Life is a loop.
-Notwist, “pick up the phone”
Just when I thought I’d never hear anything from the Notwist again and had began coping with the idea that they were one of those bands that I used to be really into way back when, they go and surprise me with a new album and not only a new album, a new direction without disbanding too much from their Neon Golden electronic roots.
The Devil, You + Metheir 6th studio album is slated for release throughout Europe in May and in June for the U.S. public. As the album leaked late March and made its way to my ears, it also proved that this time around, Notwist would be a much harder band for any music media to ignore. The Devil finds the band at their peak with much more guitar driven instrumentation, breathe taking programming, and great lyrical content. The new album is a masterpiece that stands as a whole without a track to roll over. Just as I fell in love with one track, I’d fall in love with the next, and the next, until I got to the last song, “Gone Gone Gone” and I stood there in awe, “this is beautiful,” I thought and then played it again from the beginning. It may have been a long 6 year wait but I’d wait that much, if not longer for anything this beautiful.
The Devil, You + Me , in short is the album you’d want playing in the background as you’re falling in or out of love. It’s a beautiful soul soothing lullaby that finds man and machine in perfect harmony. It illustrates a beautiful blend of acoustic guitars, drone, mechanical clinks, backing by Andromeda Mega Express Orchestra, and Markus Archer’s haunting angelic voice as he lulls you into a trance repeating “Bring it on home.” In the end they truly bring it home.
It was hard enough getting past the opening track, “Good Lies,” to get to the rest of the album. I’ve now listened to “Good Lies,” a good amount of about 50 times, that’s no joke either. I’m haunted by Markus Archer’s voice who keeps singing in the back of my head, “Remember good lies win/ we carry them home with us to our bedside table and our coffee sets,” followed by, “lets just imitate the real until we find a better one.”
It was Neon Golden that first brought Notwist to the attention of American listeners in 2002. Although the album received rave reviews from pitchfork, most major music publications ignored the album. This didn’t hinder Neon Golden from becoming an instant favorite among indie-electro listeners. Just as soon as the German quartet seemingly plopped out of nowhere onto the American music scene, they fell off just as soon.
The band dispersed itself into various projects primarily teaming up with rap duo, Themselves to form 13 & God (which was awesome, btw) over the last few years. Front man, Markus Archer also worked with the band Lali Puna, while Micha Archer composes and programs for Ms. John Soda.
With over a decade of noteworthy music making and a new album that promises not only to keep their fan base, but also expand it, I doubt the band will be falling off anytime soon or anytime at all. The Devil, You + Me, is the album I would hope Radiohead to make, yeah, I said it. Beautiful, heartbreaking, compelling, and uplifting all in 11 tracks.
The Devil, You + Me:
01 Good Lies
02 Where in the World
03 Gloomy
04 Alphabet
05 The Devil, You & Me
06 Gravity
07 Sleep
08 On Planet Off
09 Boneless
10 Hands on Us
11 Gone Gone Gone
Out of great respect for the band I have chosen not to put the link up to the leak, but will let you stream, “Good Lies,” which has been made available to the public by City Slang, the people who have a long roster of great artists.
The Notwist- Good Lies
