Einsturzende Neubauten - Supporter's Album

Over the last year or so, Einsturzende Neubuaten have been runnig their website with a supporter section. This allowed dedicated fans to make a monetary contribution, which gave them an email address at neubuaten.org, access to interviews and other fotoage of the band and the ultimate reward, an exclusive album for the supporters.

Along the way, they added two 'free to download' live albums and more and more video feeds showing the production of the new album. One of the biggest bonus's of the website is the ability to purchase high-bitrate copies of almost all their earlier work, including the sought after 2x4, Die Hamletmachine and everything obscure. Yes, they charge per second of track downloaded but it does work out relative cheap.

The new album arrived by post in September. A carboard sleeve with the tracklisting printed inside (not as useful as a plastic case but it does look rather nice folded out). And the two bonuses with the package was a large posted folded up inside, that listed the names of all the supporters and the hand numbered print number on the CD sleave.

Onto the sound of the album. Nine tracks, all merging into a whole that is very reminiscent of their earlier work, around the time of Strategies Against Architecture Volume 1.

Track listing is as follows:

1. Dead Friends (Around the Corner)
2. Perpetuum Mobile
3. X
4. Ein seltener Vogel (Bunkerversion)
5. Airplane Miniature #4
6. Airplane Miniature #3
7. Insomnia
8. Selbstportrait mit Kater
9. Compressors in the Dark

No track stands out over any other, however, this is what I have come to expect with Neubauten's albums. The tracks by themselves are awesome but they all come together as a album that presents a sonic experiment. Dead Friends brings back some of Blixa's insane throaty screams amidsts layed back beats and metallic rhythym. Perpetuum Mobile is a strong return to early industrial sounds, with the majority of the song consisting of real world sound bites of steel, computers, and other noise. X feels and sounds like industrial-jazz, with an almost cutesy feel to it, a very infecteous tune. Ein seltener Vogel is an eerie track that is soft, mellow and very ambient like, with haunting overtones that remind me of being lost in a almost-nightmare dream world. This song has a most gorgeous and stunning ending. Both the Airplane Miniature songs seem to be manifestations of Blixa's sense of humour, short and amusing. Insomnia's sound matches it title, the soundscape it builds feels like you are lost in a half-asleep world waiting for your eyes to finally come too heavy, Blixa's voice however, keeps you waiting and hoping. Selbstportrait mit Kater is loud and reminds me of their earlier song Ein Stuhl in der Holle from the album Haus der Luge, very catchy and hypnotising. The final song on the album, Compressors in the Dark is very brooding and mellow, a great end to the supreme effort the band has put into this album.

Cost constraints have forced the band to start producing a commercial album to go with the supporter's album, with only a 30% cross over between them. Along with a promised world tour in 2004, which, the band themselves hope to include Australia. Futher to that, they are now doing a supporter product version two. This time, there is the choice between receiving a DVD or a CD or both at the end of the production.

More information can be found on their website at

• http://www.neubauten.org/

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