ARTABAN – Rec. Play. Rewind
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When Artaban first burst onto the scene with their debut album Landscapes in 2008, they rode the wave of excitement left by the Culture Year 2007. Their instrumental electro pop songs struck a chord with many people. Their follow-up album Flow came out five years later and was a much darker album, which led me to lose track of the band. Imagine my surprise when I learned that they were making a comeback ten years after their last album. The duo still consists of the Nilles brothers, with Charles on laptop and synths, and Max on drums and bass. Rec. Play. Rewind is a surprise in that it is longer than their previous albums, which were both only half an hour long. This time, we get nine tracks and 45 minutes of top-notch instrumental music. The album opens with A2, a single that was released with a music video last winter. It's a short but moving track with a memorable scratchy synth melody. The following three tracks are longer and showcase Artaban at their most epic. Chazeman features backing vocals, a soulful drumbeat, discreet guitar-like sounds, and string samples. Chevrotine has a pulsing bass guitar, soaring synths, and even more string and brass samples. Spazzaneve begins in a lush way and also features some sultry trumpet samples. The final part of the song turns into a sweaty danceable house beat with a siren-like synth line that would work well with some wild stroboscopic lighting. All three tracks have a cinematic feel that Artaban are clearly going for. The second half of the album is a little less stuffed with samples and showcases the duo's more down-to-earth side. Barman still has some of those mysterious sounds that make the new Artaban so endearing. Moebius is a mellower track with strong bass guitar and subtle synth sounds. Tase is another faster track that reminds me a little of the opener, although without such an unforgettable chorus. Melville is once again a slower piece with cinematic qualities, before the album ends with Skog, another typical example of the timeless Artaban sound. I absolutely adore the first half of Rec. Play. Rewind, and it makes sense that Artaban grouped these tracks together. It's as if the album decided to show two sides of the band: one more playful, and the other more straightforward. I also get the impression that Max is playing more bass guitar this time around, leaving the drums in the programming hands of his brother Charles. This was an unexpected comeback, but a very pleasant one indeed. |
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9 songs |
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44:35 minutes |
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***** **** |
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Genre: instrumental electro pop Label: Muaaah! |
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