Re: Talking About Memories - Static

Re: Talking About Memories

Static
City Centre Offices.

SCQ Rating: 73%

Hanno Leichtmann, like several Morr Music and CCO musicians of the past, has reminded me that I am one huge sucker for laid-back, German electronica. Not only because Re: Talking About Memories is yet another gorgeously slick production of emotionally-thick beats and melody, but also because these nine laptop-based songs are masquerading as full-blown pop songs. Leichtmann casts beautiful shimmers on just about every note, from the Ronald Lippok (of Tarwater) assisted vocals on ‘Return of She’ to the pastoral twilight of ‘A Song For You’.

An album of such obvious care requires some risk, and Leichtmann replies with an Assembly cover as well as the guitar-based ‘Point of Hope’. Although both featuring the often-awesome Christof Kurzmann on vocals, the album is progressively getting too easy to swallow. The former, ‘Never Never’ is well-executed and shows no shame over the album’s pop-priorities, but the latter is simply too safe – pleasant but too indistinguishable to pull at any heartstrings – and really, ‘Point of Hope’ could be sung by Jack Johnson, Shania Twain, or any American Idol contestant (it’s that generic). This lukewarm response is increasingly common during the tail-end of Re: Talking About Memories, as ‘Colours in Patches’ repeats earlier ideas and ‘The Moon Had a Crack’ is written about a bad pun. Despite some predictable song-writing, its prevailing sonic freshness might be enough to ward off widespread cynicism.

As far as electro-pop albums go, Static’s latest offering is slice after slice of break beats and melody. While it offers nothing new to the ever-expanding electronic talent coming out of Germany, it’s one of those records I’ll never stray too far from.