Three of the most well-known and talented musicians in modernelectronic music reunite to follow up their 1999 release 'The MagicSound of...'. Their newest collaborative effort once again allows thetrio to exhibit their respective distinct styles in a way that is bothamazingly well balanced and beautifully matched. The playfulness andhumor found in both Rehberg and O'Rourke's work is evident, and whencombined with Fennesz' skillful subtlety, create an uncanny convulsivebeauty. The four pieces on 'The Return of...' total just over 40minutes. The first two, "Floating My Boat" and "A Viennese Tragedy"exemplify the all-over decoupage nature of the album. A collage oftwitters and low tones are enmeshed in orchestral touches, which lend aquirky and charmingly outmoded element to the digital noises. "FloatingMy Boat" is a marriage of the slow and the frantic, while theaptly-titled "A Viennese Tragedy" has something melancholic in itsinsectival chirping, metallic and aerial blares, and sublime patches.Also prevalent on this track is a heavy use of organic sounds, and theassembly of all these elements gives the sensation of an adroitlycontrolled chaos, which continues into the third piece, "Riding Again".Along with the final track, "We Will Diffuse You", the album evolvesinto an understated ocean of drones, interspersed by occassionaltwitchy bursts. The album's impishly abrupt ending is also strangelysuitable. 'The Return of Fenn O'Berg', with the charactistic warmth andaccessibility of its collaborators is a welcome one amongst the all-toofrequent distant and overly academic leanings of some artists in therealm of the laptop. Thankfully, some of the most gifted in themicrosound genre have decided to venture outside the ivory tower.
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