Ellen Allien – LISm

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Released: March 19, 2013

As a DJ, producer, and label owner, Ellen Allien has pushed the boundaries of techno and electronic music for decades. Her music recreates the energy of Berlin much in the same way Coltrane’s music recreates the energy of New York City.

One thing I like about Ellen Allien is her willingness to experiment, to risk failure in search of growth and innovation. She experiments in ways that many DJs don’t. Unfortunately, LISm is not a successful experiment. It has moments of wonderful sounds, but they sit next to novice guitar noodling, questionable vocals, and generic beats.

In fairness, the album is a single track that accompanies a dance performance, so I am hearing it out of context. As a standalone composition, though, I don’t recommend it.

About Chuck

After spending 10 years working as a professional bassist, Chuck realized he loves listening to music much more than playing it. Eleven albums or events that dramatically influenced his relationship with music and life, in the order he encountered them: Fleetwood Mac, Rumours; Van Halen, Fair Warning; Foreigner, 4 tour, 2/9/1982; John Coltrane, Crescent; De La Soul, Three Feet High and Rising; Puccini, La Boheme (Beecham, de los Angeles); Everything But The Girl, Walking Wounded; Carl Cox, live at Twilo, 2000; Godspeed You! Black Emperor, Yanqui UXO; Grateful Dead, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Grateful Dead (Fillmore East, NYC, 1971); Taylor Swift, 1989.

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