In German, “der Apparat” means, approximately, “the device,” and takes on a multitude of meanings when used in conjunction with other words. It is appropriate, then, that Berlin-based musician Sascha Ring adopts the alias Apparat in the studio and on stage, where Ring functions as a highly adaptable musical device, moving from headphone-appropriate glitch and IDM to more danceable techno tunes like those heard on Apparat’s 2006 collaboration with Ellen Allien, “Orchestra of Bubbles.”
Apparat is back with a new full-length album, entitled “Walls,” which should have fans of the subtler side of the electronic music spectrum excited. With “Walls,” Apparat continues to explore the possibilities his chosen genres grant him. The album is a pleasure to listen to from beginning to end and functions better as a single, cohesive unit than some of Apparat’s previous work.
“Walls” finds Apparat experimenting with a richer sound than on many of his past releases. There are more component instruments on this album, most noticeably a greater sampling of traditional instruments, and the vocals are generally livelier and more musical than the eerie rhythmic samples used on releases like “Silizium.”
Songs like “Hailin From the Edge,” which features vocals performed by Raz Ohara, exemplify this step forward in Apparat’s sound. On this track, like much of the album, Ring uses a generous helping of strings to move the melody along, and Ohara’s breathy vocal complements a moody, meandering instrumental perfectly. The song represents the album well; it sounds like what Apparat ought to be doing, and will appeal to a larger audience than most of his recent work.
Ohara is credited on four of the album’s thirteen tracks, including the airy, light sounding “Over and Over.” Ohara’s vocals are all excellent, providing a level of human emotion sometimes neglected on electronic releases.
The song “Limelight” shows a side of Ring previously heard on “Do Not Break,” included on “Orchestra of Bubbles.” “Limelight” employs a similar set of fragmented vocal samples, if at a slightly slower tempo and achieves similarly enjoyable results.
Overall, “Walls” is a solid album that covers an impressive amount of ground, spanning across electronic genres without sounding scattered or forced. This is a wonderfully original release for Apparat, who clearly demonstrates his skill with a release that is pop enough for the masses without abandoning the elements that make an Apparat release so distinctively Apparat.
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