{"id":8497,"date":"2022-03-18T20:03:25","date_gmt":"2022-03-18T19:03:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/?p=8497"},"modified":"2025-11-30T11:49:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-30T10:49:29","slug":"electric-mud-the-inner-world-outside","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kessel-tamerus.nl\/Esthers_Blog\/cd-recensie\/electric-mud-the-inner-world-outside\/","title":{"rendered":"Electric Mud \u2013 The Inner World Outside"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Electric Mud is a German prog art project that makes instrumental albums.
The band consists of Hagen Bretschneider and the multi-instrumentalist Nico Walser.
Their fifth album, ‘The Inner World Outside’ also features a number of guest musicians. These include composer\/keyboardist Timo “Timoog” Aspelmeier (also a drummer) and David Marlow, who provided the orchestral programming and played some of the percussion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

‘Exploring the great wide nothing’ begins very quietly, the musical instruments melting together. The atmosphere remains dreamy, but the volume slowly increases. When the volume decreases a little, the sound of the strings comes to the fore. This opening track flows into ‘The fear within’. The rustling sound (of rain) is combined with music that gives the impression of a didgeridoo. The mysterious music flows nicely back and forth over the headphones. Sometimes the music is more in the foreground, other times it is the mysterious sounds. Unnoticed, there are sometimes quite a few layers. There are also various details, such as the sound of an acoustic guitar. Some details you only hear after a few listens. The “wordless choir vocals” fits nicely into the whole, but could have sounded a bit grander.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the sound of the intro of ‘Around the mind in 80 lies’ had been a bit fuller\/warmer, this would have had real cinematic allure. The cool bass tones form a nice combination with the higher tones that are varied in sound. Unexpectedly, acoustic guitar play can be heard. Due to the large changes, this track seems to have several chapters. Again, there are all kinds of sound effects and “orchestral additions”. The sound of the cymbals is a bit dull, but the electric guitar play is beautiful. The transition to the string instruments (played by Judith Retzlik) is special. Because there are very few added sounds, it comes into its own. The end of this song and the transition to ‘Those who leave the world behind’ is unusual, yet captivating. After a melancholic beginning, the change to a more cheerful piece is a bit messy. The turns that follow are also unusual, but go well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Especially the first part of ‘Guardians of the weather machine’ is so experimental that it is almost impossible to describe what you are hearing. The special blends and details can also be heard in the tracks that follow. The number of layers in the music varies, as does the tempo. Sometimes the rhythms seem to go against each other. There is a lot of difference in pitch of the instruments. Not only at different times, but sometimes also at the same time. The same applies to the differences in volume, yet it is almost always balanced. One of the things that are not quite balanced are the high keyboard sounds in ‘Descent into the forsaken valley’, they are a bit too loud. Finally, ‘Moving on’ is a peaceful short track with different layers of piano sounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the tracks you sometimes hear at the same time one instrument\/programming that has a clear sound, and another part that is a bit dull or bland. These differences in sound quality are also present in the instruments themselves, but at different times, like the sound of the cymbals. ‘The Inner World Outside’ is an album that has to grow, because you keep hearing new things. There are various influences such as a touch of jazz and a pinch of Asian elements. Together with all kinds of mysterious sounds and effects, this has become a special blend. This (art rock) album is best enjoyed listening with headphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(81\/100) (Own Management)<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

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