Reisegefaehrte is a spright colt amongst a troop of placid broncos, moving at a healthy trot rather than the usual easy canter. Not being utterly drenched in echo, nor shrouded in fog, Reisegefaehrte offers an unobscured view from the best window seat.
By basting its all-too icy echo in Jamaican jerk flavour, Berliners Mortiz von Oswald and Max Ernestus (as Rhythm & Sound) made techno balmy and created a subgenre. While genial (and taken to brilliant heights by their associate Stefan Betke aka Pole), it must be admitted that there is a very high quotient of samey-soundiness in dub techno. An inability or unwillingness to shake off the influence of its forebears has meant that their distinctive damaged-vinyl hiss has become omnipresent, clinging to the music like smog over a big city.
On his debut album, Biodub has not entirely liberated himself from this mannerism, though he generally opts for a fresher ambient atmosphere and a crisper sound. Reisegefaehrte is a spright colt amongst a troop of placid broncos, moving at a healthy trot rather than the usual easy canter. He covers a lot of ground, with the each track averaging well over six minutes. Not being utterly drenched in echo, nor shrouded in fog, Reisegefaehrte offers an unobscured view from the best window seat.
Whenever he finds a rib-tickling, low-slung groove, in “Barracuda” or “Subsistence,” Biodub pauses to stand back and admire it, until it runs out the track. The album sallies forth smoothly, entering seldom visited regions on the flamenco-tinged “Dead Rider.” It wriggles deep into mucky bass on “This One 17” and slaps the snare drum with dry, crisp authority on “Palmskin,” which may take the most interestingly wending route of this seventy-minute journey. “Ismic Sky” has a sly, secret agent air. Great company and a fine traveling companion.
Reisegefaehrte is available on Ki. [Release page]
[itunes id=”434398247″]
