Black Noise
Rough Trade ***

ELECTRONICA:There's much to like about Hendrik Weber's sleek, delicate, sparse, minimal soundscapes. As the German producer showed on his much-admired previous album, This Bliss, he has a knack for fine- tuning grooves that balance robust techno yearnings with more cerebral electro-acoustic cravings. What's interesting about Black Noiseis the quiet drama to be found in the fabric of the tracks. When you're least expecting it, numbers such as the dark, lonesome Behind the Stars and the glistening cinematic swoon of Welt Am Drahttake strange, alluring turns, and you find yourself eavesdropping on a completely different narrative. Weber hooks up with Noah "Panda Bear" Lennox on Stick to My Side, a brilliant collaboration because both producers know just how those quirky pop flourishes should work. Black Noise is happy to send you home daydreaming. www.panthadu prince.com

Download tracks: Stick to My Side, Welt Am Draht