State Of Fear
Lilian Prod, 2023
8/10
A French outfit who are well versed in bass loops and post-rock ideas, Bärlin rarely sit in one place too long, as evidenced by these powerful 9 tracks that might remind you of Tuxedomoon, Morphine, Einstürzende Neubauten, or Portishead.
“Deer Fight” starts the listen with booming vocals, dense bass and crisp percussive sounds in the dark, mysterious textures, and “Revenge” follows with buzzing bass, growled singing and a nearly tribal spirit that’s quite atypical.
Halfway through, “Glowing Whale” enters cinematic territory with its dreamy waves and moody clarinet, while “Farewell Song” flows with a turbulent, heartbreaking demeanor via its low bass and quick bursts of drumming.
The title track arrives near the end, and is vocally haunting, almost scary, and is jagged in a very exploratory fashion, and “Sturm” exits the listen with an ominous haze of violin notes and precise whispering.
A very atypical listen that’s intimate, experimental and creative in profound, iconoclastic ways, this is a trio that needs to explored for those who prefer the unconventional.
Travels well with: Savana Funk- Ghibli; The Somnambulist- Some More Songs Lost In Themselves