(Rough Trade/Remote Control)

German electronica that isn’t Kraftwerk

Though its title hints at a bleak, atonal palette, the second full-length release from German electronica artist Pantha Du Prince is anything but. It’s a bright, bubbling record that feels understated but also quite confident. The clattering of woodblocks decorate opener Lay In A Shimmer, and it’s this marriage of organic percussion with electronica that shapes the entire record. Pantha Du Prince’s style has been described as minimalist, but it’s a little more selective than that. At particular points the musical elements settle together densely, but at others they’re spread wide apart – and the space between the two is what propels this album. The opening tracks move to their own internal rhythms, bouncing off nothing but themselves, not really moving from one point to another but simply entering and leaving, sometimes in a different state, sometimes not. Stick To My Side builds out of an angular groove and a very simple but effective chiming hook, with Noah Lennox of Animal Collective contributing vocals to great effect. The calypso vibe of Bohemian Forest is surprisingly suitable and the blissful serenity of Es Schneit bring the album to a deeply satisfying close. This isn’t an immediate album, but there’s plenty to enjoy in Black Noise, both apparent on the surface and hidden beneath. The process of absorbing it listen-by-listen is a true pleasure.

****

MICHAEL PINCOTT

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