We Are Monster

テクノ、エレクトロニカ、そしてニューヨークのハウス・シーンまで震撼させたあの「Beau Mot Plage」の生みの親、Isoleeが5年ぶりとなるアルバムをリリース！この世の物とは思えない程の美しさとディープさ、そして狂気を持ち合わせた楽曲が次々飛び出す本作。明らかに異質なベース、メロディ、楽曲構成に宇宙を感じちゃいます！

After a huge series of remixes and singles helped to make Rajko Mueller's name under his professional identity of Isol‚e, We Are Monster was rapidly recognized as one of the most notable album-length efforts in electronic music for a long time, a vibrant and compelling collection of songs. Like so many acts in the earliest part of the 21st century, Isol‚e takes a clear influence from synth pop roots in the early '80s, but rather than the retro new wave stance favored by others, he uses crisp, minimal basslines and keyboard riffs as starting points to build back up again. The result is to almost pull the entire history of techno along with it to the future, and We Are Monster is beautifully timeless as a result, positing a universe where everything from industrial beats to prog drones and French filter-disco, not to mention classic house and techno straight up, completely recombines with any number of other elements into new forms again and again. Time and again one gets the sense that Isol‚e knows how to DJ well as much as compose -- songs have dramatic but minimal starts (good for mixing as much as for making a statement) and build to exultant highs, as can be readily heard on "M„dchen mit Hase" and "Today." A song like "Schrapnell" is perfectly titled as a result; it does literally sound like bits and pieces from pop explosions all over the map recombined and mutating as one listens, with everything from gentle guitar lines and swooping strings dropping in and out of the mix just so over a fantastic beat that's part schaffel, part Motorik glide. Elsewhere the huge bass howls on "Face B" and, in contrast, the calm, Eno-via-ambient-Aphex drone melody on "Pillowtalk" provides further details as well as a demonstration of Isol‚e's careful ear. ~ Ned Raggett|

こりゃまるで／俳句のような／ビートだね。フランクフルトを拠点に90年代後半に登場、近年はクリック好きからディープ・ハウス党周辺までジワリジワリと人気を拡げている男、イゾレー待望のセカンド・アルバム。スッカスカな減算グルーヴ、唯一無二の寸止めビートがやたら立体的に展開されるハウス・トラックが人気を得て、マシュー・ハーバートのミックスCDに収録されたり、デリック・カーターらが主宰する英クラシックから作品をリリースしたり、さらにはルイ・ヴェガのリミックスまで手掛けていた彼ですが、地元のプレイハウスから腰を据えて発表した今作はスロウ・ダウンしたエレクトロ盤に。80年代シンセ・ポップのような音色を浮かべながら、ダブ的な裏打ちを見せたり、ギターを掻き鳴らしてポスト・ロックと共振してみたり……牧歌的&ミニマルな音世界の中で才能が迸りまくり!　こうなると／来日のほうも／期待大（字余り）。
bounce (C)リョウ 原田