By: Martyn Coppack
Minami Deutsch | bandcamp |
Unless you speak or can translate Japanese it’s unlikely you’ll find an awful lot of useful information on Minami Deutsch on the internet and as such you are simply left with the music. This is not a bad thing though as it sort of adds to the other-worldliness that emanates from this almost throwback album of krautrock which embraces the electronic edge devised by pioneers such as Tangerine Dream whilst keeping with the rock and roll tradition kept alive by Can and Neu in their kraut heyday.
With the electronic pulsating beat incessantly hitting out its metronomic phase it’s not long before your head is subliminally nodding along like some possessed Duracell bunny. On top of this Minami Deutsch create a smorgasbord of sound which colours the throbbing underbelly of the music. ‘Vocalism Ai – Forever’ may sound like run of the mill electronic krautrock but by the time the distorted guitars literally crash out of the speakers on ‘Futsu Ni Ikirenai’ your brain has long given up the ghost of trying to stay normal.
It’s the simplicity of it all that is the beauty of this album and whilst Minami Deutsch don’t offer anything new, they do it in a way which is so inviting that you can’t help fall for it. The warmth glow of ‘Terra Recipe’ accentuates this point as it’s glowing synths call you into its warm embrace before a glistening beat introduces the sounds of a city at night. Yes, its Kraftwerk all over again, but done this well it can stand tall amongst such giants.
The hypnotic sounds take a lift in speed on ‘Ubergleich part I’ as the music dips into darker territory although not in keeping with the almost joyful sound of the album. It’s a dip in impeccable quality though and the delicious ‘Sunrise, Sunset’ will soon have you swooning along to it’s gorgeous sound. You can almost feel the sun rising on this tune as that never-ending beat is accentuated by a simple lullaby melody.
‘Ubergleich part II’ sees the album out in pensive mood as we are brought down from the delights that have unfolded and this time we are treated to vocals. Slack in delivery, there is more than a hint of Primal Scream about it giving it that dark post-rave comedown feel. It doesn’t feel out of place either and it’s almost welcoming in the way it brings you down from what has gone before. Slowly drifting out, it offers no answers but brings you back to terra firma.
As debut albums go Minami Deutsch offer nothing particularly new here but what they do deliver is so enjoyable that you can forgive their overtly up front influences. It’s relatively simplistic at times and relies on simple progressions of sounds but when the band does let loose it sounds absolutely glorious. The album is one of those hidden treasures that fill your life with joy without having to make too much of an impact and that is no bad thing at all.
