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Dust

Ellen Allien

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iTunes Review

Berlin’s Ellen Allien is a one-woman, beats-producing powerhouse: after dozens of releases in a decade and a half, running her own record label, producing other artists, and starting a clothing line, she still finds the creative energy to change and experiment. On Dust, Allien lightens things up following the cool, detached tones of 2008’s Sool, and seems more bent on a warmer, more human vibe. Opening track “Our Utopie” is a soothing, pulsating vapor trail of beats, hinting at the more organic feel ahead. There are traces of Sool’s minimalism (“My Tree”), Latin funk (“Huibuh”), as well as dance-floor gold (the bubbling “Ever,” the tongue-in-cheek “Flashy Flashy,” the funky “Dream”). “Sun the Rain” is driven by a gentle guitar thrumming, and “You” kicks the guitars up to something approaching melancholy indie-pop that club kids of all stripes could shimmy to. It’s a delight to see Allien branching out, and cross-pollinating electronica with its distant cousins. Genre blurring should always be this much fun.

Customer Reviews

Expectations aside...

I like this album. Or, rather, half of it. Ellen, on the other hand, I love completely.

There are some very compelling tracks here. A few are too simple for their own good. The simplcity, of "Our Utopie" and "Ever" works to help relax, charm, and center the listener. The idea, being: Follow Ellen's example from the cover art: Close your eyes and sway.

"Our Utopie" is more of the subtle throbbing that we found on her Thrills album, but without the brooding.

According to an interview from the artist, "Flashy Flashy" is the hard-thumping tale of meeting her boyfriend, for the first time, on a dancefloor -- let's just say they made some effective eye contact. A good "four on the floor" club-friendly track.

"My Tree" is my personal favorite, if only for the clarinet near the end. It's what her Sool album might have been if it was thawed out a bit.

"Sun the Rain" is glistening, bubbly, guitar-ness. I highly recommend it.

"Should We Go Home" is best saved for foggy nights in October. A wonderful, complex, composition -- but not what I wanted to hear.

"Ever" is a great example of what is good and bad about this album. It's addictive, punchy, and satifying. But, the bass-line that is so triumphant and addictive, never varies. This track is knocking on the door of greatness -- it needs a little push to get there. Very enjoyable, nonetheless.

"You" is fun, but lightweight. More guitars. I don't like guitars.... ;)

"Dream" just goes nowhere. I can work-out to this track, but that's about it.

"Huibuh" delights me. This is drinking a mojito while watching a Brazilian sunset -- lazily. It's got a bit of Peter Gabriel-ish languor. It asks: "what can we do? to feel hui bui buh?". Dance? Drink? Breathe? Ok.

"Schlumi" is built with some bongo drums and a buzzing synth horn. It makes for an intellectually rewarding listen, but it's just a little to restrained to captivate me like something from her Berlinette album.

Ellen's Earth.

I am really into this new Ellen Allien. The beats are everything from frosty to slightly droning low ends. A cheerfulness underlies many of the tracks, even when her ghostly vocals begin to swirl throughout. The occasional wall of Guitars also shows its head once in awhile, offering a distorted Pop edge. Especially with the track "You." "Flashy Flashy" & "Dream" are the standout tracks for me at the moment. This is Nature, the Ellen Allien way.

Biography

Born: Germany

Genre: Electronic

Years Active: '00s, '10s

Like a lot of dance music producers, Berlin's Ellen Allien has had her hands in just about every aspect of her field. Allien's immersion into dance music began during an extended stay in London, at the height of the acid house phenomenon. Shortly after returning home she got into DJing, and by 1993 she had spun at Fischlabor, Tresor, and a number of other significant clubs. Throughout the remainder of the '90s, she hosted programs on Berlin's Kiss FM, worked at the Delirium record shop, operated...
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