Artist: Architect
Title: Mine
Genre: Electronica
Release Date: 17th September 2013
Label: Hymen Records
Album Review
This is a pretty belated review as this album was released almost two months ago already but as they say: Better late than never! ARCHITECT is one of the many incarnations of German sound wizard Daniel Myer. Last year Myer left COVENANT after six years of membership to focus on his other projects, and besides the activities with his main band HAUJOBB and various production jobs, ARCHITECT's new album 'Mine' is one of the results.
And this album is quite a departure from the previous ARCHITECT sound! One reason for this might be the long time between the releases, and all the things that happened in-between. A significant factor seems to be ARCHITECT's tour with RECOIL, the project of ex-DEPECHE MODE member Alan Wilder, in 2010. The atmospheric, somewhat loungy and yet melancholic nature of 'Mine' has some parallels to RECOIL, as well as the love for detail in the production. Though this has always been a characteristic trait in DANIEL MYER's works, anyway. While previous efforts roamed in genres like Drum’n’Bass, Dubstep, IDM (“Intelligent Dance Music”) and Industrial and offered the one or other neck-breaking stomper, the new album 'Mine' is a rather mellow and ambient affair. The dancy and energetic 'Freaks' stands out in this regard, with a bass line that seems to echo HAUJOBB's latest club hit 'Dead Market', but the album quickly returns to the dreamier downbeat sounds which are so typical for this album.
Daniel Myer may be the maker of ARCHITECT and the brain behind it but 'Mine' is nevertheless hardly a solo record. Most tracks feature singer Emese Arvai-Illes from the Hungarian synth band BLACK NAIL CABARET, and she proves to be a versatile and impressive vocalist with a bluesy, gospel-ish tone. Again another parallel to RECOIL as Alan Wilder loves to make use of sweet-but-twisted female voices. 'Altitude', the last track of the album, however is sung by COMADUSTER, who also plays the guitar on this and the opening track. Other collaborators include Ben Lukas Boysen (HECQ), cello and guitar player Felix Gerlach, additional programming on 'Humming Bird' by HAUJOBB's Dejan Samardzic and PAUL KENDALL, who already produced big names such as DEPECHE MODE or NITZER EBB as well as BARRY ADAMSON.
With 'Mine' Daniel Myer and his associates invite you on an aural trip through Myer's sonic architecture in which you will feel strangely comfortable despite the often saturnine and moodier nature of the music. Daniel Myer might be one of the busiest bees in electronic music but for all that he never fails to deliver top quality. 'Mine' is surely no exception here!
Tracklist
01. Altitude
02. Closer
03. Neverending
04. Freaks
05. Immaterial
06. Bencq
07. The Sun
08. Set My World on Fire
09. The Mountain Top
10. Hummingbird
11. Altitude (Feat. Comaduster)
Line-up
Daniel Myer (production, programming, synths)
Guest musicians:
Emese Arvai-Illes
Ben Lukas Boysen
Real Comaduster
Dejan Samardzic
Felix Gerlach
Paul Kendall
Website
http://architect-music.com / http://www.facebook.com/pages/Architect/236707943010171
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Extras: -
Total: 9 / 10
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