(09.20.05) Karaoke Kalk are one of those labels who are pretty good. Not great,
certainly not bad, but unfortunately they’ve never put out a release
I’ve considered really top rate. It makes sense then that I found Kalk
Seeds to be patchy, with a some decent tracks and a couple of clunkers
interspersed among a collection of tracks I’d have to concede are …
well, pretty good.
The compilation is a mix of styles and of old and new material. A rough
ballpark for the material contained on the CD is different permutations
of electronic pop. This extends from the faintly Gothic spoken word of
Toog’s “Ugly Ducklings” through Roman’s late 80s Duran Duran funk-pop to
what sounds like a traditional German song, replete with oompah brass.
Highlights include an old Hausmeister track, “Pumer,” from his
self-titled debut of 5 years ago, Kandis’s “Letter,” and Hauschka’s “Two
Stones.” While the first two are instrumental electronic tracks, “Two
Stones” is a light and sweet piano tune, with what might either be
electronic percussion or prepared piano like what John Cage got up to in
the 50s. Also rather dreamy is the closer, “Welt Am Draht” by Ekkehard
Ehler’s project Maerz (or März). Not sure if the track title is a
reference to one of Fassbinder’s films, but the music is like a
contemporary update of the synth-drenched soundtrack Angelo Badalamenti
provided for the show Twin Peaks.
It is worth stating that the vast majority of the album is songs, or at
least tracks with some element of vocals. And while I am certainly not
opposed to songs – hell, I’m happy to listen to chart radio songs if I
enjoy them enough – none of those presented here really grabbed me.
Some have interesting arrangements, or sound quite poignant and
heartfelt, but the vocals themselves never quite live up to the rest of it.
The notable exception is the female vocal that rides the chiming,
percussive synths of Kuchen Meets Mapstation’s “KMM.” With a completely
fitting lack of passion, the woman sings “Fly Kuchen Airlines / Drive
Mapstation Motors,” rounding off a strange fictional advert for the
artists involved. A pity it lasts less than 2 minutes, but then that
probably fits the advertising format!
Kalk Seeds is out now on Karaoke Kalk.
