Matthias Weinwarth, founder of German netlabel tonAtom unleashes his second summer 2004 release as Xenoton (interestingly, on the Ndorphin netlabel) after dazzling us with the Licht EP earlier this year. This time, he begins our quest away from silence in a subtle, calming atmosphere with “Interkosmos – III.” Like the first “Interkosmos” tracks documented on the Interkosmos EP, there’s a no-nonsense approach to the recipe mixing the pulsing melody and sweeping chords lurking in the undercurrent, making it a delicious soundtrack for watching a rainy cityscape creep by during a late night coffee run on the city bus.
“Seeland” adds an element of alien communication with
its squiggling stabs of code against an ominous sepia backdrop. “Elbchaussee” begins as a simple enough mood inducing downtempo track, only to reveal a laid back 4/4 soft kick at its half point. “Fabrique” almost sounds like Xenoton doing a turned inside-out cover of Röyksopp while on hold to the phone company. See Land closes with “Silber,” a weaker variation on the “Interkosmos” tracks, leaving you wondering if it’s only a bridge to Interkosmos IV, or if you had actually made that late night coffee run, all that
would be left was decaf.
See Land is out now on Ndorphin Records.
