The three ETs of Staatseinde have dropped a new chunk of violence on planet Earth while passing by. It was given the name Fehnerlinie. After their summer visit to the Kinky Star (Ghent), where we got a live preview of a couple of new songs which were conceived on a black star, they have now released the brand new LP containing 10 songs.
In terms of their line-up there is also news: the trio became a duo again after Metzger Pat left the band to continue on his own musical path.
Over a beer brewed by the band during Corona times, Der Neo already mentioned the new album would again take a somewhat more minimalist direction and that the choice was also made to limit the hardware rather than expand it live.
Anyway, anyone who has already experienced these Dutchies live, knows that there is no lack of energy and musical pleasure when they perform. This is a band that effortlessly takes any stage and even more the audience. Curious about what the new disc brings… More of the same, but different. In the first sense meaning they stay true to their hardware-driven blissful minimal with the occasional swipe of sturdier EBM. In the second sense it does indeed feel a bit more minimalistic, while the madness we know from them has calmed down a bit. However it’s not gone, not less… more … erm … Different!
What has remained is the danceability, the cutting sequences in the basses, the typical sound of old school synths that they happily drag on stage. Also an abundance of variation: from modest and drenched in minimal songs as ‘Es Gibt So Tage’, ‘Elítisti’ and ‘Ferienpalast’ to danceable songs as ‘Die Ferne’ and ‘Vi Är Hubots’, permeated with EBM fragments. If you prefer something more fluffy and psychedelic, but still firm enough to make your legs move, listen to ‘Neuer Rückfall’.
‘Land Aller Freunde’ proves once more electronic roads can also lead to synth-pop land. A somewhat more driven rhythm, an uptempo track without really erupting completely.
The vocoder is assigned to appear on several tracks. The spacey sounds are typical of the foreign folks of Staatseinde. ‘2023’ sounds as futuristic as possible and, as track 5 on the B-side, takes us to the end of this extremely great vinyl.
In recent years, Staatseinde has already provided us with some fine releases and ditto performances. But, as stated before, you have to experience them live, because their strong minimal synth-wave songs sound even stronger live than they do on vinyl. This ‘Fehlerlinie’ is anything but a “Fehler”, but again an excellent feat by these traveling-light-years-at-dizzying-speed great Dutchmen. Buy that shit through Medical Records or at their gigs, many of which I hope will be on Belgian soil.