As Long as the Light

NEU!～HARMONIAと渡り歩いた異才マルチ・アーティスト、'22年作がCDに続いて180g重量盤限定アナログ盤でも登場!
ジャケットのとおり、前作となる'20年ソロ作『DREAMING』のジャケット写真も手掛けた伊出身の前衛ミュージシャンVittoria Maccabruniとのコラボ作。先行公開Singleの'Edgy Smiles'でも伺えるとおり、Michael Rother独特の浮遊/多幸感を内包するサウンドと、Vittoria Maccabruniによるプログラミング/音響操作・加工を融合、これまでのMichael Rotherソロ諸作のテイストとはやや異なる、前作『DREAMING』のシリアス面を強調したような硬派なExperimental作品に仕上がった1作。
ややセンシティヴで硬質ながら、HARMONIA以降の作品群とも通底するこの方ならではのミニマルかつシャープなテイストを発揮した洒脱かつ先鋭的な味わいが発揮された秀作に仕上がっています!!

Michael Rothers first collaboration with Italian artist Vittoria Maccabruni melds icy electronics with wisps of guitar fuzz that burn like perfectly controlled candle flames. Rothers guitar tone is unmistakable to anyone familiar with any of his work since the 70s, from Neu! and Harmonia to his substantial solo discography, and here it adds a considerable amount of warmth and humanity to synth textures that might seem stark and alienating on their own. Some of the tracks are filled with suspense, like cinematic opener "Edgy Smiles," which builds up tension with skittering micro-beats and creeping sequences before Rothers guitars add bursts of light and energy. "Curfewed" is even darker and more soundtrack-worthy, sounding ideal for a scene where the characters are crawling through ancient catacombs, with a brief chase sequence near the end. A few tracks land closer to ambient techno, but not the friendliest, most chilled-out kind. "Exp 1" has softly clanging midtempo beats and lightly bubbling synths, while "See Through" skitters off the ground, only gaining a stronger kick drum during its final minutes. The few songs with vocals come closer to the ambient pop sound of Rothers other 21st century solo efforts. "You Look at Me" is easily the most memorable song on the album, centering around Maccabrunis sly taunt "you look at me like Im a stranger," while "Forget This" is more abstract, with Maccabrunis reversed vocals occasionally surfacing as vaporous thought bubbles. The two musicians clearly have different impulses, but they manage to combine them smoothly without settling into a formula. ~ Paul Simpson