Tim Keiling's productions under the name
Erdbeerschnitzel have always taken an offbeat approach to house music, slicing up samples in a rapid-fire manner similar to
Akufen, but also emphasizing heavy bass grooves and thick, soulful melodies. Following his eclectic, glitchy 2009 digital full-length Pathetik Party, his numerous vinyl releases (including 2012 double LP Tender Leaf and EPs on Delsin and 3rd Strike Records) have emphasized the more dancefloor-friendly qualities of his music, often drawing influence from '80s R&B and disco. His 2015 full-length
The Attendants is easily his most experimental work to date, moving away from the dancefloor and creating more cerebral sound constructions incorporating electro-acoustic and minimalist influences. "Hessian Arc" opens with marimba-like percussion and stark snare drum hits, eventually bringing in digital choir sounds and ticking drum-machine beats. Many of the tracks recall the crunchy, skittery beats of late-'90s Warp Records, but with shadowy melodies and a few R&B vocal samples still tucked in. "Tennental" more closely resembles the Warp output of
Oneohtrix Point Never, eschewing beats for complex melodies and intense sound design. The album's closing track, "Seyden," finds
Erdbeerschnitzel returning to his hazy tech-house sound, but it seems a tiny bit more melancholic here than on previous recordings.
The Attendants is a stunning album from a highly creative, under-recognized artist. ~ Paul Simpson