A confident follow-up that leans heavier and more varied, Blumenfantasie doesn’t quite surpass Anemones but firmly proves Xylitol is still worth your attention.
A garden of twisted sound
Two years after her breakthrough record Anemones, Xylitol is back with her second full-length on Planet Mu. Two years ago, when I listened to Anemones, I was very much impressed by its tracklist; I thought Xylitol was a fine addition to the Planet Mu roster, with one of the best records from the label’s last couple of years. It fit the Planet Mu style, with dizzying breaks and a dab of IDM and hardcore-adjacent influences. If you were eagerly awaiting a “Buut…”, then I’m sorry to disappoint, because I still believe all of the above. Blumenfantasie is also a record worthy of your attention. It may not wow me quite as much as its predecessor, but I still find great material in it, reinforcing my belief that Xylitol is an artist to keep following if you’re interested in this type of music—and if you’re not, why not give it a chance?
It is, occasionally, a heavier album than Anemones. There’s a strong emphasis on sub-bass in a couple of these tunes, while others are quite frantic. These are balanced by lighter tracks, and there’s no lack of bright synth leads and melodies to cool things down. It does feel like Xylitol is trying out a different approach, blending different types of tracks—some to rock your head a bit, while others take a far more relaxed route. Of the two, I prefer the slower tunes, maybe because they reflect her previous record more, which I loved, but I’m also fond of the bass-heavy tracks.
The first half of the record offers plenty of enjoyable tunes. The opening “Chromophoria,” with the helping hand of Sculpture, is one of my favorites. I love how it holds tension at the start, with these stuttering breaks that never seem to settle into a proper groove; it helps create engagement right off the bat. As it goes on, the track introduces motifs with both synthesizers and the drums themselves, making each recurrence very satisfying.
Fractured bloom ::
“Melancholia” is also a highlight, presenting itself as a heavy tune at first but softening as it goes on. Arpeggiated synths and background melodies make the piece lighter and provide great contrast with the wonderfully deep bass. The following “Mirjana” takes a much slower approach instead, allowing the listener to catch their breath. The breaks are far slower, and the charming synth leads—uniquely Xylitol’s—make this one of the more pleasant tracks on the LP.
The second half offers my two favorites. The first one is “Lights,” which never relents in intensity; the breaks are quite fast and stutter and glitch often, and with the background chords and lead melodies constantly ascending, the track keeps growing in excitement. “Falling” is the other favorite of mine, because it begins like most other tracks on the album, almost unsuspectingly at first. After a couple of minutes, though, it introduces a pitched-up vocal sample and pairs it with synth stabs, turning into a hardcore jam. It’s a great finisher and probably the most dancefloor-worthy tune I’ve heard from Xylitol so far.
The rest of the record has some ups and downs, but it is overall still satisfying. It’s another album full of quality from both a label and an artist that keep impressing me. If you’re not familiar with either, this could be a good record to venture into this style.
Blumenfantasie is available on Planet Mu. [Bandcamp]
