Album Review: Adrift by Tarwater

Almost 20 years into a fruitful recording history, German duo Tarwater returned with Adrift, a collection of complexly layered electronic pop delivered with the slinking and sometimes obtuse approach the band had been refining for years. Often thrown under the post-rock banner due to both their deconstuctionist take on traditional song structures and Ronald Lippok's membership in successful post-rock instrumentalists To Rococo Rot, the hyperactive electronics and subdued, rolling chords and textures that make up Adrift sound more like a moody rock album from an alternate future. Even with straightforward sounds coming from upright bass, softly plucked nylon-string guitars, and smooth, jazzy drum tones, album opener "The Tape" has enough headphones-only electronic magic moving throughout the stereo field to make it sound alien.

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“We’re not minimalists,” says the Berlin-based electron duo of Tarwater, comprised of Ronald Lippok and Bernd Jestram, of their latest album, Adrift, in the accompanying press release. While they may insist that they’re not, the LP they’ve just created had me reaching to coin a new term: “Mini Pop”, as in minimalistic pop. However, after repeated listens, one may come to the conclusion that the group might be right after all.

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Berlin's electro-acoustic somnambulists Tarwater covered 'We All Stand' from New Order's Power, Corruption & Lies in 2012. The pace and sobriety of that tune fitted this band like a well-worn driving glove, the veteran of many a twilit autobahn. 'The Tape', opener on Adrift includes the lyrics "I'm not looking for a channel, I'm just looking for a tape" and "it's almost midnight, so try and smile and play back the tape".

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