HR112 - Siegmar Fricke - Militant Stuff - C60 — 1989
|
|
|
Side A:
LONELINESS (EXTENDED MIX) ELIMINATOR (DUB REMIX) TERRORISM NATIONAL WATERSERVICE (THE RATATAT-MIX) |
Side B:
MOBILIZATION ORDER MARCH IN REVIEW UNREST UNDERGROUND MOVEMENT ANTI-TANK-GUN VC-36 FLOWERS IN THE GUNS |
REVIEW by Jerry Kranitz
German electronic maestro Siegmar Fricke’s Militant Stuff cassette album is a master class in tape manipulated craftsmanship. The ‘Militant’ of the title is felt throughout with it’s martial beats, which are variously military parade, high school marching band, and dance floor tribal.
Among the highlights is the collaged sample-pop of ‘Loneliness (Extended Mix)’ and ‘Eliminator (Dub Remix)’, replete with cool grooving, percussion heavy electro pulse, melodies, and oodles of fun cut-up/in vocals, both singing and Max Headroom-esque inserts. It’s like being at an avant-garde space-rave.
I love the robotic, kling-klang, buzzsaw dance rock meets Neue Deutsche Welle of ‘Terrorism’. ‘Mobilization Order’ is less rave and more tra-la-la synth melodies and steady beats. There’s also the creatively fun use of voices that characterize the entire set, along with an unglued electro pulse. ‘Unrest’ is one of my favorites, stirring up a dizzying swirl of goofy chipmunk crowd voices and hilarious melody-beats, propelled by razor blast guitar chords. ‘Anti-Tank-Gun VC-36’ is another standout, feeling like the dance mix version of a song that might have been at home on Chrome’s Alien Soundtracks. Finally, the appropriately titled ‘Flowers In The Guns’ closes the set with rickety tap dancey beats and a pleasantly pulsating melody.
German electronic maestro Siegmar Fricke’s Militant Stuff cassette album is a master class in tape manipulated craftsmanship. The ‘Militant’ of the title is felt throughout with it’s martial beats, which are variously military parade, high school marching band, and dance floor tribal.
Among the highlights is the collaged sample-pop of ‘Loneliness (Extended Mix)’ and ‘Eliminator (Dub Remix)’, replete with cool grooving, percussion heavy electro pulse, melodies, and oodles of fun cut-up/in vocals, both singing and Max Headroom-esque inserts. It’s like being at an avant-garde space-rave.
I love the robotic, kling-klang, buzzsaw dance rock meets Neue Deutsche Welle of ‘Terrorism’. ‘Mobilization Order’ is less rave and more tra-la-la synth melodies and steady beats. There’s also the creatively fun use of voices that characterize the entire set, along with an unglued electro pulse. ‘Unrest’ is one of my favorites, stirring up a dizzying swirl of goofy chipmunk crowd voices and hilarious melody-beats, propelled by razor blast guitar chords. ‘Anti-Tank-Gun VC-36’ is another standout, feeling like the dance mix version of a song that might have been at home on Chrome’s Alien Soundtracks. Finally, the appropriately titled ‘Flowers In The Guns’ closes the set with rickety tap dancey beats and a pleasantly pulsating melody.