Tellingly, the first thing I thought when I heard that Basteroid was releasing a 12” in tribute to the Wiener Schnitzel was, “I can’t wait to see what ridiculous heights the press release will go to this time.” True to form, the press release was a detailed six-step recipe on how to prepare a Schnitzel dinner. Luckily, Areal has yet to reach a Morrissey-type situation where the song titles and press information is more interesting than the actual music. “Schnitzelmachine” is actually a bit of a departure for Sebastian Riedl (aka Basteroid,) who’s always been the most delightfully obnoxious producer of Areal when it comes to squelching beats and pure overdriven melodic assault. On both tracks, the edges of tension are now much more sleek, stark and agile, and remain mostly unresolved. Compared to the relative messiness and viscerality of Riedl’s earlier releases, “I, The Schnitzelmachine,” is like a formally tumultuous person trying to learn to express himself more efficiently without resorting to his once familiar tactic of full-on venting. In that respect it makes this release equally enveloping and frustrating, but overall worth hearing.

Areal / 035
[Michael F. Gill]