ZWISCHENWELT
Paranormale Aktivität
CAT
Rephlex 2011
12 Tracks. 38mins50secs

Amazon UK: CD | LP US: CD | LP Boomkat: CD | LP

Adding to the myriad of projects and monikers he has on the go at any one time, Gerald Donald, of Heinrich Mueller as he likes to be known these days, originally of enigmatic Detroit techno outfit Drexciya, returns to Rephlex with Zwischenwelt (which translates as ‘between world’), a band also consisting of Susana Correia, Penelope Lopez and Beta Evers. The fruit of collaborative exchanges over the web, Paranormale Activität is as cold and bleak as a nuclear winter, its minimal electronic formations never equating to much more than just a handful of sounds at any one time, over which hangs Evers austere vocals, delivered with robotic poise and precision.

Fueled with tales of paranormal activity, premonition and clairvoyance, this album distills somber themes on dystopian electronic backdrops, sounding like Kraftwerk’s Radio-Activity experienced through the negative space of a black hole. The mood remains pretty constant all the way through, from the heavily sedated Apparition, its slow mechanical beat barely sustaining the stark electronics it attempts to keep from dislocating, right down to the sparse soundscapes of Telekinesis. Every care is taken to remove even the slightest hint of flourish or warmth, leaving the tracks as bare as possible. Even when the pace picks up a bit, no concession is made to the doctrine which rules these shores. Early on, Clairvoyant and Cryptic Dimension appear to attempt to lift the shroud of doom for a moment, but this never quite materialise. Equally later on, Multiple Existence, Premonition or Remote Viewer introduce slightly more vibrant tones, but their restricted beat patterns and dark bubbling bass lines kill off any hint of escapism in the bud.

The rest of Paranormale Aktivität is even bleaker and more desolate. The claustrophobic ambience that hangs over Diapsiquia, Enigmata or Materialization especially sucks every last bit of air out of them and paralyze them almost entirely. It is perhaps no accident that these pieces are entirely instrumental, as Zwischenwelt reach for their darkest, most dehumanised entrails.

Strangely though, there is an odd beauty emanating of these tracks, as if its barren grounds gave Paranormale Aktivität a depth which would otherwise go unnoticed. As a stylistic effort, it is a total success, its mise en scene being particularly effective all the way through. But, while very minimal, its substance is ultimately far greater.

4.8/5

Zwischenwelt (MySpace) | Rephlex
Amazon UK: CD | LP US: CD | LP Boomkat: CD | LP