Detailed Reviews [Electric Mud - 2022 - "The Inner World Outside"]

Prolusion. German band ELECTRIC MUD have since they started out in 2011 first and foremost been the creative vehicle of main men Hagen Bretschneider and Nico Walser from what I understand. From 2013 and until today they have released 6 studio albums under the Electric Mud moniker. "The Inner World Outside" is the most recent of these, and was issued through German label Timezone Records at the start of 2022.

Analysis. It would appear that this latest Electric Mud album is one where the band have changed character quite a lot, and the music alongside it. There are four instrumentalists involved now, while founding member Bretschneider appears to restrict his role to the one of the creator this time around. The music is one that is really rather difficult to describe. One might say that the compositions here do revolve around something of an ambient foundation, as calm and relaxed sounds and textures do dominate a lot of the playtime. But that description doesn't really give justice to everything that is happening throughout this production and this journey. Instruments with a stronger connection to folk music are used extensively to bring in small details and some dominant motifs from that musical realm, and majestic organ surges and textures add a distinct sacral touch when present. Dramatic symphonic oriented surges as well as more delicate excursions of a similar nature have space and room here, and on the subject of space we do get some cosmic sounds to enjoy on occasion. Cinematic and atmospheric laden passages come and go throughout, and timeless folk-tinged movements and futuristic chamber music tinged creations sit nicely side by side here. Careful eruptions into a more progressive rock oriented landscape is a part of the totality, with aspects of neo-progressive rock and symphonic progressive rock the most common among those. That we get a few possible jazz-tinged excursions in here as well probably isn't all that much of a surprise I guess.

Conclusion. While I suppose many will describe this album as being closer to ambient music than anything else out there, for my sake I will stress that there's an expressive spirit and approach at hand here, and that the cinematic and atmospheric laden passages alongside the occasional progressive rock oriented surges does add a few extra dimensions to this production as well. An album that perhaps will have a bit of a niche appeal, and most certainly a production that is uncommon in many ways. Expressive cinematic material made with a progressive approach may be a possible summary here, and an album worth checking out for those who find such a description interesting.

Progmessor: March 2022
The Rating Room