extrawelt: fear of an extra planet

Since their first release on James Holden's Border Community dropped in 2005, Extrawelt, Arne Schaffhausen and Wayan Raabe, have been responsible for a plethora of classics including "Schöne Neue Extrawelt" and "In Aufruhr", and their two seminal albums on Cocoon Recordings -- Schöne Neue Extrawelt and In Aufruhr. Fear Of An Extra Planet completes the Cocoon trilogy. Fear Of An Extra Planet offers the wide open spaces and dark, dusky worlds reminiscent of their Border Community years. Timeless and elegant, "Superposition" perfectly captures the epic, dream-like quality that made James Holden's label so influential. "Gott Ist Schrott" takes a much more minimalist approach with its retro '80s drum programming, monster bass lurking in the breaks, and playful Rhodes/synth riffs that span the divide between early German techno and deep Detroit electro, with a distinctive film soundtrack aesthetic. "Oddification" continues this theme, adding extra spice reminiscent of the techno-synth vibe of Detroit with a punchy, almost Prodigy-style breakbeat complete with shredded vocal samples. "Gentle Venom" then takes the breakbeat motif to the next stage. The main focus here is the classy sprinter of a bassline, peppered with a flurry of intricate and subtle effects and modulations, that immediately trigger an intense, movie-like "in pursuit" feeling. "Das Große Flimmern" keeps with the soundtrack aesthetics, but faster and with more urgency. Almost hypnotically, Extrawelt invade their listeners with an energy and impetus that always radiates from their music. On "Silly Idol", Schaffhausen and Raabe opt again for a more minimal tack, focusing even more intensely on the dancefloor to reveal a pulsing, twisted heart to the album. "Punch The Dragon" is the hidden gem of the collection, utilizing and melting together the most bombastic and playful elements. The title track opens up like a film score, with minimal passages following dark sequences that morph into dreamy melodies, all grounded by cool, constantly alternating analog drum patterns. If you're not listening closely, you might get the impression that three or four different titles are mixed together; such is the effortless flow of the album. The morbid charm of the title "The Friendly Coroner" is captured by a fluid bassline and melodic arrangements that border on the absurd, until the funky drum beat finally drops. The dramatic end of "2084" leaves you transfixed, safe in the knowledge that you've just witnessed a science fiction epic.