Good albums are more than a collection of good songs. In their interplay, they can evolve into experiences that no piece can achieve on its own. »Relikte aus der Zukunft« (»Relics From The Past«) invites us to such a journey. Its home base is a living room in Wiesbaden, Germany. Here, solo-artist Johannes Schebler, aka Baldruin, conceives fantastical soundscapes with his Midi keyboard. They are married to Ambient, while flirting with world music and Neuer Musik. The title track »Relikte aus der Zukunft«, for instance, combines East Asian-ish strings with spectral synths. All songs consist of atmospheric if concise compositions. Their arrangement discloses their cinematic character. The album shifts between scenes like the soundtrack to a fantasy movie. To begin with, a root potion (»Wurzeltrank«) set to cavernous drones offers a sorcerous rite of passage. Then, pseudo-Indian tunes initiate a ride on a silver lizard (»Ritt auf der Silberechse«). We meet a transpicuous friend (»Durchsichtiger Freund«) and his overtone singing. Baldruin traverses sentimentalist paths that, at times, border on stereotypy. His travels reach their climax in the crystalline synths of an infelicitous affair. A puzzling attraction (»Rätselhafte Anziehung«) leads our protagonist to being seduced (»Verführt«) and left behind (»Zurückgelassen«). In the end, the solitary spirit (»Der einsame Geist«) is torn between melancholy and hope. Who’s allergic to Romanticism, should refrain from this album. However, a foray into Baldruin’s boundless imagination might mesmerize some wanderers above the sea of fog.
Siavash Amini
Eremos
American Dreams