“An album of pure Dance music where the links to the New Berlin School are not that far”
1 Come with Me 6:09 2 Reaktiv 6:49 3 Move It 5:22 4 Molekular Madness 6:57 5 Fluorescent (Franky the Shake Maker) 5:24 6 Particles all Around 4:14 7 Wunderwerk Vier 5:59 8 Hydrogenetica 5:12 9 Souls 4:40 10 The Colors of Beijing 6:24 11 Into the Night (When Angels Dream) 6:41 12 S-thetic (Original Edit) 7:22 Stefan Erbe Music (CD/DDL 71:12) (V.F.) (EDM with ambient phases)
Am I turning into Dance Music? I am a bit shy to say it, even more to write it, but I liked that! I liked 2club GENETICA. It's been a while that I see Stefan Erbe's name circulate on the social networks as well as in the newsletters of the various magazines and webzines on EM. From what I read; he is a very recognized DJ who quite likes the cosmic spaces moods. From where his implication in the Sound of Sky festival and, on the ricochet, his association with legendary Steve Baltes. Two strong albums moreover went out of this collaboration; Bochum Sky and the very surprising S-thetic². What about his career? His solo music? Stefan Erbe sent me this last album so that I could discover it. Far from being in the musical genre that I am used to listening to, the music of Stefan Erbe is purely EDM. No psychedelic artifices, nor links to the Berlin School. 2club GENETICA is an album of pure EDM ( Electronic Dance Music) with structures which pass in transit constantly between heavy and pounding rhythms and moments of interstellar aphasia where we can draw a tiny parallel with the music of Moonbooter for the quality of sounds, the sequences here are surprising, and for the purity of the rhythms.
Come with Me starts things rather slowly. The parallel with Moonbooter pops here. The rhythm is delicate, it passes in transit towards some short and very ethereal ambiences, with a good fusion between percussions, sequences and pulsations which forges a structure which limps more than it skips. What strikes in this album is that feeling we have that the sequencing pattern is really talking with gurgling tones. Organic tones that are hiding behind this synthesis of rhythm whereas the lines of sequences subdivide the aspect of rhythm and harmonies and while the synths throw clouds of electric mists which are turning into subtle orchestral arrangements. It's rich, it's nicely done and above all it's very catchy. The 12 structures of 2club GENETICA are connected between them, weaving a good mixture between the diversity of the rhythms. As here with Reaktiv which reveals little by little a heavier, a livelier structure and especially a more EDM one, with good effects of sequences which flutter without biting the ears, a little as in effects of break-dance, and with synth solos which try to communicate with them. It's another very interesting approach in this album. Move It is a first big fave here with a structure which is like a kind of Hip-hop. A Hip-Hop that limps heavily and of which the meshing of percussions and pulsations crosshatches the rhythm with effects of whispers. There are very nice and strong movements of sequencer lines fed with tones of crystalline glass, one would say a xylophone which clinks in a state of drunkenness so much it's circular but uncatchable, which wind up all around this very lively rhythm. The synth solos are rather ethereal here. It's very good! Molekular Madness is a very loud and lively track. It's a techno worthy of any dancefloor Rave with a structure which switches for short moments towards more cosmic phases. The sequencing pattern is rather appealing. One would say a multitude of balls which run wild in a long and narrow zigzagging tube, while at times it spreads the electronic tune, and the very speedy one too, of Molekular Madness. If I had a little difficulty with this heavy rhythm, the sequences have seduced my ears as well as these solos which are rather discreet here. But like in every track of 2club GENETICA there is always a little something that hooks to the ears. Well...it seems to be necessary to know the story of Club Genetica, released in 2008, to talk about the story behind Fluorescent (Franky the Shake Maker). Which I don't! On the other hand, the rhythm is as much delicate but more incisive than Come with Me. Always, I have the impression that it's a kind of cosmic Hip-Hop, or a mixture of Funk and Groove (always cosmic). But my tastes, and above all my knowledge, regarding the much-varied name of Electronica, are quite limited. Thus, I will hold to the cosmic Hip-Hop expression. Albeit a friend thinks of the same thing. Still there, it's very lively and there are plenty of cosmic effects. In particular with the synth and its beautiful solos as well as its electronic mist.
Bah, you know me! I am very romantic. Thus, I melted straight away with this sublime ballad that charms and wets the soul of Particles all Around. It's too beautiful. Still there, the rhythm is pulsating. And the sequences! Their tones so crystal clear are foraging it with so much delicacy that it's just oneiric. There is also this artificial voice, so much near perfection, which caresses the whole setting with episodic insertions. A sonic union absolutely... absolute! Wunderwerk Vier flies in another direction with a structure which allies synth-pop, for the melody, and techno, for its heavy rhythm. That sounds very Teutonic, very Düsseldorf School, and that evolves constantly. Hydrogenetica is another heavy technoïd structure with a direction which also goes towards some short ambiospherical passages. The timbre of the pulsations is sometimes rather glaucous and the ghostly melody, drawn by a rather creative synth at the level of the voices, which floats quite behind is rather childish. A subdued melody which refuses to make the fight against sequencing. Soul is a good heavy and cosmic down-tempo well sat on a beautiful melodious approach where a piano frees notes in interstellar patches of mist and where some are spreading thin lines of nasal voices. The Colors of Beijing is a nervous track. This is pure dance music where the pulsations, which don't undo the homogeneity of the sequences, make jump my floorboards, even with short moments of ambiospherical reflections. My walls still bleed! My ears? I don't hear anymore! Into the Night (When Angels Dream) is a track which mixes Funk to very cosmic vibes. It's more drifting than dancing, even if sometimes the structure quivers with a desire to make us spin around with long stroboscopic serpentines which remain after all rather lunar. This is good floating Rave, always coated by a beautiful melodic approach which is stigmatized by a great pattern of sequences. The album ends with S-thetic (Original Edit). And it's a gorgeous piece of music which weaves a splendid link with the S-thetic² album. But in reality, even in a more dance format, this 2club GENETICA has a great deal of links and a great deal of conductive phases that will please those who, as me, have liked a lot this wonderful album from Baltes & Erbe.
Sylvain Lupari (August 8th, 2015)*****
Available at Stefan Erbe Music