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The Notwist | Neon Golden

The first great album of 2002.
CD, City Slang/Labels

Tekst: Alexis Vos

Publicatiedatum: 16 januari 2002

The art of tightrope walking is a delicate skill. Dedication, perseverance, concentration, and the intricate ability to find the perfect and vital balance are fundamental. One small sway, one fraction of a hiccup, to the left or to the right could result in a clumsy and unglamorous, much less possibly perilous tumble. The Notwist have spent five albums and 15 months perfecting their balancing technique. Since releasing their post-punk, self-titled debut album in 1990, the four-piece Bavarian band from Weilheim have constantly been found fine-tuning (and repeatedly retuning) their enigmatic sound. After spending 15 months locked into the studio to make this, their sixth album, it's safe to say that the band are ready for the big top, the show of all shows. The perfect balance, the ideal equilibrium between irresistibly catchy, hooky, and oh-so poppy melodies and quirky, intriguing experimentation has been found. 'Neon Golden' is an absolute beauty of a record. From the stuttering start of opener 'One Step Inside Doesn't Mean You Understand', it quickly becomes clear that we find ourselves present in spheres of intense splendour. The single 'Pilot' harks back to New Order-infused Eighties pop, but without any trace of retro irony or wishful coolness. This is a warm, devoted, and intimate sound. The banjo intro, accompanied with sporadic electro pops and crackles, that introduces Trashing Days', soon makes way for an aural rinsing of sorts, as the floodgates are opened, and we find ourselves totally immersed in a gentle whirlpool of warm, pulsing notes, fuelled by woodwind instruments, as sounds slowly bubble to the top. 'This Room' is a crashing, frenetic little storm in a teacup, underpinned with a fat dub bass line. Just as there is a delicate balance of melody and experimentation tip-toeing throughout The Notwist's music, the marked contrast between the band's glorious (albeit often minor-key) melodies and lead singer Markus Acher's brutally realistic and downtrodden lyrics at times makes for unsettling consumption. The cheery vitality of songs such as 'This Room' becomes even more palpable when the listener comes to realise that he's been singing along to lyrics such as "no matter what we say / no matter what we do / we will never leave this room / what are we going to do about this?" The off-kilter beats and dragging, turgid pace of 'Solitaire', accompanied with a chorus that sounds like it was directly sampled from a long-forgotten Hungarian film, provide an eerie effect. This is deconstructed music at its purest, stripped-down and austere. 'One With The Freaks' is as close to sunshine pop as The Notwist will ever get, while the title track - according to the press release - is "equal parts backwoods finger picking, Indian raga, and Miles Davis' 'In A Silent Way'." For once - yes indeed! - they couldn't have stated it more accurately. 15 months in the studio is a long time, and many bands would easily falter, given the luxury of time and money to spend making an album. The Notwist, however, have shown that they are able to rise to the challenge. 'Neon Golden' is an understated little masterpiece of a record and the first truly great album of 2002. Go see the circus when it comes to your town.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/the-notwist/neon-golden/902/
Meer The Notwist op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/the-notwist