VILLALOG

Faust's Klangbad imprint presents the fourth album by Austrian motorik prog-crazies Villalog which draws from German Krautrock heritage - there's just about every Can-inspired riff or hook imaginable on this intriguing, if somewhat disjointed excursion into sound. Not unlike the UK's superb Eat Lights Become Lights, Villalog vent an unyielding progressive spleen, pausing only to recover breath with the closing hypnotic drone-rocker Wall Of Echoes. By this point, you have become putty in their hands - all preceding seven pieces indicate a propensity to crank up the drums (analogue and digital) and trigger pulsating arpeggios from all manner of dark recesses of Villalog's collective minds. Longest track Bassknopf is rather like listening to a condensed version of the whole album and Platscher Platscher wouldn't sound alien on a Factory Floor b-side, such is its percussive bent. Overall, one to try your patience with, in a good way.

This review also appeared on Flipside Reviews

Paul PLEDGER
06/12/2014