The Notwist
"Neon Golden"
(City Slang)

Germany's Notwist have been flying under the radar for the past seven years, slowly discovering a sound that could be uniquely associated with them. This sound is all over the latest and greatest effort, "Neon Golden", which
unfortunately is only available as an import at this time. But if any imports are worth tracking down and paying the price for this year, this is the one.

Although the collection of sounds presented here is undoubtedly Notwist, you can't help but notice the similarity of frontman Markus Archer's vocals to Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch, and the Autechre-like sounds that create
the backbeat of the album. Like tons of great rock n'roll before it, "Neon Golden" manages to fuse these two great sounds into a hypnotic blend of hooks and melodies that result in a chilling, intense brand of music. As
the album progresses from song to song, you will be wowed by the diversity of the band's sound, ranging from Radiohead-like electro-rock to lo-fi Folkways-styled pluckers.

Martin Gretschmann, probably more known as the brain behind Matador's Console, is responsible for the programming that backs Archer's soothing voice, and in the end is the key to the record. They manage to flirt with
kitschy pop on the single "Pilot", and get away with it. "Pick Up the Phone" also has a subtle dance undertone to it, but just the right amount of sadness and despair in Archer's voice to convince you otherwise. And on the
other standout single, "One With the Freaks" starts with a choppy beat intro before being transformed into an pop anthem reminiscent of New Zealand's indie wave.

In all, "Neon Golden" may be the great lost album of 2002, an album not distributed by a US label (and as of this article no plans yet) that deserves to be heard. Special order this one today!

-Karthik