Lindstrøm & Prins Thomas
II
2009
Lindstrøm and Prins Thomas are both Norwegian musicians working under the relatively new musical banner of 'space disco'. They take extended dance numbers and perpetually layer and layer until the songs barely resemble themselves. Individually, Hans-Peter Lindstrøm put out a triumphant and brave solo record "Where You Go I Go Too" last year while Thomas Moen Hermansen (Prins Thomas) continued his craft with a multitude of remixes. Together though, they put out transcendent and epic grooves that take their time to unfold. These guys may be coming from a dance music background, but there are pure psychedelic jams to be found on "II".
I give this record credit for reinvigorating my interest in kosmische musik, german prog/art-rock of the late '60s-70s. "II"'s propulsive rhythms and airy atmospherics recall at times the fluid and constant progression of Neu!'s motorik groove and the space-age sonic sheen of Harmonia's synthesizer constructions. These tunes are composed of guitars, a wide array of sampled drums, bongos, etc and synthesizer blasts. They've created a unique harmony of acoustic and digital sounds while still retaining their futuristic vision. Even though some of this sounds like Jan Hammer breaking free from the pop form (9:23 onward on "Note I Love You + 100") and the music is admittedly smooth; nothing here falls prey to petty nostalgic trends. Instead we're treated to some of the spaciest, most unique outputs in modern dance music. -S.R.
What really impresses me about this album is the way its music changes so seamlessly. The way a song sounds when it begins and ends is completely different, yet there’s never a moment when a shift in arrangements feels unnatural at all. This is not electronic music that pumps you up and makes you want to dance; it is an album that encourages you to meditate in ways you likely never have before. - Phil
Lindstrom was my favorite act I saw at Pitchfork, hands down.
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