THE NOTWIST

Close To The Glass

2014-02-28

Six years have passed since German group, The Notwist's last album, The Devil, You + Me. In that time, the four-piece band worked on the soundtrack for the 2009 German Film Sturm. Close To The Glass is The Notwist's 8^th full album release in a career that has lasted over two decades. Martin Gretchmann is credited as the band's programmer. On Close To The Glass he not only played during recording but also manipulated the performances of his bandmates as they played, tapping into the energy they have during live shows. The album opens with "Signals," a song layering the pulsing pathways of programming with Markus Archer's haunting vocals singing above strange beats. The title track, "Close To The Glass," features steady synth and disturbs the electric guitar with odd undertones. "Kong" has a '90s indie-rock feel, while not losing the tone of the album. "Into Another Tune" features The Notwist's classic, lagging vocals above soft bells and synth. The pseudo-live production of the album is made apparent by flawless transitions, like the one between "Casino" and "From One Wrong Place To The Next." By far the most interesting song on the album is "Run, Run, Run," which distorts a simple blue song with every member of the band manipulating each other's performance.
Richard Martin

Quick Links:

• The Notwist's Official Page