Search - Haujobb :: Less

An minimal slice of intricate electronic beauty

10/08/1999

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Since Haujobb's 1996 release of 'Solutions for a Small Planet', the German duo have taken quite a different path; far away from brilliant electro anthems like 'World Window' and 'Anti/Matter'. The band's various side-projects, N.E.W.T., Dots and Dashes, Architect, S'aphex, Cleen, Hexex and others have stood testament to the extreme morphing of Haujobb's sound. 'Less' accentuates this point even further. I have to say the packaging is quite beautiful and almost sets the mood for the slow, addictive ambiance that is contained within this single. The title track begins the CD with subtle, atmospheric tones, washing over a smooth beat transition, similar to the intro of Lassigue Bendthaus' 'Overflow'. As the low bass tones and stuttering beat make their way into the mix, Vanessa Briggs' voice breaks through and then moves steadily with the flowing motion of the music. The track builds consistently and maintains a groove that sounds warm and sensual. But despite Haujobb's minimalist approach, each sound and pattern are carefully woven and intertwined to create a beautiful piece of electronic music. The second track is the Photik Sonar remix. This version keeps Vanessa's vocals at bay and concentrates on the actual structure of the song. Deep basslines and hopping HiQ's move this track forward while a dark, eerie synth plays slowly in the backdrop. The bass is so deep and diverse, you might find yourself adjusting the bass levels for each individual song. Up next is the S'apexed mix, which one can only assume that Haujobb did themselves. This song is very slow and again, the bass is layered on thick and deep. Vanessa comes in again on this one with basically the same style used on the original version. Myer and Samardzic grace us with their usual tinkering and twisting of the drum n bass patterns throughout this track. The ambiance is very nice but this tends to get a bit monotonous. The last song is the Saucer remix that ultimately proves to be very moderate compared to the original version. This remix focuses on more low bass drones and scattered drum n bass style beats. The vocals are only snippets this time; manipulated slightly and made to sound more distant and quaint. The experimental side of Haujobb is definitely taking light here. This CD has made many rounds in my player, especially the first version of 'Less', but I'm a bit disappointed with the path the great Haujobb has taken here. Again, this shows a very different side to the band which may ultimately gain some points with IDM lovers but the passion and energy they were once know for is almost non-existent with this release. It is virtually impossible to ignore the complexity of Haujobb's programming, even in this minimal form, and I can only hope that the band that brought us excellent releases like 'Solutions...' and 'Freeze Frame Reality' will once again grace our ears with the innovative sound that has made them famous..."

Dance, ambient, ebm, best served chilled

Stephen Smith | 01/11/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Im not one for singles, but Less is one of those rare tracks that deserves a cd of its own. Perhaps best labeled as "German industrial pop," Haujobb explores a more chilled ebm style, with flowing ambient and melancholy tonalities that provides an entrance into more of a contemplative realm than dancish. The remixes dont quite compare to the original, but prolong the tempo a little bit longer for the listener to really get an appreciation of the atmosphere combined with Vanessa Briggs' vocals. Pick this one up if you've got a hankerin' for a single."