Hintersommer is the latest album from the always super busy Vlimmer who are one of Alexander Leonard Donat's bands, This is Vlimmer's 31st album or Ep release alongside his work in Fir Cone Children and running his Black Jack Illuminist record label.
The album opens with Abb.1 whose dark electronic intro leaves us wondering exactly what is being abbreviated on this seemingly many layered production, somewhere in the vein of Nizter Ebb and D.A.F. wondering if this is for a life abbreviated with a sudden ending.
Early single Gleichbau has glistening synths over a gated drum pattern taking us a long way down a rather pretty railway track, until for the last third they diverge off down a branch line that still lets us all song along to the chorus a few more times.
Sommergesicht maybe darkwave, but its also rather upbeat asking us all to put on our Summer face once more and feel the warmth of the sun again, this is perfect to persuade pasty faced teens that they really do need to see some daylight every once in a while.
Cystacanca the dark portents of caring for someone who is suffering from an awful disease, the slightly jumpy percussion and darkwave synths seeming to steel you for more bad news rather than miraculous healing and recovery.
Diskoloration has an opaque sheen to the atmospheric environment created to help solve this crisis you're living through, slow dirge like backing eventually has strings added to show that finally the treatment is having an effect.
Firmament has far more glacial synths and a slow dancefloor bass line, the keyboard almost sounding harp like in places. Interieur is the search within for meaning to the dark distressing world we live in.
Hirnklammer sounds like it should be a ski run, rather than a song about hair clips, if google translate is to be believed, the clap track helps drive the beats on to this dark sweet synth pop song that sounds full of yearning rather than zig zagging slalom moves.
Augenboden has the feel of a drum and bass piece being twisted through Depeche Modes song filters into something altogether darker and more intriguing, look deep into the eyes. Ganzteil feels like it's on the verge of breaking out into a dancefloor epic, but is restrained, searching for the right polynomials to unlock a new reality this is atmospheric with a chilled edge.
Find out more at https://blackjackilluministrecords.bandcamp.com/album/hintersommer https://www.facebook.com/VlimmerMusic
