Review: Ulrich Schnauss - Goodbye (2007, Independiente)

The count of suboptimal publications is alarmingly high in times where releases are merely acting as a makeshift to sell more or less skilled entertainment abilities such as live or DJ gigs. On the other hand real quality music rarely disappoints and rescues people from that swampland of instant-soup-like music, produced by just adding hot water.

Such a quality album just arrived as Ulrich Schnauss, whose music is a small phenomenon already, releases Goodbye. Despite his success story Schnauss still manages to be down-to-earth. In contrast his achievements and his reputation opened the doors to interesting projects already; for instance when contributing additional remixes to Depeche Mode, Destiny's Child or Way Out West.

Maybe this success story's recipe is: there is no recipe at all. While other remixers often use same structures, Schnauss' reworks are unstressed, fresh and independently standing creations, often appearing in different outfits and altering moods.

Understandably the expectations of his fans steadily grew since he announced his third album. Those who watched Schnauss' recent productions, especially his remixes, will quickly recognise parallels. Again he brings those multilayer harmonies into affair, this time even more sophisticated as he implemented a lot of cleverly worked out details appearing in the background. Also Schnauss' unobtrusive way of implementing vocals has become a major, in fact one of his most important stylistic devices; same about using more classically appearing rock/pop instruments such as harmonica or guitar riffs.

Album number three of the man from Kiel focuses on emotions seen in relation with an ending life period. To boot for Ulrich this personally means leaving behind the region of sound he is known for; he tries to break out of that musical ghetto called Electronica and IDM. There is no better example than same-named song "Goodbye" to reflect his past and future way. While approaching the listener with melancholy and heartache first, the song moreover develops to become an euphorically forward looking track, also symbolizing Schnauss' new period of creative power. Its amazing multi-layer synth chords are soon to be taken over by guitar riffs, accentuated with stronger drums. In the end everything is fading away into deeply buzzing, but yet crystal clear airplane-like chords, to let the song appropriately wafting away.

Schnauss' development finally resulted in his sound now being a gateway between electronic music and indie rock/pop; his current music outgrew its former IDM shoes. The first two Schnauss albums are a nonpar playground for friends of pure synth-electronic instrumentalism. The sound of Goodbye emerges differently as his sound moved away from its former strict non-vocal appearance. None the less, fans of instrumental electronic music will be pleased when listening to songs like "Einfeld" and "In Between The Years".

Goodbye is a highly complex album. Every single track is an invitation to spread your wings and fly away from reality when listening to it full blast. Its composition is more than only a Schnauss-esque one man show - Goodbye is like enjoying a well attuned big band, which keeps its sound on a similar and identifiable but yet different level. Let yourself surprise by an electronic and slightly instrumental Schnauss sound which crosses into indie rock.

- Florian Wizorek

Goodbye
Ulrich Schnauss
2007; Independiente (CD)

Rating: 9/10

Tracklist