THE INNER WORLD OUTSIDE

Electric Mud has created a true masterpiece. Reinforced by three additional musicians, Electric Mud's music has taken on a new timbre without losing its focus. The musicians Timo Aspelmeier, David Marlow and Judith Retzlik are new to the team and have actively supported Hagen Bretschneider and Nico Walser. Each track paints a wonderful painting with intense colors. An explosion of the senses. The alternation between fast and slow passages is well-dosed and makes each song a jewel. The same goes for the alternation between classical, jazzy and funky elements. They all add up to a wonderful overall picture and listening pleasure. I love all the songs, but there are three that touched me the most: Exploring the great wide Nothing Those who leave The World behind Sérotonine

Credits: Timo Aspelmeier ? composer, rhodes, hammond, synths, piano, drums, noises David Marlow ? composer, piano, orchestral programming, piano, synths, percussion Nico Walser ? composer, multi instrumentalist & field recordings & mixing Judith Retzlik - violins, violas, cellos & voice Hagen Bretschneider - music conceptions, visual design & video editing Andrea Weiß - digital art & photography

ELECTRIC MUD was born in 2011, a fusion of Hagen BRETSCHNIEDER and Nico WALSER, initially blues and stoner; the group has since described itself as post-folk-jazzy experimental progressive rock, eclectic prog, short difficulty to put in a musical drawer, prog art ambient music surely; moments of relaxation, of turmoil worthy of a cinema soundtrack; majestic symphonic organ, futuristic chamber music with nature sounds taken from the field, all for an extraordinary cinematic experience.

'Exploring the Great Wide Nothing' on a children's piano and violin declination, orchestra for an appetizer reminiscent of 'Interstellar' or 'Prometheus'. 'The Fear Within' musical marshmallow sweetness with an austere and dark atmosphere; a keyboard, choirs, the cinematic atmosphere à la 'Birdy'. 'Around the Mind in 80 Lies' on a bombastic intro, trumpets and strings for the coming of the king then a sound straight out of a 60's spy movie; a bit of Oldfield, children's voices, a Mellotron, a whisper and a sparkling guitar solo... 'Those Who Leave the World Behind' more medieval with the solemn organ. 'Guardians of the Weather Machine' turns 180 degrees with a modern tonality, electronic rhythm combined with discordant violin; the organ à la Yes qui tue, a jerky passage à la Vidocq, a bit of Wilson. 'Silent Stranger Suite' Greece, banjo, organ, divine sound, progressive ballad in a baroque film; there is avant-garde, stunning Kitajima, ideal for dreaming, the most beautiful and the longest . 'Serotonin' on an Asian atmosphere filled with crystalline sounds and other dark ones with strings reminding me of 80's Japan; the finale with this majestic crescendical rise gives goosebumps. 'Descent into the Jagged Valley' cold monolithic basic piano, atmosphere of BOF of 'Delicatessen' with the musical saw, jazzy break for the end, disconcerting and discordant. 'Moving On' when the sinister beauty interferes with the crystallized sweetness of the piano notes for the final chord.

ELECTRIC MUD therefore sends you off to distant lands where cinema and prog music combine by touches creating a unique climate worthy of a painting in the sun, where the paints intermingle as they melt; a singular album which becomes avant-garde in the genre.

Electric Mud have dared an experiment on their latest album to reinvent themselves and expand their spectrum. The duo (Nico Walser, Hagen Bretschneider) has become an ensemble of six people (+ Timo Aspelmeier, David Marlow, Judith Rezzlik, Andrea Weiß) . I think they wanted to go a step further and integrate new ideas and influences into the Electric Mud sound with the help of the new musicians. The best song on the album, which deeply impresses immediately on the first listen is "The Fear Within" with its dark tones and menacing vibes. I also like "Silent Stranger Suite" with its slightly mysterious and ambient atmosphere. The mystical-symphonic opener "Exploring The Great Wide Nothing" also pleases. Most of the tracks are well done and interesting, although I would say that only "The Fear Within" reaches the heights of the last two albums. Overall, this is a good solid album with some great songs, but I prefer some of their earlier works such as "Quiet Days On Earth" which creates a calm but dense and intense atmosphere with great compositions and almost perfect production, or "The Deconstruction Of Light" with its roaring guitars, emotional soloing, bassy rock grooves and absolutely stunning keyboards. In these two albums you found yourself feeling the music and drowning in the sea of emotions that the musicians painted for us. This is my biggest criticism of "The Inner World Outside": The album sounds very ambitious but does not reach the feelings of the listener. This may have different reasons. The production is not as convincing as on the predecessors. Even more critical I see the compositions, which are musically great implemented but rarely touch emotionally. I hope that Electric Mud will find back to their old qualities in the future. I will continue to watch them. They are always good for a surprise.