WHO ELSE | VINYL RECORD (LP)

LP version. Printed inner sleeve. Who Else is the new album by Modeselektor. It has been in the works for two years and was made within a month. It's a record offering essential Modeselektor, a record formed by experience, self-confidence, and the usual madness. It raises a question and answers it straight away. Who Else is yet another counteraction to boredom and formulaic approaches. Hear Modeselektor casually kicking against the pricks. Somebody's gotta do it. Who else? Technical knowledge and craftsmanship have improved their creative process, but in the studio they are driven by the same old things. It's the quest for the beat they haven't made yet, the eternal hunt for the perfect mix. No bass drum sounds like the other on this record, no snare repeats itself in a different track. Each hi-hat is tailor-made, no synth sound recycled on another occasion. This isn't one of those predictable techno records, and that's what makes it such an effort: the endless search for new sounds while always bearing in mind that less is more. Who Else represents the sound of Berlin in all it's ambivalence. Lead single "Wealth" is a hip-hop track featuring London grime artist Flohio. "WMF Love Song" pays tribute to the long-gone formative Berlin club, but who could call these relentless UK vibes nostalgic? Estonian rapper Tommy Cash parties on the crunchy and playful "Who", Otto von Schirach lends his screams to the dark industrial techno of "I Am Your God". And there's many other tracks that show Modeselektor rambling, raving, experimenting, or just enjoying themselves. Is all of this considered hot and valuable by dance industry standards? Doesn't matter, they don't play by these rules too much. Who Else is a record freed from outside pressure, only driven by a personal ambition to once more put out a great album.