Customer Reviews

Berlinette

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Ellen Allien actually owns the label b-pitch records in germany, i think. i might be wrong.

this album is very pleasing, if you like the more intellectual side of chill-out / electro music. if you haven't heard much electronica, i guess this might seem like dance music. but it's more like IDM--the only way it will ever get to the dance floor is by DJs who actually mix live. if it seems cold and harsh, then check out first two lali puna albums, park avenue music, four tet, boards of canada, etc. for more melodic IDM. if you like it harsh, check out the band "smash.tv" from somewhere in germany. it's worth it to track it down. as stated in other reviews, there are some similarities between miss kitten and felix da housecat, but those artists are very cliched and tongue-in-cheek, whereas ellen allien is more straight-forward IDM like some of the more listenable aphex twin.

I first heard Ellen Allien earlier this year on a friends recommendation. From that moment on I have been a devout fan of her music.

In an age where the "mystical" and "fragile" portrait of women musicians are portrayed in the underground, Allen Ellien has proved to surpass the concept of gender as a styling to influence an album. She is not drenched in cheesy gimmicks of fake hippies making noise electronica in the woods, pretending to be French, or banging her tambourine in the bands of past such as The Magical String Band. Her music is her own, branded with her relentless hooks and her unforgiving beats. Ellen Allien lives in the present and is making music for the future.

Ellen Allien transcends gender. She is one of the most influential and progressive musicians to date (not to be rivaled with the likes of Luomo, Bjork, Radiohead, or any past intellectual songsters who have successfully combined high art into tuneful pop/dance bliss).

Berlinette is her opus to date. A brilliant record of endless pop hooks with her own distinct brand of beat shaping. Don't miss out...buy this record immediately....

i wrote this review just because i'm pissed that nobody else has already. Ellen Allien is making the most progessive electronic music out there today and nobody is paying any attention. I've seen tons of half-ass cd's that have been reviewed by 15-20 people. It's a shame that work is not being appreciated. I guess the cause is that she is well ahead of her time and her music is of the future. Her incedible touch in creating electronic funk is simple spellbinding. Move out the way Miss Kittin there is a new queen in electronic music and her name is Ellen Allien

Yes, Berlin is where it is at right now! You can not deny the amazing music that has transcended across the oceans into your ears. Ellen Allien produces some of the most engaging music to date. Her style is like no other. She is at the top of my list right now and has been for some time!

This album is pretty great. Ellen Allien is definitely one of the most original and inspired microhouse artists out there. Actually, "microhouse" is too limiting of a term - it's just good electronic music, or better yet, it's just good music. She takes the minimal microhouse aesthetic and brings new life to it with more complicated song structure and a great sense of melody. Berlinette has the cold, clinical feel of a lot of minimal techno, but her voice adds a welcome human touch amidst the strictly quantized grooves.

Trash Scapes is probably the standout of the album and the video is pretty awesome (check it out on her website). The other songs aren't quite as dark as some of her earlier work.

This is a great album from an excellent composer/producer. We need more artists like Ellen Allien making albums. Since microhouse is dominated by 12" singles, so it's always a treat when an artists produces a full album of music not just for the dance floor, but for listening as well. If you like microhouse, Herbert, Plastikman, or similar music, check this out. If you're new to minimal techno, this is a great place to start.

A great album from Ellen Allien -- BERLINETTE has all the qualities goingn for it: funky, bright, moody. The opener "Alles Schen" is a shiny piece of tech-house, all the more catchy with her mysterious German vocals. The track develops in fascinating ways: when the vocals reappear, it's accompanied by both a delicate descending synth line and some electronic squiggles. "Sehnsucht" is much more straightforward in its darker sound that grows in intensity and mood. The funk breaks on "Push" certainly do kick ass, while the breaks get a little more abstract and industrial on "Trash Scapes." "Augenblick" and "Wish" both show the more thoughtful side of Ellen Allien. "Open" closes the album, with a artful blend of tech-breaks, guitar and industrial hiss. This great blend of styles and techniques make for an outstanding album.