European Song

Album review

Kreidler's fourth album for Bureau B was recorded spontaneously on November 21, 2016, the day after Donald Trump won the United States presidential election. The group had already finished a new full-length earlier in the year, one that was reportedly more playful and positive than their usual work, but they felt that it was inappropriate to release such an album given the political circumstances. Given that Kreidler are an instrumental band who seem equally informed by Krautrock groups like Neu! and minimal techno producers such as Ricardo Villalobos, one wouldn't expect a grand political statement from them. The liner notes include a rallying cry of "Love! Unite! Get organised! Peace!," as well as quotes from David Dunning and Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, but there isn't a lengthy screed about injustice or the corrupted media system. Musically, it's certainly dark and tense, but it's not oppressively gloomy, or angry. Only on rare occasions (such as closing number "No God") do Kreidler sound like they're on the brink of a panic attack. An element of suspense is evident throughout the album, though, and the music often has an undercover groove that could easily soundtrack certain scenes during a spy thriller. The four musicians (Thomas Klein, Alexander Paulick, Andreas Reihse, Detlef Weinrich) are highly focused, and the tracks seem structured and concise rather than like tossed-off jam sessions. The most sprawling selection is the 13-minute techno track "Radio Island," which features interlocked live and electronic drums as well as an eerie, whistling synth riff that appears sporadically. The other tracks are all five or six minutes each, with the highlight being the funky yet anxious "Kannibal." On much of this album, it seems like Kreidler are enraptured by the process of creating music and enjoying themselves too much to worry about pressing issues, so even if the album isn't the type of cathartic reaction one would expect, it's still a worthwhile form of release, and an enjoyable listen.

© Paul Simpson /TiVo