Klinik - Contrast Album

My favorite Klinik album, no contest. The best-of compilation 'States' from 1991 had a sticker on the front saying it would be the last Klinik album. Obviously this did not happen as Klinik revived as a solo act by the versatile Marc Verhaeghen. Some may disregard 'Contrast' as not really being Klinik without Dirk Ivens, frankly I think Marc does just fine here and all of his strengths from previous albums are refined to near perfection. I even prefer his vocals over Ivens'. There is really not a bad song on this LP, and I don't even mind they included the long version of 'Recognition' as this is one of the best tracks on here and all eight minutes are absolutely necessary. They could have left the shorter version off, but oh well. This album still sounds like Klinik too, the minimal, plink-plunk synth plus the trademark wail of Marc's horn...all are present. Marc really hit his stride here, much as he did with the Xio 'Semblance' album from a few years earlier. He really should have kept Klinik a solo act and stayed on in this vein, as the albums that followed it with collaborating musicians adding their piece, well they just can't compare to 'Contrast'. This is the perfect album to have for the walkman or during a late night walk or quiet evening chilling at home. In closing, 'Contrast' of my desert island discs.

"Operation" opens this album - sounding a lot like a remix, it has a 'thinned-out', minimal feel to it which is actually quite listenable - danceable without being too demanding it grows in complexity, becoming a many-layered piece which is as good a puzzle for the brain as it is an exercise for the body. "Recognition (Long Version)" - the longest track here at a sizeable 8'40" transforms from it's delicate, minimal intro, full of interesting little electronic flourishes & sounds, into a rippling electronic piece, gaining it's structure slowly but surely, gelling into a medium-slow-paced track filled with interesting noises & atmospheric FX. It does it in such a gradual, naturally-evolving way that it's almost biological and, despite it's lacking the necessary ingredients to sustain successfully as a single, it still has the makings of a classic. "Right Way" is a little faster but no less mild. It typifies KLINIK's appeal - mild, smooth electronic dance music which attains the correct balance between driving drums & rippling, hypnotic sequencer, combining them into a music which appeals to the listener in almost any mood. "The Street" is more straightforward again somehow smoothing the stark into a warm rhythmic body which in full of interesting little tricks & turns. "Hostage" comes across as somehow a more punchy piece - medium-paced with an odd beat/rhythm relationship giving it a slightly nervy edge. "Contrast", the title track again builds from a mild, warm collection of electronics & found sound images into a muscular rhythm, showing it's tanned musculature to be reinforced by pure steel. It brings to mind elements of TANGERINE DREAM circa "White Eagle" crossed with CLOCK DVA's darkness, fade-ins & mystery, driven to a harsh edge by FRONT 242-like dance sense. "Patient" thumps straight into action - remaining fairly straightforward as it batters along at it's medium-fast tempo. "Humiliate" is another mild Techno piece full of interesting sounds. Most interesting is the way non-electronic sounds seem to take a higher place in the mix than the rhythmic electronics - especially a thick dark wash of what sounds like mass fuzzed guitar. "Recognition (Short Version)" is, as you might have guessed, a version of the previously mentioned track running for a few seconds over half it's length. I don't really notice anything different in the mix, but it gains a tighter, more punchy feel by it's comparative brevity. "Hölle *" concludes the album - a live track recorded at the Cinderella in Antwerp back in December '82. It's a raw, edgy sound, lacking the smooth warmth of the current KLINIK sound. The noises sound tinny & cold, and the composition is simple. It gives you a good idea of how much they've advanced in a decade, and as such is a very valid addition to an otherwise velvet-textured dance album.

Originally reviewed for Soft Watch.