CEL

The debut album from this German-Polish duo CEL is a test laboratory for rhythmic cadences andelectrostatic discharges. Under the expert guidance of Hamburg producer Tobias Levin, they have createdseven self-contained instrumentals enriched by vibraphone, xylophone and African percussion. Zemlersstripped down mechanics and Kubins erratic electronics dovetail superbly. A sense of concentratedrestlessness pervades the album - in the greater stream of things, some tracks come close to bursting theirbanks whilst others scale the loftiest heights of insanity. And yet - every movement, every tone fits perfectly.There is method to the madness, an exercise in systematic excess.A disconcerting electronic pulse traces a filtered path through Ping Korridor. In the space of something overten minutes the atmosphere shifts from oppressiveness to openness. Indeed, unexpected twists lurk in manyof the tracks, snaring the listeners undivided attention. Blink and youll miss the next turning: just when youthink youve heard it all, the last salvo fired, the music veers off in a different direction without anyone, leastof all the listener, reaching for the brakes. On the contrary, its full speed ahead with eyes wide open, deeperand deeper into the affair.Ghostly synths shimmer through Lichtton, punctuated by minimalist drums. No wave skeletons dance to thejagged rhythms of Elektrybalt. Funkenkammer is an acid monster dedicated to shredding your nerves. JimmyCarter sends shockwaves across the dancefloor, causing bodies and objects to collide. You may ask: how issuch a thing humanly possible? How can something so angular, so intrinsically Teutonic, groove so wildly?This album sees Felix Kubin push his sound generators to the outer limits of the frequency spectrum. HubertZemler delivers wonderfully forceful, machine-like beats and dark sonic collages. An album that sounds as ifit has always existed as a source of inspiration to generations of musicians. A timeless classic.