Random Circuits

Rating:

Anja Schneider is one of the busiest ladies in techno today whether she’s in Berlin running her [Mobilee] imprint or taking time out to create Sub label [Leena], doing her weekly radio show on fritz radio or touring the world. Where does she find the time? Not forgetting her doing numerous remixes for various labels. In the midst of all that she has some how managed to find time to finish her first long player. Anja gives us her first debut album ”Beyond The Valley” which has been co produced by silent studio partner Paul Brtschitsch; Here’s what Anja had to say about “Beyond The Valley”

 ”It’s the place where your parents told you not to go play as a child. Why? Because anything could happen. It’s dangerous and anarchic. All the creatures that have been chased out of the village have gone there to hide.”

I agree whole heartedly with Anja it takes you on a journey through various sound and fantastic settings. Starting off with the softer, melodic and playful sounds of “Safari.” A perfect way to start with a melodic light feel to the album it has what i would class as a Safari vibe with some tribal influences, (drums & chanting) not too tribal though, she keeps it quite melodic and calm. Make way for “Mole” which is one of my favorites on the album. Mole has more of a raw approach its quite minimal and deep with a tech vibe to it, much more darker, its quite awkward really, but in the best way. I would  expect this to be one of the first singles to be released from the album and will probably get the remix treatment, personally i would like to see Guido Schneider or Pan Pot take this on as it has alot to give. We continue our journey with ”Maki” coming at you stripped down and sexy this is the most club orientated track on the album which meanders between tech and more deeper house flavours with a great piano riff that almost takes it into “deep house” category but toys with you just enough to put it into a box of its own. Taking us onto “Beyond The Valley” which is much more calmer its quite atmospheric, but still stripped back to its bare bones, you can hear every nut and cog working together like a finely tuned engine. This is what i like most about the album as a whole its not cluttered or chunky, its stripped down and sexy late night listening.

Halfway through the direction of music takes another turn this time more towards the club in the form of “Gimlet” quality tech house without the bullshit. “Cascabel” gives your journey a playful touch with a sweet melodic house vibe and breaks things up just in the right place. She builds a portrait using alot of melodies and more tech sounds, switching from home listening to club and it works well. Don’t get too relaxed though as she comes straight back at you with previously released “Belize” a marathon of bleeps that’s been layered with a underpinned shuffled percussion. A well executed track if ever there was one. Track 8 in this 10 track album is “Get Away” you can tell things are coming to a close a much more subdued minimal /vocal track with alot of depth. Moving on to “Little Red Ridding Hood” you’ve all heard the fable … She closes this fantastic journey with “Fish at Night” a lovely track with a spoken vocal.

Anja has given us one of the best albums Ive heard in a long time it works well as home listening as much as it would on the dancefloor & this is quite a hard thing to pull off. Showing us that minimal doesn’t have to be boring she takes the listener on a journey to a far away place where anything is possible. Beyond The Valley is available now on Mobilee promo & it will be hitting shops at the end of April i urge you to go out and buy this its a really fantastic debut album. 

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