Articles
2007 Top 10s and 20s
2007 Artist Picks
Meissner Interview

Albums
7 Hertz
Aarktica
Alka
Axiotronic
Dale Berning
BJNilsen & Z'ev
John Callaghan
Cousin Lou
Dif:use
Disrupt
Domink Eulberg
Donna Regina
Eedl
Erstlaub
FF Burning & BC Motel
Fibla
Figurines
Fond Of Tigers
Freescha
Brian Grainger
Inhabitants
Klimek
Liquid Stranger
Low Res
Mlle Caro & Franck Garcia
Northern
Adam Pacione
Part Timer
Steve Peters
Phreakon
Pig & Dan
Pinch
Rechenzentrum
Sebastien Roux
Sciajno & English
The Seasons
Slow Dancing Society
Steinbrüchel
Talvekoidik
Translations
Ulver
Uusitalo
Tony Wilson 6Tet
Wilson/Lee/Bentley

Compilations/Mixes
15 Exitos Grandes
Steve Lawler
Pole
Sven Väth

3"/ 7"/ 10"/ 12"/ EPs
Ada
Alland Byallo
Formication
Tim Hecker
Hybernation
Karoshi Bros
Lilienweiss
Move D
Tor Lundvall
Shreber Harber Mole FW
Sun Electric
Amon Tobin
Gez Varley

Talvekoidik: Silent Reflections
Brume

Talvekoidik (German musician Kai Christian Hahnewald) gives a symphonic boost to Silent Reflections' neo-classical moodscapes by slathering the material with piano and brooding strings and infusing it with Scandinavian, Baltic, Arabic and African musical flavour. Hahnewald's Talvekoidik (an Estonian word that means foggy, winter-like atmosphere) material is suitably dense, epic in design but melancholy in character. The album gets off to a strong start with the alternately brooding and uplifting “Such a Perfect Day.” Though offset by churning machine beats and muffled by a heavy, almost oppressive thrum, a keening Celtic theme brings a lonely folk feel to “Rough Baltic Shore.” Shortly thereafter, Arabic percussion and melodies transport the listener to a different part of the world in “Sandstorm.” Hahnewald could exercise a bit more control over the epic dimension, however, as it can turn into bombast if not carefully reined in. Nightmarish beat clatter and sawing strings almost push “Eismeer” over the top, for example, and “Silent Reflections” verges on overwrought. It's certainly a generous package with three steamrolling remixes by Heimstatt Yipotash (a writhing breakcore treatment of “Eismeer”), Fragment King (a hammering “Atlas” mix), and 16pad Noiseterrorist (a Moog-saturated screechfest version of “Eismeer”) helping push the release over the seventy-six minute mark.

January 2008