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Jul 26, 2010 Web Exclusive By Kyle Lemmon

Bpitch label founder, fashionista, and techno maven Ellen Allien doesn't set out to prove herself to anyone on her fifth LP, Dust. The applicability of the title can be heard during the chiming opener, "Our Utopie." There's a well-worn, natural timbre to the samples and guitars used here, as if each element reacts with the environment immediately surrounding itself. They're bright and bold, in the same way that Orchestra of Bubbles (2006) or Berlinette (2003) were. Allien's producer this time is 20 year Berlin techno veteran Tobias Freund, and he knows his way around the boards well, coaxing out melodies even if they weren't neccesarily strong from the outset.

Allien's been unfairly lumped in with the minimal techno crowd for so long (thanks to 2008’s Sool), it's begun to stick. Dust aims to recalibrate our ears and expectations for future releases through understated songcraft and sometimes deft sound synthesis. The longtime DJ is more prone to dance-inspired beats over anything else here. Still, she can't help but toss out some head-scratching experiments into pop; dark-disco cut "Flashy Flashy being the most egregious. On the flipside, the micro-oriented release vacates the dancefloor of her Berlin homebase for the confines of a great set of home speakers (headphones or otherwise). The most notable examples come with the dreamy sonar pings of "My Tree" and the unapologetic guitar workouts on "Sun the Rain" and "You."

The crux of the problem with the rest of the LP is that Allien places diversity above cohesiveness. It may work for other genres (or artists), but she struggles. In a year where dubstep aims to surpass techno and house in terms of blog buzz, and Four Tet and Flying Lotus have created accesible and forward-thinking electronic long-players, Dust just seems like a serviceable entry point for new listeners. Those that aren't as privy to the genre's more difficult listening experiences (and Allien's created plenty of those during her fruitful career), will doze during the beatless bridge of "Should We Go Home" and the endless Shepard's tone (think of a musical Barber's pole) on synth-popper, "Dream."

Allien reveals a true ear for pop, but not the wherewithal to stick with that sonic palette. Despite some playful misteps, Allien remains an industrious keystone within the techno scene. Dust is just another brick in the house she's already constructed for herself. Heck, it might even push her into proving herself yet again. (www.ellenallien.de)

Author rating: 6/10