In spite of its years, My Dogan continues to comment on modern life. The frenetic pace of rhythms, the rush of sounds, give way to contemplation and reflection. An album of remarkable depth from an artist of unbridled capability.
A giant of Dutch electronics
No one likes reminders that they are getting older. Jibes about crow’s feet, remonstrations regarding grey hairs, mirrors guffawing about when “that jacket” was bought. Lapsus Records have been reminding me of late, though these are much more welcome than most. The Barcelona label acts more like a platform for all things electronic. New artists are released, festivals have been organized and the depths of the past are plumbed as part of their Anniversary series. To date, trailblazers like Gimmik, Ochre and Kettel have featured. Now, as the fifteenth year anniversary of its release dawns, Lapsus return to the latter with his debut album of, My Dogan, being given the rightful re-issue treatment. Here’s our review from 2006 and its original release on Sending Orbs, described as “Emotions softly distilled, tracks beautifully crafted and entirely dedicated to the evocation of things gone, sad and merry.”
Reimer Eising is a giant of Dutch electronics. A classically trained musician, the Kettel moniker was adopted twenty plus years ago and soon became a front for new and exciting sounds. A range of elements were melted in this specific pot. The swashbuckling sounds of braindance, the bubbling potions of acid, the labyrinth of possibilities that came with new audio technology all brought together with an ear and talent that few have equalled since.
“My Dogan (15th Anniversary Edition)” arrives in a confused cacophony of cowbells and drums before some semblance of order reins the track in. Soothing notes descend before liquid lines of stretched 303 billow and bulge. Elegant and impertinent, the opener sums up the arrival of Kettel and his sound that burst forth with a youthful joy and energy. That freedom is at the core of “Mauerbrecher.” A warbling uneven melody introduces the piece. Notes gingerly find their way, like a cat padding its way down across a wet floor. Slipping and sliding, these first keys grown in confidence despite the effect stresses and decay strains applied to them before fragile strings quell the tempest. Across the collection of eighteen tracks, Kettel achieves a delicate balance between frenetic audio data loads and soulful compositions. There exists the sense that elements could boil over at any moment, that sawtooth bends and snare rolls will bully their way into the limelight. Yet, such invasions are brief and always set for a mere cameo rather than being the protagonist.
The swashbuckling sounds of braindance ::
Eising is never afraid to wander into new territory. And, despite being fifteen years old, “Follow Me” is still as fresh and bright-eyed as when it first appeared. Fairground piano lines orbit above a fizzing rhythms and digital delirium for a heady and unsteady work that still refuses definition. Oases are dotted across the album, brief ambient retreats that act like palette cleansers before alien atmospheres and exotic electronics return. From the birdsong and acid trills of “Ok Norah,” the listener is brought to the funfair chicanery and understated elegance of “Sylvia” and “Afwezig.” Field recordings permeate the album, coming to the fore in the ambient closers. “Choo Choo India” strolls on a Spring day, hazy notes melting with conversations snippets and the rustles of grass gone to seed. “He’s His Own Man” ends. Muted grandeur and introspection culminate in this superb finale.
In spite of its years, My Dogan continues to comment on modern life. The frenetic pace of rhythms, the rush of sounds, give way to contemplation and reflection. An album of remarkable depth from an artist of unbridled capability.
My Dogan (15th Anniversary Edition) is available on Lapsus. [Bandcamp]
