BnB Review: Klartraum - Evolution

Written by Youri Jozee

Minimal -

Berlin-based Klartraum’s are about to release their debut album Evolution, a display of the duo’s minimal house and techno sound. Can it withstand today’s fierce competition?

First, let’s take a closer look at who Klartraum are. The duo consists of Helmut Ebritsch and Nadja Lind, who have been working together since 2006 after meeting through a producer website, and soon went on to release stuff on Soma, Silicone Soul’s Darkroom Dubs and Morris Audio. And while their sound definitely reflects the often warm, clubby sound of aforementioned labels, their often minimally structured compositions also remind of groups and artists such as Kollektiv Turmstrasse, Luciano, and Extrawelt. In other words: deep, dreamy, elegantly crafted minimal house and techno with nods to deep house and progressive. Now that’s something we hear everyday, so Klartraum better have something really extraordinary in store to meet today’s high standards.

Lucky for us, we’re not disappointed. Composed of 15 lengthy tracks, Evolution has become an almost cinematic approach to stripped electronic music, with each track serving as a tool to create the proverbial bigger picture. After the 10+-minute Unique Shadows, a drum-riddled and bass-fueled tune that slowly builds up to a very emotive cut, the album continues to present tunes that all have one thing in common: emotion. Minimal music often has the tendency to sound static, cold, deprived of a human touch, but Evolution is exactly the opposite. One of the best examples of this is the absolutely wonderful Past Lives, a tune that despite its simple structure sounds incredibly intense, with beats and bass forming an emotive representation of basement romance. At all times, even during ‘heavier’ moments such as Neti Neti and Passion, the album manages to sound subtle, with an ever present feel of love for the music shining through. The second half of the album does contain a few tracks that may not sound all that fresh or innovative, but on the overall, Evolution is a very convincing debut that promises a bright future for the duo.

Our verdict:
Evolution is recommended to anyone who fancies their minimal bits both warm and elegant as chunky and club-proof. A refreshing album that’s definitely worth your cash.

Rating: 8.0/10
Label: Lucidflow
Release date: August 8^th, 2011

Tracklist:
01. Unique Shadow
02. Push Yourself
03. Past Lives
04. Lenny
05. Substance
06. Neti Neti
07. Pain Relief
08. Growth
09. Passion
10. All Dimensions
11. Angelo
12. Beyond Illusion
13. Causal Waves
14. Inner Sky
15. Unique Self