Matthias Beltz was a German political comedian, Author and TV/Radio host until he passed on without warning in 2002. Fond shortly after his death was a collection of poems/lyrics/sketch ideas. Edited and strapped across different avant-garde musical pieces, it makes for a compelling listen, something similar to future-beat poetry in German.
Opening with the wheezing of a broken piano accordion, rapid fire lingual outbursts flow back and forth across the soundtrack. The editing here is quite excellent: a vast majority of the pieces contained have the vocal lines edited in such a way that it sounds like Beltz is actually in the studio, gesticulating wildly while delivering fluid mono tribes. Although I’ve absolutely no idea what he’s saying, it becomes increasing clear that Beltz had and intelligent, perhaps sardonic mind. Syllables roll and flow with aplomb, sometimes containing comedic tones, other times bristling with seriousness. Musically, each track has a different tone, but for the most part it’s a very avant-garde affair. Keys jab like free jazz, synth tones boom and pop, and all the while the lack of any discernible beat to underpin it becomes increasingly obvious, but not debilitating. It actually works without such a “restriction” being placed on it. Each instrument sits in its own place in the mix, be it not for long, as a majority of most players make brief appearances, trading off wild fire melodic lines like gunfire.
Given it’s experimental nature and compositional, this forward thinking release could be the future of beat poetry. A left turn for fans of Gil Scott-Heron et. al. I just wish I could understand what the hell he is saying.
Nick Giles
