yet also astral and dreamlike, “Trust The Process” once again succeeds in delivering unexpected twists and captivating atmospheres. Philipp Münch’s characteristic vocals further enhance the songs, lending them an accessible Pop sensibility without diminishing their experimental edge.
The Rorschach Garden remains a cornerstone of the broad landscape of idiosyncratic, minimalist Electro-Pop. (Rating:8).
Listen to “Don’t Hold Back”:
About The Rorschach Garden
Philipp Münch founded The Rorschach Garden in 1988 as a solo project, alongside his work as Synapscape. He put the project on hold in 1997 and reactivated it in 2001, with The Rorschach Garden making its first public appearance at the Maschinenfest festival in Aachen, Germany, in 2002. Since then it has grown from a solo vehicle into a band with a steady lineup.
Münch, based in Bielefeld, Germany, has described The Rorschach Garden as his musical diary. Barbara Teichner, his collaborator in The Rorschach Garden and in Mandelbrot, contributes to the project’s current lineup. “Trust The Process” is the band’s newest album on Ant-Zen, continuing the discography Münch has built since the project’s founding.
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