published: 29 /
11 /
2009
Label:
N5md
Format: CD
Unique-sounding space rock on second album from Aerosol, the project of Danish-based post-rock musician, Rasmus Rasmussen
Review
Sometimes I don't allow myself to read the label provided descriptions/reviews that accompany promo CDs prior to listening to an album in order to avoid having preconceived notions. That said, I did read the title of the lead track before popping the CD into the stereo. As I read '"Midnight Ride Down the Mental Freeway'the first thing that came to mind was Ricky Gervais singing "free love on the free love freeway" on an episode of 'The Office'. I was both smiling and feeling a bit sceptical of what I might hear.
The sounds that soon came from my speakers had almost nothing in common with Gervais' ode to the Freeway. In fact, it was the name B. Fleischmann that came to mind as the electro-shoegaze tones pulsed their way into my room. Drone-y synth lines, buzzy, electrostatic hum and a subdued beat provided the backdrop for clean acoustic guitar lines. Okay, now I had to read the promo material.
Turns out that Aerosol is the current project of Rasmus Rasmussen who was part of the Morr Music band Limp along with Jonas Munk (Manual), Jakob Skott (Syntaks) and Jess Kahr. It seems my Morr Music radar was working correctly after all. Fans of B. Fleischmann and Ulrich Schnauss should have no problem adding this album to their music library and enjoying every blissed out, electro-shoegaze moment of Airborne.
And while Rasmussen's pedigree is quite apparent, his work definitely has it's own feel to it. Whereas Fleischmann's work sounds like something I can see being performed live by a band, Rasmussen's music seems much more ethereal and personal. In that way, it is a bit more similar to Munk's work as Manual, but there is also a spacey, psychedelic vibe here that takes the music in a different direction than Rasmussen's peers. Perhaps if Windy and Carl had lived in Berlin and had bought synthesizers instead of guitars, they would have made music like this.
Hmmm, didn't mean to turn this into a band referencing exercise, but I also didn't plan to be reminded of Ricky Gervais and some "hot love on the hot love highway." It's quite possible that Rasmussen's brand of electro-space-gaze has induced some sort of LSD flashback. Maybe I should just enjoy the ride.
Track Listing:-
1
Midnight Ride Down The Mental Freeway
2
Airborne
3
Infinite Expanse
4
Psychedelic Coffee Buzz
5
Transition
6
Dreams Flow Wide
7
Let The Seasons Drift
8
Sleepy Sunset
9
Softly Slipping