In times of such uncertainty, hardship and suffering, people need leadership. Whether that comes in the form of spiritual healing, governmental policy or kickass super heroes in tight spandex, these are the people we depend on to save the day. Kompakt recording artists Superpitcher and Michael Mayer seem concerned enough about our future to do something about it. What exactly their agenda is, I’m not too sure about, but it seems to involve rescuing our souls from the guttural underworld of poor quality and banal music.

That’s not to say Supermayer aren’t victims of banality themselves… Opening track The Art Of Letting Go is as rudimentary as they come. Sounding like a really bad Roxy Music cover, only with bad German vocals and an uninspiring baseline. The song hits a crescendo of cowbells then fades into obscurity like some campy 70s super villain that everyone is glad to see go. It was the fortunately the only time I felt let down, because from here on the album progressed into new and exciting (and, some might say, dangerous) territory.

The excitement comes in the form of Saturndays. It’s an absolute belter of a track that propels the album into areas of exploration that most have never gone to before. With its driving, almost sinister bass and cosmic beats, the track is like an out of control spaceship travelling at a million miles an hour.

The journey continues with Us And Them, a quirky robotic number reminiscent of 50s b-grade sci-fi with a hint of Kraftwerk. The song bounces along with a muffled, monster-like vocal that reminds me of Moloko frontwoman Roisen Murphy. The same goes for The Lonesome King, a more down-tempo and bleak number that still keeps the spacey/cosmic feel, but with a much more melancholy and almost isolated feel to it.

The thing I love about this album is that it constantly shifts between organic live instrumentation and very standard minimal production. Some songs may feature heavy drumming and even wind instruments, and then between short atmospheric tracks (of which there are many) the production shifts back to what Kompakt is usually known for.

For example, following The Lonesome King, which sounds like it was made live, there is an interlude of what sounds like wolves howling (_Don’t Let The Sun Catch You Crying_), followed by the very minimalesque Please Sunrise. While this constant juxtaposition could potentially ruin the flow of an album, with Saves The Day, it strangely works to their advantage, breaking the songs into small brackets rather than making it feel like another long mix album.

As a whole (like a lot of Kompakt albums) the songs are up-tempo, but not so overbearing that you can’t relax while listening. Planet Of The Sick is a perfect example in that, as although it’s danceable, it’s still not too much for home listening. However, Saves The Day does finish in a very strong dancefloor fashion, with Two Of Us. It’s a great journey song, with a very drill-sounding synth assisted by a powerful bass. It’s broken down with a great xylophone sample, I could imagine it being a very great way to end a DJ set.

Overall this is a really impressive album by two great superheros of minimal. Not only have they managed to create another fantastic Kompakt release (one of many in 2007), they’ve also come up with an album that is progressive and innovative in nature. I hope this is not the last collaborative effort we see from them.