Burnt Friedman’s contribution to the ‘Explorer’ series draws on Berlin’s rich heritage of dance music, but seen through his own eyes and ears. With that in mind this collection of atmospheric music tends towards the slow side, though on tracks like ‘Sensation des Normalen’ he shows off an intriguing hotbed of styles such as the city would have, moving quickly and slowly in the same track, depending on how the listener approaches it. There is a really nice addition of soulful saxophone to ‘Berlin, a Cidade Que Não Morreu’ and to ‘Sky Speech’, giving an idea of the city’s panorama, while ‘Messdiener’ has a greater urgency. This is an atmospheric collection and carefully thought out, rewarding multiple listens as the layers are peeled away
Ben Hogwood
4 out of 5
BURNT FRIEDMAN – MUSICAL TRADITIONS IN CENTRAL EUROPE (EXPLORER SERIES VOL.4) – NONPLACE
