Tympanik Audio, 2010
Sebastian Ehmke’s new album, L36, is a journey into the realms of the human soul where demons and angels confront each other in a battle to take over the body’s mind. This album shows how his music can take listeners deep within, if they are willing to let themselves go places they never even thought could exist. It’s a wakening call for troubled souls seeking relief from the real cannibalistic world that surrounds them.
This work focuses on deep and beautiful melodies, calm and relaxing in some parts, but also dark and sort of heavy at the same time. Mixed-up textures and chords from clean guitars form over bassy synths on top of glitchy beats and noises, creating an atmosphere where stars might be born and collapse at the same time. It is an album that crosses the lines (or maybe just joins them, really) between post rock and electronica, with some vague resemblance to industrial.
Cosmic waves of gentle notes are backed up by heavy guitar riffs, supporting each other in a marvelous world where hope is the only way forward. The artwork is also something to be aware of—it represents exactly the mood of the album: sometimes cold, sometimes profound, sometimes even simple, and sometimes just a place to find yourself and settle down. These are extremely well-crafted and beautifully constructed compositions, sending out a message that everything will be okay at the end of the day.