Efdemin - Chicago

EFDEMIN - CHICAGO

Dial

Berlin based Philip Sollmann, a producer equally at home with experimental and glitch as with dance music, is back with his third studio album for Dial. “Chicago,” released in late May, is also his second album under the Efdemin moniker, a follow up to Efdemin’s critically acclaimed self-titled debut album released in 2007.   

“Chicago” is an interesting title for the album, owing to the windy city’s association with Chicago House. But Sollmann is most definitely not interested in crafting one of this genre, although some have viewed it as a type of tribute album (perhaps owing to the danceable samples in “There Will be Singing.” But this is the only point in the album where Chicago house influences seem pronounced).  Instead, the tracks show Sollmann’s penchant for smooth and textured deep house. “Chicago” is full of solid, well-composed tracks that feature fantastic sound design. And Sollmann is equally meticulous with the production. A number of instruments—from organs, vocals, and zithers to cellos, flutes, and pipes—are all integrated into the broader whole. None of the sound design choices stick out; all are pleasing to the ears.  

“Chicago” is more restrained than Sollmann’s 2007 Efdemin release. But the individual tracks benefit from the same attention given to the sound design. As such, the individual tracks fit together as an organic whole. The soft, pulsating dissonance of “Shoeshine” blends seamlessly into the dreamy, beautiful backgrounds of “Night Train.” The toned down, punchy “Le grand voyage” shifts into the delicate and understated “Nothing is Everything.” And even the transition from the heavier beats of “Round Here” to the otherworldly “Wonderland” feels natural to the listener.  

Sollmann does try to intersperse his album with a sportive attitude. Much of this comes in the form of samples that appear in the album’s nooks and crannies. From the amusing opening line to the Simpsons samples and other additions, a playful sense pervades Sollman’s musical ideas. Quirky musical ideas and dissonant jazz chords struck in “Cowbell” and “Oh My God” further complement this lighthearted musical sense. But to be honest, this attempt at playfulness at times feels out of place with the rest of the album. After all, the album is replete with deeply structured tracks that feel too controlled to give way to such a playful mood. So the playfulness, when it comes, can feel incompatible with the album’s overall tenor. 

At times, then, “Chicago”  feels a bit too precise or controlled. I personally found myself enjoying the playful elements (from the jazzy spikes to the quirky melodies) Sollmann introduced, and wishing that he had foregrounded these to a greater degree. But this is a minor quibble. In all, Sollmann has done a great job crafting a nice, smooth deep house album that is pleasing to the ears. Headphones junkies will no doubt find that continued listens reveal hidden treasures.         

Jeremy Yellen