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Ellen Allien is one of Germany’s foremost techno DJs and producers, and on her third album, Thrills, (released on her own Bpitch Control label) she evokes a moody collection of tunes that is equal parts Plastikman minimalism and Monolake-inspired experimentation. The concept of darkness and light pervades Thrills, the best examples being dense Atari-beep undercurrent on “Washing Machine is Speaking” set against its piercing melodic bridge. That same kind of counterpoint is heard on “Your Body is My Body,” which chugs ahead on a burping beat, but the track’s yawning, high-pitched synths and Allien’s sensual yet sparse vocals turn it into a shimmering masterpiece of atmospheric techno. The farting, raw and overloaded bass on “The Brain is Lost” sounds a lot like Mr. Oizo’s “Flatbeat,” but Allien’s haunted vocals truly add something alien and dystopian to the tune. She also shows off some great drum programming on the clicky breaks of “Down” and “Magma,” both poised for dance floors, and fans of the hypnotic grooves of acts like Tortoise and Manitoba/Caribou will eat up the rolling bass line on “Ghost Train” and kinetic electro of “Cloudy City.” All told, Thrills is an affecting album, both beautiful and compellingly weird, and a triumph for Allien musically. ellenallien.de, bpitchcoltrol.de-- review by Yuri Wuensch
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