Garten der Asche - Nemesis

It's been a while since we heard from South African act Garten der Asche : 6 years, in fact. Those with long memories may recall their previous releases from 2006, including "Born From the Ashes" and "Silent Fight", or that in 2005 they opened for VNV Nation's South African dates. It's a bold move for anyone to come back into the fold after such a lengthy absence, and they are no doubt aware that people will be judging this release with some degree of scepticism. But Garten der Asche should have nothing to fear, because this release ticks all of the boxes : edgy, well produced, club friendly electro industrial.

In their period of silence, Paul and Philbrey have been separated by the distance between the UK and South Africa. No doubt this makes things a little trickier in the production department, but it doesn't seem to have hampered their efforts.

The EP launches straight into "Nemesis", easily the strongest original club track on this offering. A lush cascading synth shimmers out of nowhere, leading us straight into sharply crafted beat and harsh vocals, courtesy of Philbrey. This is ultra danceable, slick electro industrial that should by all rights see a fair bit of club play.

"Patriot, Act! V2" follows with a more martial tilt. The synths crackle with electro static distortion, sitting nicely alongside somewhat cleaner vocals delivered by Paul. Another solid dance track here.

The third and final original recording, "Remember v2" is a little less inspiring. I guess the 80's synth influence is intentional here, but it seems to fall a bit flat in this context. The vocals seem to be just a little too distorted, losing what could have added a bit of impact.

Four remixes finish off the EP, and before we get too much further I have something important to say :

The Acretongue remix is worth the price of the whole album. It's one of the most incisive tracks I've heard in a while, a masterstroke of synth authority. Click the bandcamp link at the top of this page and get your credit card out, folks.

Following closely behind is the System:FX remix, another fine foray into dancefloor supremacy. The beats are more forward here, with harsh guitars setting off the track's tightly controlled abrasion.

I won't hesitate to recommend this to DJs who are looking for something fresh to send out onto the dancefloor. It is a solid offering that will hopefully re-awaken recognition for Garten der Asche. I'm looking forward to hearing more from this duo. Feb 12 2013