I don’t remember that there was ever a more beautiful cover art than the one for the Apparat’s album The Devil’s Walk, and that is not the only beautiful thing about it. The album cover is simple, original, decorative. I was even in love with the lyrics book. When I add up the experience of the record to it, no wonder The Devil’s Walk is consider the Apparat’s pearl in their catalog.
Long story short, Apparat is Sascha Ring, a Berlin based DH who has been active on the scene for the past fifteen years, and who built his legacy through performances across the globe, and various collaborations. The Devil’s Walk was a proof of Apparat’s maturity and confidence in the electronic music. Eleven songs successfully combined ambient tones with dreamy pop melodies, giving the album cover that extra push. This is the album that is a great companion for every cold winter.
The sonic landscapes Apparat offers on The Devil’s Walk could be described as Sigur Ros post-rock rendered through the easy ambient electronic in the overdose of melody. Maybe the record does not deliver the absolute best at every moment, especially as it moves towards the end, but as a whole, the album has a head and a tail. It was just another confirmation of the artist’s talent.
Following the playful intro Sweet Unrest with the angelic vocals comes Song of Los that sounds like a reply to James Blake. The difference between the two is in their approach to the audience. Apparat is more oriented towards clear and expressive melodies, while British electronic master uses more complex and less memorable themes that are not catchy right away.
Black Water is my personal favorite. From the perspective of production, there could be few flaws due to its richness, but it is because of its flaws that the song gains on dreamy mellifluous noise.
Throughout the album, Apparat balances between his ideas. The very end brings a less interesting numbers, although it does not spoil the whole impression.
The years following the release of The Devil’s Walk saw many electronic artists who rejuvenated electronic music. It was a revival that made this genre approachable not only to party people. Apparat is certainly one of the leaders of the movement. Can’t wait to hear what he is preparing next.
