BAL PARé

Bal Paré was a classical minimal wave band founded in Hamburg in 1981. At the end of 1989 the band stopped their activity, but surprisingly in 2009 we suddenly got a new release from Matthias Schuster, who is now solo member of this project. Last year a new album was released, followed by this one ‘Taxi Zum Mond’ (Taxi To The Moon).

This album sounds like it’s made in the 80’s, Matthias captured the same sound and atmosphere from the days ‘Neue Deutsche Welle’ was an important new musical fact. The perfect minimal analogue electro pop from those days is back!

Most tracks on this album are beautiful synth sounds and melodies added with some drum machines. The album opens directly strong with ‘Nach Dem Ende’, a spacy electronic track that brings you back in time, and gives a nice impression of the rest of this album. A track like ‘Eine Nacht In Palermo’ has even a big ‘evergreen’ character, comparisons with German artists like Andreas Dorau, or bands like Der Plan are never far away. Personal favorites on this album are, the fantastic track ‘Rockstars’ a bit harder and more danceable with a perfect female voice over. More female voices on ‘Der Schöne Klaus’, a kind of funny childish fairy tale song , that is fantastic in its own simplicity. Most other tracks bring you in a mood of soft electronic story telling songs, a kind of easy listening Kraftwerk for bedrooms.

This album is a must have for early minimal wave lovers. Most tracks are in the middle of electronic fun and easy synth sound melodies. Had a very nice time listening to this album, brought me back to the 80’s although this Bal Paré is brand new.

Tracklist : Nach dem Ende / Aussichsturm / Uberdosis Leben / Bis hier und nicht weiter / Denken – Glauben / Eine nacht in Palermo / Ganz weit draussen / Gleich hinter den Stadten / Rockstars / Schattenland / In Dunst der Stadte / Russischen Blondinnen / Det schönen Klaus / Schneller als der Zeit / Telegram von Dir / Abgesang auf die alte Zeit / Taxi zum Mond

Peter HESELMANS
11/07/2014