Berlin’s Sascha Ring, recording under the Apparat alias, has proved himself to be one of the more talented and inspired newcomers in the last five or so years. With five solo albums, a collaboration album with Ellen Alien, a host of remixes and a touring shedule that’s seen him all over Europe for the past two years and being heavily involved in the Berlin label Shitkatapult, it’s fair to say Apparat has made an impact on dancefloors and living rooms alike, all around the world. His debut album Multifunktionsebene (2001) was released to much fanfair in Germany, then his critically acclaimed Dulex (2003) created a stir by being able to marry the often tired and academic world of laptop electronica with beautiful and emotive melodic music, giving birth to a far more mature sound whose appeal stretched beyond that of software boffins and techno geeks. The follow up album Silizium (2004) broke the mould once again. This time combining classical sounds with electronics and the work of vocalist Raz Ohara to form another brilliant release bordering on the pop side of things.
The period between the last solo album in 2004 and this year’s Walls saw the release of Orchesta of Bubbles, a collaboration with Berlin’s bPitch Control label boss Ellen Alien, and a feverish touring schedule promoting the album. Orchestra of Bubbles headed towards a predominantly techno/IDM sphere aimed for dancefloors, yet possessing many of the trademark Apparat sounds, so it was with great anticipation that I awaited Walls.
This new album begins with the regular Apparat sound – delicate melodies, melancholic chords and just a subtle hint of the processed percussive madness from the past. Then we get hit with more from Raz Ohara in ‘Hailin From The Edge’, an R&B paced number thats that doesn’t quite seem to find a comfortable spot in the rest of the album. Substitite Raz Ohara for Justin Timberlake and throw a few choreographed dancers in the mix and you’ll get the idea.
Tracks three and four return to more familar territory with vocal-free melancholic electronica. ‘Limelight’s will sound familar to those who have heard Apparat’s live shows (mostly freely available online) but landing at ‘Holdon’ we return to the place ‘Not A Number’ left us at with the Raz Ohara pop R&B vibe. This theme of ‘electronica vs pop’ seems to prevail througout the rest of the album with a collection of both typically apart sounding pieces and poppy vocal oriented numbers all the while maintaing an overall melancholic mood.
As an album the two directions don’t seem to quite fit together, yet as individual tracks each work in their own right. Fans of Apparat will be divided over this album as it does seem like a complete departure from the manic percussive and almost aggressive work of Multifunktionsebene and Trial and Eror, but it also lacks the epic emotive work found on Duplex.
Andre Ruello
