The Notwist
The Messier Objects
Release Date: Feb 3, 2015
Genre(s): Pop/Rock, Alternative/Indie Rock, Indie Rock, Indie Electronic
Record label: Alien Transistor
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Album Review: The Messier Objects by The Notwist
Average, Based on 5 Critics
Based on rating 7/10
During the years between 2008's The Devil, You + Me and 2014's Close to the Glass, the members of the Notwist kept themselves busy with solo projects and writing pieces for theater productions and radio plays, some of which are collected in Messier Objects. In the best possible way, the compilation lives up to its name: where Close to the Glass was remarkably polished and focused (and only featured one instrumental, the standout "Lineri"), the band revels in many different approaches and experiments on these tracks. While the percolating post-rock of "Object 9" and "Object 6" deliver more familiar sounds from the band in miniature -- and the 12-minute "Das Spiel Ist Aus" stretches them to epic length -- elsewhere, the Notwist dives into completely unfamiliar territory.
Based on rating 6.5/10
In the time between The Devil, You + Me (2008) and last year’s Sub Pop-debut Close to the Glass, the members of German plinkerpop quartet The Notwist have focused largely on solo projects. However, they also recorded a number of instrumental pieces for various film/theatre projects and radio plays. These have now been collected as Messier Objects, a soothing array of soundscapes and instrumental mood swings ranging from the blissfully atmospheric to the dismally melodic.
Based on rating 6/10
The Notwist's latest album, Messier Objects, is a collection of instrumental compositions culled from the scores they generated for various theatre productions and radio plays. The band have cited '70s soundtracks in particular as serving chiefly among their inspirations. The tracks featured on this collection are all instrumental and the bulk of them feature understated percussion or none at all.Despite the dominant role occupied by synthesizers on these compositions, their cohesion is achieved via the organic aesthetic of the production.
Based on rating 4/10
Head here to submit your own review of this album. Despite being The Notwist's eighth studio album, Messier Objects is in some respects older than its predecessor. Much of the material here was created prior to the recording of Close To The Glass, during which time the band members embarked on solo projects and scored theatre performances and radio plays.
Based on rating 2/10
To seasoned listeners of indie rock and electronica, it seems like the Notwist have been around forever. That may be because The Messier Objects, a collection of instrumental tracks supposedly intended as soundtracks for films, theater productions and radio dramas, is the German indie rockers 10th release since their first self-titled album was released nearly 25 years ago in 1991. Starting out as a noisy punk/metal band, most listeners probably became familiar with them after their breakout release, 2002’s Neon Golden.
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