Fourth artist album from Bpitch Control queen Ellen Allien titled SOOL, is set for release in late May.

Like Allien’s previous longplayer Orchestra of Bubbles (Bpitch Control, 2006), SOOL is a collaborative effort, produced with Berlin experimentalist AGF this winter in Berlin.

This album will probably surprise many fans, as it did this one. While it does not abandon the dance floor aesthetic of earlier albums, the beat count has certainly slowed and a more inward-looking sound has superseded previous records. Whether the helping hand in the studio of fellow Berliner AGF has contributed to this more reflective sound or whether Allien is moving away from her usual sound and drawing on and experimenting with new sources, it is not easy to say. 

However, Allien has not abandoned her roots altogether. The beat that Allien fans know her for is still there, but she seems more interested this time in exploring the empty spaces around it. The tracks are filled with chopping up vocal twists, robotic glitches, and dark, synthesized background bass.  The track Caress follows this form, unveiling itself piece by piece as the mechanics of the track slowly intertwine. 

Overall, Ellen Allien album SOOL makes for an interesting listen.

Tracklist

01 Einsteigen
02 Caress
03 Bim
04 Sprung
05 Elphine
06 Zauber
07 Its
08 Ondu
09 Frieda
10 MM
11 Out