This showed up in our inbox courtesy the inimitable Kranky Records. I’ve been a fan of the label since the days of Jessamine and Labradford, so it makes me happy to see them still kranking (I know. Terrible. I’m sorry…) out wonderful records.

Hauschildt is one third of Emeralds, so if you are familiar with their work you have a good point of reference for Hauschildt’s solo debut. While Tragedy & Geometry travels some of the same territory, both the sonic palette and songwriting method seem more refined and focused than his full band’ed project. It works both as a study in how an “album as long playing format” can still make sense, and in how synthesizers are awesome. As many of Hauschildt’s synth driven contemporaries bury their compositions in post production trickery and useless sonic adornment, Tragedy & Geometry almost seems bare. It is that spareness that ultimately allows the songwriting, lush analog warmth and arpeggiated chord progressions to shine through. In that way it reminds me of the glory days of new age of the late 70s to mid 80s; like Jean-Michel Jarre with less drum machine or Vangelis minus the melodramatic gravitas. It still gets epic though, as “Music For Moire Patterns'” 11 minutes of swirling arpeggios prove. The consistency of style and sound – as mentioned, we’re talking piles of analog synths here – is broken up by huge variations in song length, which really help it hold together as an album.

Great stuff… I’m off to fire up the Juno 60.