The aspect that makes Mouse on Mars so great is how their music is so simple yet effective. It gets really tedious when electronica artists crowd their music with unneeded synths and glossy keyboard effects. Sometimes a simple keyboard melody can create an amazing composition. On the contrary electronica can get boring because the music can lack sparkly effects and oozing keyboard lines. Fortunately Jan Werner and Andi Toma have found a way that balances quirky effects and relaxing ambience, in result the music isn’t groundbreaking but strangely effective.
Autoditacker will appeal to anyone trying to get into electronica because the album uses such a wide variety of beats. Some songs feature slow, sludgy beats while others use more quick paced and glitchy effects.
Juju is mainly comprised of a robotic beat, other keyboard sounds make their way into the song and about halfway through you have a nice, glitchy foot-tapper. The following track,
Twift Shoeblade is almost a song that you would want to get up and dance to but the beats are a bit inconsistent and tend to shift to much. These two songs are the most quirky and beat oriented, while you wouldn’t be able to dance to them they still create a very lush and groovy atmosphere.
Another thing that makes
Autoditacker such a fun listen is how each song features distinct imagery. While listening to
X-Flies I instantly think of the jungle, the compelling yet relaxed beats put you in a trance and once the high-pitched synths come in the music almost reaches a Tangerine Dream-esque vibe.
Rondio sounds similar to a song that Aphex Twin would write, the beats are slow and hard hitting while playful buzzing sounds erratically play in the background. Each song showcases a different approach and atmosphere, although nothing really stands out the overall product is refreshing and varied.
I would definitely consider
Autoditacker a relaxing album, although there are some glitchy and quick paced tunes the music isn’t exhilarating or intense. That’s what makes
Autoditacker such a unique listen, the beats are bouncy and quirky while the synthesizers are extremely mellow. Now there are a few exceptions,
Tux and Damask is a real trip with it’s head throbbing beats and spastic clicking sounds. Don’t get me wrong,
Autoditacker is not a flawless listen, the one thing that bothers me is that the music isn’t very lush or soothing. It creates a relaxing and trippy atmosphere but the clicky beats can grow quite tiresome after sixty-three minutes.
If you’re an electronica noob then this is a great album to get started with. It’s got the catchy hooks and grooves to keep you’re head nodding yet it’s laid-back at the same time. Mouse on Mars don’t throw in any weak filler tracks either, the album is solid from top to bottom without a bad tune in the bunch. That being said nothing really stands out, each song has it’s own unique sound but there aren’t any songs that stand out amongst the album.
Autoditacker is an extremely accessible album that features both soothing melodies and catchy beats, it’s a fun and quirky listen whether you enjoy electronica music or not.
