Berlin has always been tied to the electronic development of many artists, whether they be fully fledged pop stars looking for a creative change or new artists developing their trade. Berlin is considered by many as a mecca of the wide swath of genre that encapsulate electronica.
Moderat is the collaboration between two heavy hitters of Berlins prolific electronic music world. Apparat who creates an atmospheric mix of the organic and electronic and Modeselektor who fall into a more electronic dance orientated groove. Together they have managed on two occasions to blend together their ideologies into new and exiting music. Driven by the rougher edge danced based percussion of Modeslektor mixed in with the organic instrumental textures, electronic synth pads and vocals of apparat.
This works because Apparat and Modeselektor have common ground, both are known for their experemental use of sound design throughout their tracks. Often turing found sounds and wildtracks into drum kits and background textures. This attention to detail gives us allot more to contemplate when listening to their music and on Moderat II we hear the same. Tracks will always have beds of interesting sounds bubbling underneath, adding to the overall feel of the album and the individual tracks.
Moderat II is also a perfect example of production as an instrument. All three musicians are virtuosos of the studio and On Tracks Like Damage Done, the isolated aesthetic of the overall track is aided by the use of tape delay echo and cold reverbs that add just as much for me as the instrumentation does.
If you want to hear an album that is at the forefront of berlin based electronica Moderat II covers this perfectly with a collection of varied tracks that manage to showpiece the best parts of modern electronica and production and yet come together to form an overall experience.