During the seven years that separated
Close to the Glass
and
Vertigo Days
, the members of
the Notwist
ventured across the globe with other projects that gave them fresh ideas for the band's music. It's a creative process they've used since the days of
Shrink
, but the results are never exactly the same. This time,
question what it means to be in a band, and their seeking reveals homespun sweetness, seemingly ancient storytelling, and the majesty of an orchestra all in a single album.
' ranginess suits
; after all, they've always resisted easy categorization, and they've rarely sounded as loose and spontaneous as they do here (their 2016 live album
Superheroes, Ghostvillains & Stuff
comes the closest to its in-the-moment energy). The album's scope is so big that its smaller moments could get lost in the shuffle, but its details are just as memorable as its broad strokes.
' centerpiece "Into the Ice Age" does indeed reach dizzying heights with its crest of guitars, piano, saxophone, and
Angel Bat Dawid
's clarinet, yet the tiny, fuzzy interlude "Stars'' makes just as much of an impression. The album's sheer momentum carries along moments big and small, and its kinetic sweep reaches its peak on highlights like the dense, driving
Juana Molina
cameo "Al Sur'' and "Ship," which uses the contrast between its clanging Motorik beat and the delicate voice of
Tenniscoats
'
Saya
expertly. Longtime
Notwist
fans will be happy to hear them get back to the anything-goes heart of post-rock on songs such as the haunting "Oh Sweet Fire," where
Markus Acher
trades vocals with
Ben LaMar Gay
over instrumentation that folds hints of dub and jazz into its flow. Nor have they lost any of their ability to lock onto their listeners' emotions since
Neon Golden
became their breakthrough nearly 20 years prior:
Acher
still sounds effortlessly vulnerable on the ironically beaming "Sans Soleil" and when he sings about the necessity of togetherness and solitude on "Into Love/Stars." By the time
comes full circle with "Into Love Again," he and the rest of
have taken their audience on a wild and wise journey of the heart. ~ Heather Phares