Michael Mayer - &

Michael Mayer
&
2016
Spotify

Michael Mayer is one of the Colonge based DJs who started Kompakt records. He however unlike his other counterparts never fully got into the nitty gritty of techno music. His aims always seemed a bit more fun and less technical, dance was always at the heart and soul of the music He made. On this his third solo album each track features someone else whom He worked with on the record giving each track something very distinct yet unifying. The songs on & are light tunes with plenty of beat yet they still have a very technical element to them, something that is very hard to do. Your music can be fun and basic or technical and unappreciated but Michael Mayer does not subscribe to that paradigm. He is going to give you exciting anthems without sacrificing any of his ability. "Mind Games" is the first track where we actually get vocals though you would not have missed them if they were not there. The real star here however is the way that Mayer is able to work with others and have it elevate his music rather than overshadow or underwhelm it. The energy from Mayer's music is not one of slaving away in a basement finding this sound, but rather being out amongst people almost like a comedian who writes on stage.

The first track on the album "We Like to Party" is quite frankly some of the best music we have heard from Mayer. It captures all the playfulness and all the fun yet still maintains somewhat of a edge to make it exciting for the techno heads as well. "Voyage Interieur" which has a french spoken word overlay is the most techno track on the album and despite it being on the darker side of things still manages to have an intense low end. It hints at something sinister yet it still winks at you once the track is over. The moodiness on the record does not come across as some kind of angst but more like something cool and a bit mysterious. There are times like on "Blackbird Has Spoken" where it seems as though the technicality and soundscape creation take over a bit to much and loose some of that improvisational feel that is so nice on the rest of the record. the groove throughout the record however is simply undeniable, it is so fucking good. & may be a bit off the wall and out there for some, but when you listen you realize there is really something special going on with this music. Take a listen and dive in to the splendid somewhat kooky world of Michael Mayer.

8.0 out of 10