MODERAT - Moderat

The story of Moderat begins in 2002, when Sascha Ring (Apparat), Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary (Modeselektor) recorded an EP for the German label BPitch Control. When the time came to work on their debut album, the fledgling outfit unexpectedly broke up. Shortly after, Modeselektor would record a career-defining album, “Happy Birthday!”, featuring guest appearances from the likes of Puppetmastaz, Maximo Park and Thom Yorke. And it was with Radiohead that the band toured Japan in 2008.

For his part, Apparat will release the album "Walls" in 2007, and will collaborate with Ellen Allien on "Orchestra Of Bubbles", until in 2008 the Moderat project comes out of stand-by and the three members of the group get back into the studio together. The result is the album, again released on Bpitch Control, bearing the same name as the band, featuring guest appearances from some high-profile names, such as Californian rapper Busdriver, Dellé (aka Eased) and Paul St. Hilaire. It's precisely the introduction of these vocal parts that pushes Ring, encouraged by Szary and Bronsert, to contribute as a singer himself for the first time.

But let's get to the specifics of the record, which is receiving a fairly warm reception from both the public and critics. "Moderat" is permeated by obsessive rhythms, often blatantly 80s dance, onto which are grafted, with pleasantly disorienting results, suspended melodies, sometimes embellished with vocals that, to stay within a related territory, may recall the delicate harmonies of Telefon Tel Aviv. It's no coincidence that both bands are part of the Berlin stable Bpitch Control, founded in 1999 by none other than Ellen Allien, an inspired producer and talent scout for some of the most promising names on the recent Central European electronic scene (and beyond).

The album, as people used to say, is one of those records that "really pumps" on a decent stereo system, properly rattling woofers and... stomachs within range of the speakers, rather than the earbuds of the ubiquitous iPod or iPhone. Yet just when you think you've grasped the spirit of the record, the rarefied, graceful melody of a track like "Out Of Sight" throws you off and demands repeated listens. The same happens with "BeatWaySick", featuring the aforementioned rapper Busdriver as guest star and disruptor of the track's otherwise rather tight and predictable structure.

The remix version of "Rusty Nails", an alternative to the shorter one found on track 2, hints at new sonic horizons, with dark atmospheres and a use of choral voices reminiscent of John Foxx at the peak of his artistic maturity, the John Foxx of "The Garden", to be precise.

"Moderat" will soon also be available in a special Deluxe Version, which will include a DVD produced by the Berlin-based artistic collective Pfadfinderei featuring music videos and other multimedia content, which will also be used in live performances. And from April, Moderat will be busy with a world tour.

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25/05/2009