In the fall of 2018, Germany’s stalwart electronica diva, Barbara Morgenstern, decided to take a sharp left into avant-pop territory with "Unschuld und Verwüstung”, a truly beastly mixture of classical beauty and counterpoint muscle*, blurring the lines between academic and spiritual, the head and the heart. It was (and still is) truly something to write home about, being just as catchy as it is unwieldy and disorienting.
Now, fast forward to the cusp of 2020; Fish Prints (Boston) has caught BM at her most visceral and psychedelic yet, documenting this criminally short set of remarkable, re-worked anthems and fugues, each and every one conjured up with the seamless support of a live choir and some of the dreamiest, most persuasive alto sax cooing you could possibly imagine.
&if, after reading this, you’re Still not moved to give this entire album a (few repeated) listen(s), at the very least, do yourself a favor and compare both the "UuV" and “Live" versions of “Michael Stipe”, back to back, while considering Morgenstern’s sentiments on The End of the World and any Feeling of Fineness, as these blends of serenity and chaos are worthy of study, alone!
and/or
—Jacob An Kittenplan
*think early St. Vincent and My Brightest Diamond!
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