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And now, with "Mind over Matter" Solitary Experiments have advanced considerably on what those earlier works hinted at. The band have opted for a somewhat poppier sound with this one but don't fret, there are plenty of classic sounding electro moments to be found. "Apologize" is an out and out ballad, very tastefully done. Most of the album is aimed directly at the dance floor with high tempo tracks and razor sharp programming. Slowly, each layer is introduced until the final result will accept only capitulation. Interestingly, two members write the music and the third, Dennis Schober strictly does vocals. The two compositional styles of Michael Theilmann and Steve Graeber are similar but I'd prefer to see Graeber write more of the music in the future as his tracks "Still Alive" and "War & Peace" are the standouts by virtue of how bright and colourful the sounds he chooses are. His variation in beats and rhythms aren't something I'm going to discourage. I'm not saying that this sort of music needs to be syrup laden pop but a break from the maudlin, monochromatic norm is always welcome. The bonus disc has all live tracks culled from various performances over the last few years and they, more than anything else show just how far this band has come. This is a very talented bunch of Germans who have managed to rise above some very formidable competition. "In the absence of light... Darkness prevails". PETER MARKS |
