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(Bpitch Control/Stomp)
I must confess something up front: for quite a while I didn’t know what IDM stood for. In case you don’t either, it’s short for Intelligent Dance Music, which is defined by Wikipedia as “an electronic music genre based on novelty and complicated sequencer programming mixed with high intelligence in the artist.” Not that all other genres of dance music is necessary un-intelligent, just that most typical dance music (i.e. hard, fast, dancing to dawn music) doesn’t try to be intellectual.
On Orchestra of Bubbles, the influences of Ellen Allien and Apparat combine. And while Ellen Allien’s music has generally aimed squarely at the dance floor (although she has claimed to produce “brainish” music), Apparat’s productions have tended to fall within the IDM genre, along with techno and electro influences. His music often has chamber music qualities, with Apparat recording live musicians and singers and classical instruments, then orchestrating them on his computer.
As is suggested by its title, this album shows off this orchestral direction to electronic music. On Retina, a cello or viola is featured, the music simple and deft like chamber music. On Jet the strands in the music are carefully orchestrated, with no big bass or over the top synths, although still suitable for the dance floor. On a number of other tracks (including Edison and Metric) electronic soundscapes are created that feature classical instruments in amongst eclectic electronic sound effects. Some tracks on the album are more squarely techno. Floating Points is more percussive, with the bass dominating for much of the track. It still remains quite restrained; it’s head-nodding, noodling techno. The melancholic and thoughtful opening track, Turbo Dream, is also quite at home on the dance floor.
My favourite tracks on the album, however, are those that quite unexpectedly have a feeling of warmth. Leave Me Alone is a warm and comforting song that features rich sounds and male vocals. The final track on the album, Bubbles, also contains vocals, but this time an ethereal female voice, which also appears on the earlier track Way Out. The vocals remind me a little of Bjørk, particularly due to being semi-spoken. It’s just so delicately orchestrated and charmingly tender that I can’t help falling in love.
With results like these, I hope that this isn’t the only collaborative work from Ellen Allien and Apparat. These two highly regarded electronic musicians in their own right have expanded their horizons and produced something intelligent and special on Orchestra of Bubbles.
