Böser Herbst adds to
Thomas Fehlmann's side discography of commissioned work as the soundtrack to Herbst 1929 – Schatten über Babylon, the supplemental historical documentary for the third season of the German television series Babylon Berlin. Overall, it's a couple shades darker and more dreamlike than the producer's work a few years earlier for 1929 – Das Jahr Berlin. Although the material is unobtrusive for its purpose as accompaniment for archival footage, narration, and commentary, it's engrossing purely as a listening experience. It alternates with fluidity between beatless and pulsing pieces, occasionally pattering or chugging along in
Fehlmann's familiar dub-informed style. The tracks lacking forward motion integrate samples of 1920s recordings with just as much creativity as those that have it, and are all worthy of the Kompakt label's Pop Ambient division. ~ Andy Kellman