Review: New German Cinema ‘Pain Will Polish Me’
Sometimes, something that starts as little more than a late-night conversation with a like-minded soul will evolve into the most beautiful entity and leave everything lighter in its wake. An idea, a concept, a moment of divine simplicity that evolves into a project that takes on a life of its own, and blossoms wondrously into the atmosphere with a burst of colour.
New German Cinema can be considered one of the uniquely awe-inspiring moments. After five long years in the making, the trading of ideas and concepts online, and a lot of now key persistence, the brainchild of Fear Of Men’s Jessica Weiss and wunderkind producer Alex DeGroot has finally been released for all to hear.
It’s a uniquely art-nouveau aural love affair, an electronic ode to European art-house auteur Rainer Werner Fassbinder. It is an eclectic take on the beauty of the German filmmaking style, which, at its height, was a vibrant playground for sure.
What we get here though, is so much more than just a concept; it is a full homage to the feeling of the scene, and over the course of the twelve tracks, the project whisks the listener away on a fantastical, dream-like journey, filled with love, loss, and dissolution. It truly is an ‘other worldly’ experience, the likes of which I imagine a great many of you reading this might never have experienced in music before.
It isn’t heavy in any way, yes, there is a level of intensity, and the pensive uncertainty that comes with being only a tiny part of any given scenario, but it is interlaced with dreamlike ambience that will round off those harder edges.
Now, I have to say, I spent a good week or so trying to place the band that I gravitated towards for a similar sound, and as elusive as it was, when I finally joined the dots and uncovered who it was, it hit me like a ton of bricks. You may disagree with me, and, by any means, I’m not saying they are both on the same level of intensity, but the whole album reminded me of the Dutch band GGGOLDDD. In particular, tracks from their last release This Shame Should Not Be Mine, especially sonically.
For instance, track two, Swirling Pain, had me drawing a comparison with the track Strawberry Supper. Not because of similar content lyrically, maybe more so in how the sound has been constructed, or even the vocal approach, but, for me, it’s hard not to see the parallel.
pulsating drones, intoxicating vocals, and retro shoegaze goodness flourishes freely…
The same can be said of track four, I Become Heavy, again, it has that similar swagger. Taking a darker and moodier tone compared to the three preceding tracks, it weaves a brooding ‘80s electro-shoegaze vibe in the mix. However, it isn’t at all oppressive, and even if you wouldn’t usually gravitate towards this style of music, there’s something about the throbbing pulse throughout which pulls you in. The same can be said for Water Drops, which gives the listener the same chills. As for the track itself, it is one of my favourite moments of the whole opus, alongside All That Heaven Allows.
For me, New German Cinema are never more exciting than when they delve into a deeper darkness, where their love of pulsating drones, intoxicating vocals, and retro shoegaze goodness flourishes freely. That doesn’t mean the remainder of the album is any less brilliant; I’m simply pointing out that, for my own musical palate, it’s moments like these that truly excite.
Case in point, Eyes and My Mistake both reveal another side to New German Cinema. One feels light and airy, while the other gives a moody, gothic club feel. Eyes exudes a dream-like, late ‘80s pop vibe, acting as a heavenly, harmonic summer day’s lullaby, whereas My Mistake throbs with the pulse of European nightclubs and smoky, dimly lit halls filled with nighttime, sunglasses-wearing vampires.
My Mistake also manages to pull off something uniquely wonderful that isn’t evident elsewhere on the album, and that’s the inclusion of a dual vocal, courtesy of Merchandise’s Carson Cox. The juxtaposition between Jessica’s softer, serene gentleness and Carson’s edgier European-English delivery works in unison to provide a yin to the yang, and in the process, makes for a vibrantly pleasurable experience.
Even by the penultimate track, Pain Will Polish Me, there are still new layers to uncover. A far deeper sound, which is unsettling at times, provides the listener with a moment to wallow in the sadness before Perfect Secret floats in to set the mind at ease. It ties up the package beautifully and lays it all down to rest gracefully.
This album is so much more than just a collection of twelve tracks; it is a journey into another realm. Filled with warmth, creativity, and heart, it will, if you let it, carry you away forevermore. Epic, truly epic.
Label: Felte
Band Links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Lee Beamish
