Vertigo Days

During the seven years that separated Close to the Glass and Vertigo Days, the members of the Notwist ventured across the globe with other projects that gave them fresh ideas for the bands music. Its a creative process theyve used since the days of Shrink, but the results are never exactly the same. This time, the Notwist question what it means to be in a band, and their seeking reveals homespun sweetness, seemingly ancient storytelling, and the majesty of an orchestra all in a single album. Vertigo Days ranginess suits the Notwist; after all, theyve always resisted easy categorization, and theyve rarely sounded as loose and spontaneous as they do here (their 2016 live album Superheroes, Ghostvillains & Stuff comes the closest to its in-the-moment energy). The albums scope is so big that its smaller moments could get lost in the shuffle, but its details are just as memorable as its broad strokes. Vertigo Days centerpiece Into the Ice Age does indeed reach dizzying heights with its crest of guitars, piano, saxophone, and Angel Bat Dawids clarinet, yet the tiny, fuzzy interlude Stars makes just as much of an impression. The albums sheer momentum carries along moments big and small, and its kinetic sweep reaches its peak on highlights like the dense, driving Juana Molina cameo Al Sur and Ship, which uses the contrast between its clanging Motorik beat and the delicate voice of Tenniscoats Saya expertly. Longtime Notwist fans will be happy to hear them get back to the anything-goes heart of post-rock on songs such as the haunting Oh Sweet Fire, where Markus Acher trades vocals with Ben LaMar Gay over instrumentation that folds hints of dub and jazz into its flow. Nor have they lost any of their ability to lock onto their listeners emotions since Neon Golden became their breakthrough nearly 20 years prior: Acher still sounds effortlessly vulnerable on the ironically beaming Sans Soleil and when he sings about the necessity of togetherness and solitude on Into Love/Stars. By the time Vertigo Days comes full circle with Into Love Again, he and the rest of the Notwist have taken their audience on a wild and wise journey of the heart. ~ Heather Phares