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Recording:
  Qua  
 
Artist:
  Cluster  
 
Label:
  Klangbad  
 
Release Date:
  15.February.2010  
 
Reviewed by:
  Indoor Miner  
         
 
Rating:
   
         
 
Review:
 

Following hot on the heels of Kram, Dieter Moebius' 2009 solo album, he returns with Qua, which finds him re-united with his old mucking partner Hans-Joachim Roedelius. And whereas Kram started strongly before fizzling out slightly, Qua is an altogether more consistent affair. They may have been making music for almost forty years and be of pensionable age, but messrs Moebius and Roedelius show no signs of resting on their laurels as Qua finds them continuing to experiment both with sound textures and rhythms.

There are seventeen tracks here – seven of which clock in under the two minute mark – so I'll spare you a track by track analysis, but highlights include Flutfu and Xanesra, two of the more dark and despairing numbers here, and So Ney, which marries an almost Eastern feel with some 23 Skidoo beats and a Jah Wobble-like bassline. The two closing numbers are worthy of mention, too: Formalt throbs relentlessly, occasionally interrupted by some of the deepest bass playing imaginable whilst Imtrerion is an eerie thing that drifts ever so slowly away.

The two finest moments, however, are Na Ernel with its rolling train rhythm and Gissander which, at almost seven minutes long, is comfortably the longest track here. Not only does it have more time to breath, it worms its way into you with some moments of real beauty over Dome-like beats. Impressive stuff!

 
         
 
Related Links:
 

Label Website: http://www.klangbad.de/cms/
Artist MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/theonlyclusterthatmatters

 
         

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