Moderat

BPitch Control

Jul 23, 2009 Web Exclusive By Michele Yamamoto

Moderat, the amalgamation of German electronic suits Apparat and Modeselektor, has returned after an abrupt split back in 2002, and this eponymous debut reveals influences drawn from dubstep, ambient techno, and glitch.

Having recorded the album in analog and in the same studio David Bowie used to record Heroes, the entire record radiates and reverberates. The dark sonic space created by Apparat and Modeselektor is layered and vast throughout.

Each track builds slowly, lines weaving in and out of the foreground with a minimalist patience. Repetition within each track is counteracted by a strong rhythmic variation between tracks, giving the album a sense of evolution and progress. And the thick atmosphere that results is indelible. Moderat is brooding, but manages to carry itself along without weighing itself down. (www.bpitchcontrol.de/Moderat)

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