Johannes Schmoelling – Instant city

3 reviews for Johannes Schmoelling – Instant city

1. 

   andy k / UK – 2022-11-22

   My track-by-track ratings
   1.Passing By-Opens with soft melancholic string pads and Johannes’ emotional grand-piano plus an oboe like synth melody. Approx 3 minutes in a sequencer rhythm starts, with DX style spiked accents and some high notes from the piano, after a while a glassy synth lead is added. Drums punch in and a few chord stabs break the rhythm for a few bars, but the sequencer section soon returns to close. A good track, with a real feeling of passively watching landscapes from a moving vehicle… gets a 7/10
   2.Giants out of the Fog starts with an echoing bass guitar note, over a panned synth modulation trill. A soft sequencer then takes over, whilst eerie phased chords and effects are added. Kettle drums punch and the whole piece is taken into a Vangelis like section complete with a few analog chords stabs and a fairly strong melody. Over long perhaps, but getting better 8/10
   3.Instant city sub par Dream Mixes 1 stuff, sorry Johannes but this track is dreadful, I feel bad, but… 4/10
   4.Contemplative Clouds nice and laid back, even with the DX piano and slight new-agey feel, 6/10
   5.Joyful Solitude much better, great use of a repeated soft MiniMoog lead over a descending note backing, half way through the track changes direction and we get what sounds like Kyoto meets Serge Blenner with some classy piano over the top. Shouldn’t work, should be cheesey as hell, but it’s wonderful… 9/10
   6.Rikscha Square Ugh…I keep thinking Ceefax soundtrack meets keyboard demo tune, not my taste 6/10
   7.Viktoriapark nice DX sounds with strange gasping vocal samples and drum hits intro, hints at Wuivend Riet throughout as the track develops with all sorts tricks, guitar samples, sinuous lead and chugging rhythm (and it’s quite short). 9/10
   8.A Long time ago Hmmm a further nod to Wuivend Riet (A ghostly intro, complete with some subtle piano gives way to a bass pizzicato string section, with a falling string chord sequence. A strident rhythm takes hold and then Johannes lets rip with mucho-Moog soloing).The ghostly section returns to close 8/10
   9.Big Cityscapes starts with a panned bass sequence and ethereal pads, with a echoing electric piano counterpoint, chords are added as the track changes key. The pace is kept up as drums are added and a trumpet like synth takes over the melody for a few bars, before falling away leaving a new airy sequence, only for the old theme to return. Nice simple melody. Nothing special, but nice nevertheless 7/10
   10.It’s your Birthday interesting stuff with a Joe Zawinul like melody (It reminded me a bit of Zawinul‘s I’ll never forget you) over a lounge backing (can’t say I like the repeated piano and synth melody though). 7/10
   11.The Time Seller great track, the opening sounds reminded me a bit of the Keep soundtrack. I also liked the soft chord sequence, over this Johannes adds some fine Minimoog soloing (look out for his trade mark key changes and descending bass note motifs). The track develops with odd percussion, grand piano, and analog modulated synth chords…Johannes saves the day. 9/10

   2006. andy k / UK

2. 

   M. Brum / Portugal – 2022-11-22

   I have listened four or five times already to this latest opus from Mr. Schmoelling. I have to admit that it is a very satisfying work from one of the exponents of the so called Berlin School”. For the long time admirer of his work it is clearly a more rewarding piece of material than Recycle or Die. That album surely had its moments but the overal feel was of an album without a clear direction. Schmoelling tends to be in his best element when he works on a defined concept. It surely worked well for him in the past with White Out (his solo masterpiece in my opinion).
   Instant City is not as experimental as White Out

3. 

   Kristian Persson / Sweden – 2022-11-22

   This is a truly masterpiece! Very nice sequences in this album. Every track is unique, but don’t expect any TD sound here, at leat not from the 80’s era. This is a more modern sounding experience, but with a slight touch from Schmoelling‘s earlier albums, like Wuvend Riet.
   The beginning of the cd is a bit dull (at first listen), but after a few listenings turns out to be just as good as one would expect from Johannes Schmoelling.But perhaps I would choose songs No 5-11 as my favourites. Highly Recommended!

   2006. Kristian Persson / Sweden