Latest releases reviewed

SWOD
Gehan
City Centre Offices
****

Ghostly piano music ebbing from the shadows is Swod's highly commendable schtick. Swod-mates Oliver Doerell and Stephan Wöhrmann are longstanding fixtures on both the City Centre Offices and Berlin electronic scenes, with prior releases as Dictaphone and many theatre, film and art installation works under their collective belt. Gehen is a gorgeous palette of sounds, its drifting and absorbing light-fingered piano lines given the slightest and subtlest of electronic tinkering. Naturally, the "music for an imaginary film" chestnut will be dragged out to be roasted once again. But unlike the work of many wannabe Barrys, Schifrins or Herrmanns, much of Gehen can stand up without being saddled to the silver screen. What perhaps Erik Satie would have been producing had he spent the 1990s raving before discovering the mellower side of the road.

www.city-centre-offices.de