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review by Dene Bebbington This second album from Gerald Arend (a.k.a Klangwelt) explores the world of numbers and mathematics through his own distinctive musical aesthetic, and while not re-treading old ground, the general style will be familiar to anyone who has heard his debut Weltweit. With a running time of over seventy-eight minutes, there's a lot of music on offer, and it's a testament to Gerald's talent that it doesn't begin to pall or seem like filler which can sometimes happen on long albums. In the best traditions of European electronic music, The Age of Numbers tends towards pleasing rhythms and melodies mixed with sequencing; the influence of artists like J.M.Jarre, Tangerine Dream, and Vangelis can be detected. What I particularly like about Klangwelt's music is how the sequencing is typically an integral part of the melody and/or rhythms, rather than just a structure around which other sounds are hung. This gives the music a real sense of wholeness. So, this is an EM album, yet an interesting element is how the album begins. The opening track, "Zero," starts with the sounds of a ticking clock, statically distorted voices, and electronic effects. Then, nearly two minutes in a melody and rhythm get underway which are electronic but the style is redolent of a Latin or Mediterranean dance using acoustic instruments. All of the subsequent tracks are rhythmic and melodic in nature, though the moods vary somewhat from mysterious in "Enigma," Berlin school in "Self Similar," uplifting in "Lucky Numbers," to contemplative and slightly sad in "The Beauty of Numbers." Despite the tracks being individual, and perhaps because of the hallmark sonic territory that Klangwelt uses, the album doesn't come across as being disjointed. The Age of Numbers deserves a high recommendation. While not breaking new ground, it's a classy package (I include the liner notes here with their colourful fractal pictures) which can get one's toe tapping or even bring a smile to one's face in places as the feel of this album is generally positive despite some variation in mood. |
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