Review Summary: Schnellertollermeier's fifth album offers a thrilling demonstration of rhythmic maximalism.
Swiss trio Schnellertollermeier have been churning out a heady mix of krautrock, math rock and noise for over a decade. Their latest record, 5, is (unsurprisingly) their fifth to date and arguably their best.
As with the rest of Schnellertollermeier's discography, 5 is an entirely instrumental album featuring nothing other than guitar, bass and drums. Needless to say, the band use these instruments to maximum effect, carefully weaving together mini-opuses which ride subtle rhythmic shifts and developments towards satisfying payoffs.
Reviewers/critics have largely described Schnellertollermeier's M.O. on 5 as "minimalism" (a label also used by the band themselves). However, while the record is harmonically and melodically minimal, it's decidedly maximal in terms of its treatment of rhythm. Opener “209 Aphelion” begins with a monotonous yet oblique bass line, yet guitars and drums steadily enter the mix, progressing through a variety of rhythmic evolutions and shifts. This sets the tone for the rest of the album, with its seven tracks slowly creeping up on you as they subtly add extra notes, repetitions and layers.
This perhaps doesn't sound like much on paper (or on screen), yet 5 is definitely an album that equals more than the sum of its parts. Guitars generally remain clean throughout (save for some use of delay), yet their winding complexity make for a hypnotically thrilling experience. The same goes for the drums and bass, which interlock with the guitar to create more polyrhythms than you can probably count.
Sadly, 5 has passed much of the music-listening public by in silence. This is a shame, if only because it really does stand out in a world of regurgitated 'post-punk' and inoffensive indie.
