Title: Math & Emotion
Artist: Klangstabil
Genre: Electronic
Release Date: 17th October 2008
Label: MHz Records
Album Review
KLANGSTABIL formed in 1994; the same year the two protagonists Maurizio Blanco and Boris May met as they soon realised they’re communicating on the same level. Soon they started producing without ever having the intention of getting anything of the material released. Over the years, KLANGSTABIL created their own niche in combining elements of the very beginning of electronic music with modern means and just recently released the concept album ‘Math & Emotion’.
‘Math & Emotion’, are they mutually exclusive or do they affect each other? Is Love calculable? To be honest, I don’t think so. I just can’t imagine that a strong feeling can be reduced to a simple logical formula; especially love has - for the most part - nothing to do with logic, maybe that’s why it’s one of the strongest emotions we have and one of mankind’s best abilities even if it sometimes carries strange blossoms. But who knows “…maybe I’m wrong,…”. Musically, a ferocious bass drum constantly cracks through the surface of a chilly atmosphere that is simultaneously unleashing a plethora of emotions onto the listener on the album opener ‘Math & Emotion - The Square Root of One’.
Cleaner beats envelope a string-tinged atmosphere, when Maurizio Blanco takes over the mic for the Italian opening ‘Peredere per Vincere’ (Loose in order to Win) by turns with direct talking and verses and placid chorus lines. As paradox as the title may seem, it’s not. Just imagine you’ve lost your job a long time ago and you’ve been drifting into a social outcast with almost nothing, no friends in sight and the longer that situation lasts the more depressed you’ll get, but suddenly you make some friends you’ve most likely never met otherwise that change and enrich your life in a way you never thought would be possible. They are the light on your darkness. With them it’s easier to bear everything, so sometimes it really happens. Now let’s roll on to the song that moved me the most ‘Love has too much audience’. Poignant string arrangements are towering into the night sky and together with the wonderful piano play of Torben Wendt (DIORAMA), this song’s already an emotional chunk, but it wouldn’t be half as intense without Boris May screaming at us words we should all think about, unadorned and unfiltered and asks some important questions: “When did we start to tolerate this emptiness? Forgotten the most important words?” “When will we cease to hide ourselves and demand back our ability to feel and move?”
‘Gridami’ (Yell at Me) is the track lots of listeners feel to be out of place on ‘Math & Emotion’, but I think it’s exactly, where it belongs, even if it sounds like an Italo-Pop song of sorts and is catchier. The lyrics are directed to a specific person, the goddess. He says “Play me, risk me, treat me, but think of me. Dominate me, move me, use me, but stay with me.” With that he’s expressing his undying affection for her and that half of him would be gone without her. “Without the other one you’ll loose in this game.” The piano tones on ‘Lauf, Lauf’ (Run, Run) instantly create an element of tension subtly filtered through a curtain of fluid alienation, so it sounds like these are the bells that are calling for the battle, the own personal battle, just like the lyrics: “This is Peace, this is War if you just learn how to beat yourself”. They’re telling you to come forward, to speak what’s on your mind because “..no one knows you’re screaming when you’re silent”. I was thinking what they’re trying to picture with the solemn instrumental track ‘Good Night Kingdom’, then I looked out my window, saw the sun setting on the horizon and how the night fell over on the world and then I knew...
First the song appears quite harmless, then the sample comes and you’re beginning to realize that it’s anything but the aforementioned and as soon as Boris delivers the first lines of the distorted vocals it’s getting obvious that someone’s having a real grudge against the society with their exchange of meaningless words, with its idle talk. “Twisted words and gossip talk chit chat everywhere I walk.” He’s not willing to swallow everything any longer “Hopelessness has reached the top”. That’s giving rise to the speculation, what’s he doing. Find out but listen carefully not only to the lyrics. Often it’s already careful listening is what is able to prevent a disaster.
I’m going to cut myself short on the conclusion. ‘Math & Emotion’ is a big leap forward for KLANGSTABIL and they increased they intensified the emotional component to a level other bands will hardly ever reach. There's a ltd. edition of the album available as well, coming in an oversized booklet, whereas it's more of a book if you ask me. It's featuring the beautiful album art in extra-large. A real eye-turner as you can see all the fine details in the pictures and drawings. Of course all the lyrics are included + special information about the genesis of the album and some little goodies. If that's not worth the extra money, then I don't know, so if you see an offer for this edition, grab one! It's limited to 400 copies.
Tracklist
01. Math & Emotion - The square root of one – 4:46
02. Peredere per vincere (The Italian opening) – 5:14
03. Love has too much audience – 4:46
04. Fighting Colours – 6:46
05. Gridami – 5:18
06. Hanham vs. Steinitz – 6:37
07. Lauf, lauf! – 5:21
08. Good Night Kingdom – 5:36
09. Beziehungsohr – 4:00
10. Twisted Words – 4:45
Line-up
Maurizio Blanco
Boris May
Website
http://www.klangstabil.com/ / http://www.myspace.com/klangstabil
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 10
Sound: 10
Extras: 10
Total: 10
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