Gas - Rausch (Album Review)

 

Gas - Rausch

(2018)


My copy: 2018 press by Kompakt.


Following the height of his popularity with the release of Pop in 2000, Wolfgang Voigt took a break from Gas until his return in 2017. Rausch is the second revival album from 2018, and focuses more on relaxed, transcendental beats than any of the early Gas releases.

The album works best played continuously but on vinyl it is split into four untitled parts out of necessity, each movement comprising one of four sides on the double record. The A-side fades in with droning background noise, progressing cautiously so as to not give away its direction. There are only hints of percussion at first, with cymbal accents flickering amidst reversed effects and wide synths. The production is amazing and beautifully full. The mood is covert, like the back streets of a dimly lit metropolis. The synth bass eventually steadies, making way for a simple but effective techno beat. Everything simmers along though strings occasionally lash out to skewer the tone. Spacey pianos and organs balance out the fearful energy and the mix moans and creaks until fading away into the B-side. 

The second movement is more of the same though now Voigt has sprinkled in more consistent and soothing melodies that have been filtered through various effects. The reverse reverb ties things into IDM though the structure is more subdued here. The repetition and lack of experimentation becomes noticeable now as the album becomes more comfortable in weaving trance-inducing beats. Part three builds up a new ambiance for yet another beat drop. The rhythm is more varied here, and the melodic elements become more playful and subtle. Chimes quietly ring while cold synths stretch out of the mesh of effects. Part three is also the sweetest of the movements, with part four again losing and regaining its beat. 

The final passage has growling distortion, though the vibe is still meditative and faint. Voigt paints over the booming bass drum with a mixed bag of sounds from the prior movements, creating an uncanny blend that stumbles a bit. The movement focuses more on dark ambient right at the end, closing off just as it was getting more interesting. There are no experiments with time or deeply haunting moments here, but what is captured is well made and well layered. Rausch may not be Voigt’s most captivating release yet, but it is a subtle and relaxing wave pool of ambient techno that’s been given the utmost care in regards to production.

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