Ulrich Schnauss surprised many a journalist back in 2001 with his quietly brooding debut Far Away Trains Passing By, an exploration of shoe-gazing techno that found itself at the sharp end of many a year ending list. Having not quite lived up to the expectation on his subsequent albums, Goodbye sees him almost come full circle. This is an album of quite beautiful and mesmerising passages of ambient music that flirts with everything from dance to shoe-gazing to techno.

What initially strikes you is the amazing artwork, the album cover is a perfect reflection of the music contained within – a brooding and beautiful landscape that has hints of both dark and light that duel for your attention. The opening echoes of Never Be The Same sounds like a long lost Cocteau Twins track. There’s some strangely ethereal vocals layered over a gentle piece of synthesizer, the drum machine gently crafting beats that entwine with the music. If I didn’t know any better, I’d suggest Liz Fraser had come out of retirement – the vocals are that similar. The piano led Shine is reminiscent of The Album Leaf. It’s textured vocals and gently twisted guitars bring to mind images of a bright and beautiful dawn. When the drums kick in it sounds like an alternate anthem, if synthesizer music ruled the stadiums, this would fill Wembley ten times over. The hypnotic pop of Stars could be the Pet Shop Boys in an another universe, it’s catchy but oddly different. It’s a song that could bring Schnauss out of the left field and into the public conciousness. That’s not to say he can’t do dark though. Medusa is a brooding beast of a track. Echoing vocals, deep beats and fuzzed by guitars all join to create a track of real menace. The drone of feedback seems completely alien to most of the record, but this just serves to prove how good a artist he is as it perfectly balances not just the track, but the album.

This album feels as though Schnauss has regained some focus over his work. None of the tracks outstay their welcome. Even when they sprawl over the five minute mark, the constantly shifting music keeps you interested. This record feels like a breath of fresh air to the current claustrophobic nature of music, there’s no pomp or image to maintain here. The music creates huge soundscapes that conjure images in your mind that sprawl to the horizon. This is a great album and surely one that will surprise many again this year.
80%

Links
Ulrich Schnauss [official site] [myspace]