Goodbye

On Ulrich Schnauss' third album Goodbye, he gently fades away from Boards of Canada style breakbeats and deep into a shoegaze slumber that drifts gently into an ethereal realm slightly reminiscent of Enigma, Ultravox, and at its most lush moments, Enya. Yes, Enya, but maybe only if she were to be produced by Kevin Shields. Breathy keyboard pads are at the forefront and this results in a more sleepy retro vibe derivative of '80s new age, which might be the trouble with this record. On previous albums, Schnauss seemed to be evolving into his own futuristic style of beat-making, but here the excessive layering seems to be a step backward, with less focus on the rhythmic IDM and electronica aspects, and more on the expansive soundscapes. The entire disc is washed out with a Tangerine Dream meditative lull that would fit perfectly as the soundtrack of a melodrama; perhaps if David Lynch made a lighter, happier version of Twin Peaks about characters addicted to Vicodin. Regardless of the genre shift into this sedated state and a lack of beats in the foreground, these songs are undoubtedly moving, and some of these tracks are among Schnauss' most structured and wonderfully cosmic. The epic "Medusa" and "Stars" have swelling vocal lines that swirl slowly with a fuzzy sheen as the soothing wall of sound builds to a climactic wash, and the overall result is a much fuller, dreamier sound, with a massive dosage of ambience. Turntablists will likely be disappointed with this style, but think of it as a change of scenery, of Schnauss' departure from electro to ambient. It's a tranquil journey that feels somewhat like an attempt to re-create the magic of Loveless using software and keyboards instead of guitars, and although it doesn't feel quite as fresh as A Strangely Isolated Place, Goodbye is striking and rewarding in its own way; it just might take a little more time to sink into the murky new agey abyss.