Laub – Kopflastig

Laub's debut, KOPFLASTIG, starts off in classic IDM fashion: reversed sounds, twitchy sounds, and then the German vocals, both spoken and sung, ghosting their way in. Greie-Fuchs's take center stage on "Mikado," however, which has less to do with Gilbert and Sullivan and more to do with abstracted pop music. The melodic content of the songs is almost an afterthought, even if they're present in the vocals, but their rhythmic sense seems to take precedence. They introduce other moods too: "Frei" has some more hiss and aggression to it (similar to the more industrial percussion of "Tanze"), while "Im Innern Ist Es" is like a laser battle at a blues ranch. Some quick breaks liven up "Vielleicht," but I like the wobbly percussion and watery guitars on "Risse" better. With this first album, they're still finding their way, but it's perfect for those who like their pop a little more avant-garde.