When it comes down to it, there haven’t been many artists, let alone electronic producers to hone the elusive craft that can profess without a fraction of doubt the tenure and reputation that precedes an industry constant the likes of the infamous Solomun. With over a decade since his last foray into the format of long-form releases a la the traditional album, the latest from the Hamburg-national lends understated but irrefutable credence to the notion that much like riding a bike, the savant behind these songs never forgets.
Much in tandem with recent experimentation with the world of running a label (and of which shares its namesake), ‘Nobody Is Not Loved’ runs a gamut of genres. The twelve-strong offering reaches with perspiring, fader-riding fingers from the likes of staple dance tropey-ness to some rather infectious yet completely unexpected pop-infused electronica. Like a perfectly skimmed stone meeting the surface of a lake, the proceedings begin as we are first introduced to the RnB-centric opener track ‘Ocean’ featuring none other than Hollywood royalty himself, Jamie Foxx, before darting across house tracks like ‘Home’, ‘The Center Will Not Hold’ and Euthymics-evoking ‘Out of Focus’ before being catapulted by the unmistakable attitude of Dresden duo ÄTNA’s ‘Tuk Tuk’ into depths housing what is perhaps the albums greatest curiosity – a collaboration with German-based indie-rock outfit Isolation Berlin and all its guitar-driven glory.
It’s not until the end of all the fanfare that we are graced by something a little closer to what we have come to expect from Solomun with the melodic ‘Wadim’, progressive ‘Prospect’, and emotional Editors-featuring ‘Night Travel’. All tracks of which boast an appreciated attention to sparse accompaniment with courageously eclectic sample selection, both the avoidance of harmonic and modal clichés, and a strong implementation of dynamics sorely missed from most commercial release due to a refusal to appease a mainstream’s seemingly infinitely shrinking attention span.
It’s a bold approach and unapologetic despite superficial listens potentially tricking the more oblivious listener into unjustly criticising the body of work in lacking a strong sense of overall cohesion. But to do so would be to discount undoubtedly the richest element of the LP being just how wide a variety of tempos, moods and even engineering is on display, of which ‘Nobody Is Not Loved’ shows its vast wealth. Less lethargic album, more magnum opus – Solomun’s latest is a refreshingly rich cornucopia of ideas that will appeal to both casual dance consumers and music mega-enthusiasts alike – the likes of which we only pray won’t leave us waiting another decade for seconds.
Stream via: NINL/BMG
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