This is one of those little releases that came out of absolutely nowhere (for me, at least) and has absolutely lodged its way into my speakers and makes me wonder why more people aren’t talking in gushing ways about it. The work of one Henry Smithson (aka the incredibly prolific producer Riton), Eine Kleine Nacht Musik is a loving homage to kraut music filtered through a modern prism and done up with an incredible pop sensibility.

That is to say that 10 tracks only run just over 40 minutes here, and although the album certainly has catchy hooks that wire their way into your brain, the extended jams are left at the door. Everything instead plays out in digestible little nuggets that make for seriously focused foot-tapping and then invite repeated replays.

Better yet is that although everything is certainly crisp and well-composed, it’s not one of those modern efforts that is so austere that it loses all of its fun. Lush analogue sweeps wash around motorik beats while some organic (or at least simulated organic) instrumentation like sitar, piano, and guitar augment the music and gives it at least a slightly human touch.

Smithson even manages to pack a great deal of variety into the fairly brisk running length. There are quiet nocturnal (naturally) moments that hinge on pretty melodies, some spaced-out trips that up the heart rate just a bit and even a couple full-throttle moments that kick it into another gear altogether. “Fageschäft” is a perfect example of the charm of the album, as synths and strings see-saw back and forth over cracking, choppy beats before everything finally weaves together into a lurching gem.

“Fageschäft” – Eine Kleine Nacht Musik

Elsewhere, “Besuchen Sie Mich Einmal” veers into sort of an instrumental hip-hop realm, while “Finster” sounds like an audition for a Neu tribute band and “Die Fontäne” mixes nothing but sitar and warm synths to great effect. “Feuerprobe,” though, is only one of several tracks that gives the listener a real rope-a-dope. Opening with a pastoral German country-side feel, it locks in about halfway through and rumbles into an autobahn-burning dance number that layers on some seriously dirty synths and percussion that builds into a frenzy by the end.

“Feuerprobe” – Eine Kleine Nacht Musik

If any of the above sounds at all appealing, you’re not going to go wrong with Eine Kleine Nacht Musik. I only hope this is the start of a long-running project from Smithson, as he’s stumbled onto something very potent here.

(buy Eine Kleine Nacht Musik at amazon.com)

1. Jon Says:
   March 6th, 2009 at 10:42 am

   Wow, the latter half of that second track certainly “slays”, as you say! Fantastic, lovely discovery…