Second album from these Berlin kids. One of the guitarists played for the Notwist on tour. The music consists of all instrumental songs of mellow, sunny acoustic and electric guitars with steady beats. Mostly riff and beat driven, the songs lack tangible melodies, which is odd for such harmonius, optimistic music. While I often prefer lack of melody in music, what has to replace it is more consideration for texture, and these kids don’t yet understand how to sculpt. What results is a repetitive, monotonous, riff-heavy product with inadequate resolution – the equivalent of a post-rock jam band (ehem, Tristeza). Having dwelled on the negatives, the positives are that there are some good songs here and the mood is perfect for driving along California 280 in the spring time sun (escapism, escapism, escapism). They must like: Air, Tortoise, Acetone.
10, 3, 1, 6.

1. mellow, sunny harmonies built by guitars, electric and acoustic.
2. acoustic driven with some drum machine + live drums. violins
3. chorused acoustics + nice responding melody, then great wall of sound break. The contrast between the two sections is odd though.
4. same mellow acoustic plus nod your head beat. nice interlude.
5. strummy acoustic type of rock out not very well done.
6. slow steady beat with nice melancholy guitars but unresolved.
7. too jammy with no dynamics. doesn’t work at all for me.
8. solo acoustic with birds chirping in the background
9. same criticism as #7 but with brief distorted breakout at end
10. echoey guitars with cello, pizzicato violins. much better texture.
11. happy, rocky, country with drum machine and slide guitar.
12. repetitive. Ok, but enough of that rhythm already!