PERSONAL EFFECTS - PART ONE

There's just something about Frequency Drift. Maybe it's because they are influenced by Blade Runner (one of my favorites), or maybe it's just so melancholy (like me); but there is something about this band that makes my ears tingle and my mind drift with the music.

I'm a huge fan of both "Ghosts" and "Laid to Rest", the band's newest two releases. I finally got a chance to hear their debut now, and I was so impressed with how mature they sounded from the very start! The ethereal female vocals are there, though a bit less dreamy than their newer stuff. The fantastic synth work is very apparent on this album, maybe more so than the newer albums because "Personal Effects" doesn't feature any violin like on "Ghosts" and "Laid to Rest", so the synth is more dominant. I was even highly impressed with the drumming style here. I think Wolfgang Ostermann may be one of my favorite drummers for his very appropriate style that can be light one second, and then heavy and fast the next. No matter what, though, the drumming is always on the move: There is never a moment when Wolfgang decides it's okay to get a little lazy or stay in the same beat or signature for a while.

I think that's what I like so much about this album and this band: They are never satisfied to fall into a rut of sorts. The songs are constantly changing, progressing, and getting more and more cinematic. They know how to set mood both visually and audibly, and they can tell a story very well, too. Anything this group releases will be at the top of my anticipatory list. Now, I just need to spend some time with "Personal Effects, Part 2".