review: Antlers Mulm - The Age Of Efficieny

I am quite sure I have said this before... the best minimal electronics is done by people who do not make this music because of this style but simply as a result of their way of working.

Antlers Mulm is not at all a name many people will come up with when talking about minimal electronics... but in the end this project by Hans Johm is just that. And... even better as Antlers Mulm treats us with some of the best minimal electronics around with this new album entitled 'The Age Of Efficiency'.

What makes the music so good is that Antlers Mulm combines in a very natural way elements of synth music, industrial and neo folk. Musically this is like the dark side of minimal synth. You hear the dark mood coming in from some neo folk hooks. The industrial influences are harder to find on this new album but if you are familiar with the older work of Antlers Mulm you can hear where all of this is coming from. Also the design shows the tradition this music is situated in.

'The Age Of Efficiency' is somewhere in between some of the poppier stuff Antlers Mulm has done... like the track on the 'Radio Resistencia' compilation... and the more ambient orientated pieces to be found for example on his previous album 'Of Withered Sparks'. In bringing these worlds more together on this new album the musician has created very powerful songs and more important a true style of his own... even more as before...

The minimalism of Suicide is hidden in the repetitive basslines. This combined with eerie minimal synth sounds, neo-romantic and at times folky melodies and vocals delivered in a sort of spoken word way results in songs both soothing and disturbing. Impressive!

Also in another way this album is impressive. The complete album consists of an LP, a one sided LP and a two track cd. One track on this cd is done together with Frank Machau known from neo folk band Orplid. This massive album is still strong and attractive to listen to. Which is an achievement... as often less is more...

'The Age Of Efficiency' is released on the label Sonderübertragung! which is run by Hans Johm himself. The release comes in an edition of 197 hand numbered copies. So if you want to hear one of the best "minimal synth" albums of this year you should be quick...