Schiller – Sehnsucht

Very beautiful repress, such a shame that for this particular album, the track list was changed and is missing key songs from this album... wish they had kept the original 2008 list as they did for every other record.

Why not on wax? Wrong Wrong Wrong. You see a ton of crap 12" and not this....

I hadn't the displeasure to listen to such a so dumb release since I quit listening to radio stations tens of years ago. Don't waste your time on this, grow up!

Another fine Album By Schiller, and as usual its very relaxing, terapeutic,contemporaneous, melodic, touching and romantic. Schiller has a lovely way to combine soft and clean sounds with well worked melodies. My favourite musics are ."Denn wer liebt", "Sensucht" und "Sommernacht". I love to hear this album at night, it works well as a lullaby.

There are so many tracks on 2 CD's with a total of 136 minutes!!! So it will take a while to understand the concept-content and get used to them... I am sure the impressions below will change and some tracks will grow more and more on me. (As it was the same for Tag und Nacht)

First of all I would like to congratulate Christopher for producing this great album and fulfilling fans expectations with a huge content of 31 tracks!! This fact alone deserves the respect eh??

Here's my impression on the first listen of the album:

Willkommen
The usual trademark opening "von Schiller" Just like the other ones, this is opening the album with a mysterious sense and darkness, cicadas are all around... This is also opening in the jungle like all the other opening tracks of previous Schiller albums...Unlike Tag und Nacht, this time Franziska Pigulla version opens the new chapter and gets you fully excited.

"Willkommen, in der neune Welt von Schiller!!!"

Herzschlag
Tracks are nicely blending into each other on this album.. Herzschlag is the brother of ''Nachtflug'' and ''Sommerregen'' from previous albums..
The same cinematic opening, almost like a sci-fi documentary score. Electronic, also alive.. Electroguitars are nicely combined with the ''live'' feeling of the song.. Not really as impressive as its predecessors to be honest, but quite interesting to take a full listen.

Denn wer Liebt (with Anna Maria Muehe)
Yes this is very spacey, electronic also featuring an excellent cello solo..A brilliant idea to use this instrument... More like an interlude, but still very dark and haunting with its all aspects...

Sehnsucht (with Xavier Naidoo)
Guys, welcome to the killer track of the album... This is simply so breathtaking!! I really like the vocal performance of Xavier... Very sensual and also very catchy, even though I don't understand a word of German. (I only know a little, shame on me) but this is the nature of music, you get the sensual feeling, you sense the emotion.. That's what Christopher tried to do obviously...One of the best tracks on the album, well deserving to be the lead single!..

Wehmut
This starts like a filler track... Even though this fact, I really like the orchestral / jazzy feel of it on the build up points... An experimental piece. We never heard something like that from Schiller before... That's what makes it new right?

Black (with Jette von Roth)
Wonderful, simply wonderful pop piece.. Jette is excellent here again, I love her accent, she's the voice of Schiller to me...Not a repeating sound from the past catalogue of Schiller, this is what I truly appreciate.. Kinda feels like a Björk track maybe due to the bells but this must be taken as a compliment...

Mitternacht
Greatly featuring classic guitars.. Weak points of an electronic sound is geniously covered with this..Kind of a chill out track. Innovative and remarkably arranged. Variety of instruments is a positive movement on this track and also on the entire album.. This is obviously showcasing von Deylen's progress and success in all fields.

Let Me Love You (with Kim Sanders)
What a great intro this one has... This is also one of the best tracks on the album.. Hopefully will be the best moments of the future live performances of Schiller. Kim's previous tracks of Schiller were also very nice, she's always been a very strong highlight on the albums, this one is no exception as well.. Absolutely a single candidate.

Nacht (with Ben Becker)
Interlude track, nothing special music-wise. I think we should translate the lyrics in order to understand the concept.

Fate (with Isis Gee)
This piece has the feeling of Chicane tracks, choral and dreamy and electronic as expected. You can imagine the ocean, the eternity... The usual meditative tune.. Would this be a replacement for Moya Brennan's absence? Decide yourself.

Porque Te Vas (feat. Ana Torroja)
A nice mid-album track.. Feels like it will grow on you after more and more listens...

In der Weite (feat. Anna Maria Mühe)
Symphonic piece... Would this be the interpretation of Schiller for the classical genre?? In der Weite would easily be a nice movie score. Somehow similar to the orchestral version of ''Der Tag.. Du bist Erwacht'' from Tagtraum DVD. Theme-wise. I think Christopher is into producing movie scores as well... We will all see...

Sommernacht
A classic Schiller tune, when you hear it, you can easily say, yes this is typical Schiller sound.. Another mid-album electro-instrumental track.

Everything (feat. Helen Boulding)
Just like the previous one, this is going on with the vocals of Helen Boulding.. Not so special. Maybe will grow on me later.

Lichter
This is from the Tagtraum DVD.. A very nice intro, a very haunting piece..It is a nice idea to put it on this album as well as it fits to the mood of the whole concept and atmosphere of Sehnsucht.

Ile Aye (feat. Stephenie Coker)
Hmmm, a little bit of Deep Forest feel? Probably due to the Stephanie's tribe-like vocals...This is a pure new-age track, some of you will like it, some of you will say this is nothing new or sensational... Not bad but a little repetitive to my taste.

Once Upon a Time
A very dark outro. Feels soo underground and dark. Like a score to a thriller movie? I like this dark mood and feeling...

CD 2:

Der Kuss (with Anna Maria Mühe)
Opens the second part of the album Sehnsucht, I think we'll have to translate the whole lyrics to understand what it is about.. Intro track..

Wunschtraum
Starts so laid back, then turns into mid-tempo techno... A retro feel to previous Schiller dance tracks, featuring some nice drums..

Tired (with Jael)
A nice down-tempo track featuring Jael's vocals.. Nice...

Lichtung
A very experimental electronic piece within the boundaries of New Age sound, a good instrumental highlight from the album.. I like it...This new sound is quite impressive. A true progress...

Breathe (with September)
Another mid-album track, sounding very radio friendly...Maybe German radios will play it...

Zenit (with Klaus Schulze)
I was wondering about this piece when I heard the sample on the official site... A smooth co-operation with the electronic legend Klaus Schulze... Like an electronic symphony, like a tale and quite experimental... A 12 minute long Schiller experience...Even though I expected more twists and turns on this track, it is still satisfactory and recommended to any Schiller & Klaus fan.

In The Dark (with Jette Von Roth)
Starts like the tracks from 80's synths...Of course this is intentional... This is one of the tracks that will probably grow on later.

Tagtraum
Same track from the DVD... Nothing new here.

Destiny ( aka The View of Life) with Despina Vandi
WOW, a hiding gem towards the end of the album!! What a hot track this is... Obviously a single candide.. Warm, moving, seducting... Despina Vandi's impressive and seducing vocals turn this into a great highlight from the album.. A must hear!!

White
The opposite of ''Black''.. Close your eyes and see the white light, imagine you're in eternal light... This is the feeling..An interlude track ends up right in the jungle.

Lonely (with Damae)
A very interesting intro... Starts quite dreamy and mysterious... Also sounds radio friendly...You'll like this as well...

Sehnsucht (Reprise)
Instrumental version... As powerful as the one on CD-1.. Simply mind blowing!!! One way or anoher, be it the full version or reprise.. Intro's electric waves kill me... So great! So great!!

Vor der Zeit (with Ben Becker)
Features nice drums, yet another interlude...Nice one.. It feels like a Vangelis track at some points, even though I can not explain the reason why.

Forever (Kim Sanders)
Closing the chapter but nicely... Kim Sanders is amazing... This is more like a mid-tempo moody track but well worth the wait.. Beautifully fading out... Leaving you wanting more from Schiller...

All in all, a highly recommended album to all electronic / chill out music lovers!