Apparat – Orchestra Of Bubbles

Do Not Break contains the most wonderful vocal editing I've ever met in music, resulting in a pure raw electro-funkiness.. maybe Somnambulist by BT can rival it, though representing rather different approach. Unforgettable.

The best thing either artists have ever done.

This album is simply a gem. It's not necessary to be a fan of either Ellen Allien or Apparat alone, although they are great solo artists too. This record is quite different from what they tend to create on their own, and you'll be amazed by the quality throughout the album. I've listened to it tons of times, and it's still one of my favourites.

It would be great if Apparat did more collaborations with mood-creating artists like Allien, because it fits his technical genious very well. He's an amazing sound engineer, and creates some of the more complex beat structures out there. This combined with Ellen Allien's sence of creating elevating, moody tunes should tempt anyone just slightly into electronic music. Some of these tunes are excellent club tracks as well, like for instance "Way out" which is a classic in its own right.

Usually with collaborations, one voice dominates the other. However, with Ellen Allien and Apparat's ORCHESTRA OF BUBBLES, each partner is given equal time. So while Allien's industro-techno leanings are immediately apparant on "Turbo Dreams" and "Way Out," Apparat's classical touch can be felt on the strings in "Retina" and "Metric." The driving "Jet" has Allien's guitar work balanced by Apparat's chilly and deft synths. "Do Not Break" has a smart rhythm topped with a heavily chopped and processed voca sample--funky indeed. The sweet vocals of "Leave Me Alone" feel adroitly balanced atop the stop-start strings and the driving beat, while "Edison" has an aharmonic zither playing over a throbbing IDM backdrop. "Bubbles" closes the album on a mysterious note, Allien's whispered vocals, blending into the melodic tones. Let's hope we hear more from these two soon.

A fantastic blend of experimental and dance floor dynamics. Apparat's slick production techniques are very apparent on this LP, with lush soundscapes and crisp sounds. Ellen Allien clearly brings out the rhythm on this LP as well, but it is hard to tell and seems this was very much a 50/50 production. Way out has some fantastic soaring lyrics that are deep, yet enthralling. My personal favourite is Do Not Break, with it's very emotional keys and stripped back breakbeat production. A very consistent LP that is worth listening to from start to finish over and over again.