Brinkmann* ‎– When Horses Die ...

WHEN HORSES DIE... starts with a simple piano line of "Words," when Thomas Brinkmann's own gravelly voice comes in. It's quiet, with a few hints of feedback coming through, and manages to evoke a dark beauty. Similarly, "Uselessness" is minimal in its composition, but heavy on the atmosphere. The icy ambiance of "Spiral" is like watching a loved one on life support -- slightly eerie, but still touching (to continue that metaphor, "Birth & Death" is like the cardiogram). Interestingly, Brinkmann draws on oftentimes draws on international poets for his lyrics: Joseph Brodsky for the twitchy "Meadow"; Marina Zwetajewa on the dubby "Souls" and the dancehall-inflections of "2 Suns"; and the futurist Velimir Chlebnikov on the low thrum of the title track. "40" ends the album the same as it started: a simple piano line, a pervasive mood. Beautiful.

"When Horses Die" brings a massive departure from Brinkmann's antihedonistic post-techno and shows his more accesibile face, still remaining quite experimental. Clicky beats have been replaced with gloomy atmosphere and dark aesthetics of modern new wave music. Combining partly digital, partly analogue electronics with organic sound results in a record that is both unique and full of various references (but not plagiarism!). Fans of Joy Division, Suicide and Coil should be more than satisfied, but orthodoxal techno lovers will probably be disappointed. An absolute "must have" and one of this year's best.