Couch
Profane
(Matador/Kitty-Yo)
After reading a fair amount about the group and having heard two full length releases by them now, I think I can fairly easily say that they're a group who doesn't like clutter. When I say that, I don't mean it in a bad way, but if you listen to their recordings I think you'd know what I'm saying. Musical elements all seem to fall into place somewhere and while Profane is definitely a more lush sounding release than their last release Fantasy, they still keep things fairly orderly. That's not to say that they haven't progressed, though. Although it only contains 8 tracks and is shorter in length, Profane defintely propels the group in some new and interesting directions.
Those changes can be heard immediately after pressing play and hearing the first track entitled "Plan." Although some of the familiar elements are there, the song lurches along with feedback-soaked drums and keyboards that switch off between sounding like a harpsichord and a piano. It's that fuzz on the drums and the slightly loose production quality of the track that gives things sort of a rough edge that the group hasn't really worked with to date. That sound continues on the very next track as well, and the percussion is even more huge on "Alle Auf Pause." After a rumbling, almost hip-hop beat, things calm down a bit with the addition of other instruments, but things keep banging underneath and provide a nice juxtaposition against the pretty guitar and bass melodies.
The album quiets down considerably after that, and on "Was Alles Halt" they give the track a more electronic feel with very slight programmed percussion and bass work that tiptoes around while the repetitive guitars sound almost haunting. The group even goes with sort of a jazzy feel on "Meine Marke" before again cranking up the volume on "Kurzer Punkt." On the track, they sound like Tortoise getting their intensity level amped and even though the track doesn't have any lyrics, it might just have you bouncing along with it.
The album ends with two slower numbers, including the six and a half minute "Doch Endlich." It's hypnotically repetitive as it plods along and adds more and more elements until drums are crashing down and keyboards are droning at the end around the original guitar melody. They close things out with another almost jazzy little number in "Farbe." The echoed-out drum beats give the song sort of an electronic feel again, and add just the right amount of a catch. In the end, it's a pretty darn good little album.
Rating: 7.25
