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Endless

by Underwater Pilots

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1.
Your Soul 06:07
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2.
Mind Modulation 06:39
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3.
Storm 03:50
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4.
Mindscape 05:09
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5.
Little 07:06
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6.
Reach Out 05:43
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7.
Nothing Left 05:02
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8.
Rely 05:30
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9.
Final Illusion 03:53
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10.
Everything 05:24
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11.
Snow Flakes 06:01
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about

A lot can happen in eight years. Things come, things go, things change. It’s the latter in the case of German electronic duo Underwater Pilots, who are just now releasing the follow up to their 2004 debut Tranquil Places (though one half of the group, Manual G. Richter, has stayed busy with his ambient work as Xabec). The less original moments on that record have been shed on Endless, and its quirkier aspects have been marshaled and put to smarter use. The end result is a reflective, well-sculpted listen which impresses with craft and subtlety rather than flash.

Speaking of things changing, attitudes towards futurepop have certainly shifted since 2004. After a half decade of dominance, many states-side audiences tired of the sub-genre some six or so years ago. Interestingly, though, the backlash seems to have subsided as of late, with a calm detente between futurepop and more general iterations of synthpop emerging; so long as the most egregious indulgences of the past aren’t repeated, folks seem willing to lend their ears to a blend of futurepop elements and newer developments in the broader field of synthpop as a whole. The release of Endless dovetails well with this trend; the trance tendencies in Underwater Pilots’ sound have been dialed back substantially, and in their place are well-granulated clicks and tasteful washes to accent stabby arpeggios and head-nodding beats.

“Nothing Left” shows just how much fine-tuning and atmospherics have gone into Endless. Starting with a dreamy and lush verse, things take an abrupt turn for the minimal on the chorus, stripping down to nothing but a solid EBM bassline and kick drum. Slowly, the earlier elements begin to re-emerge one by one, until a synthesis between the beats and harmonies takes place which wouldn’t be half as effective had it been struck from the start of the track (as most groups would have opted to do). It’s a nice bit of composition which speaks to Richter and Grégoire Vanoli’s classical training, and also shows how deft they are at taking the road less traveled.

The other big step forward heralded by Endless are Richter’s vocals. His command, especially over the lower register, has greatly improved, and he delivers moody, contemplative vocals, both in sound and subject matter. “Mindscape” has a morose cast which one might expect to hear on a recent neo-folk outing, and juxtaposed against rubbery bass and clicking ornamentation it’s all the more striking. The last-person-on-earth monologue of “Little” is downright disarming to hear in a genre which has so often concerned itself with thin metaphysics and cliched emotional turmoil.

Few of Endless‘ tracks are going to jump out and grab the listener by the throat, but they all unfold well after multiple listens. While the record’s mood is maintained throughout, the production on each cut is thoroughly varied, with nary a pad or beat wearing out its welcome before something new arrives. Idiosyncratic yet unassuming, it shows how much refinement and progression eight years can yield.

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credits

released January 1, 2012

Manuel G. Richter: vocals, production, Gregoire Vanoli: live-electronics, production

vanrichter.net/up.html

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Van Richter Records Los Angeles, California

Van Richter Records was formed in 1993 in San Diego California by long time loyal fans of Industrial Music . Our mission is to develop the careers of the leading Artists in the Industrial music genre. The top priority of Van Richter continues to be "quality not quantity" Our roster includes - Testify, The Fair Sex, Plastic Noise Experience, Sielwolf, Girls Under Glass & Underwater Pilots ... more

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