The Notwist – Close to the Glass

Germans Jumping Genres

The Notwist are a German indie rock band with heavy electronic elements. They are true veterans with this being their 8th release. While I am not terribly familiar with their previous releases after doing some research I can conclude that they like to switch genres quite a bit. They started off as punk, then purely electronic and now indie rock that drips with electronic back beats and loops. It makes for a pretty cool listening experience.  Track 3 “Kong” is the strongest and most infectious track. It starts out slow but then carries you away with the melody and groove and ends with a tasty electronic bit. On the other hand tracks 5 & 10 are mostly acoustic with simple sweet melodies and orchestral accompaniment. Overall every track has its own unique sound and vibe yet flows easily into the next.

Recommended tracks: 3, 7, 6, 5, 9, 2, 1 all

RIYL: ambient indie rock

Label: Sub Pop

Reviewed by Emilie Stafford