Minami Deutsch is a Japanese band with strong ties to Krautrock sounds, so much so that they relocated to Berlin. Their passion is early Minimal Techno and Kraut, thus creating their personal style from these inspirations. Their third studio album “Fortune Goodies” was released digitally on July 15, 2022 and in physical form on October 15, 2022 via GuruGuru Brain and contains 10 tracks. The album opens with “Your Pulse” characterised by tight drumming and a hypnotic bass line, over which synth sounds modulate. An engaging and constantly evolving track that in the finale reserves us a sharp and distorted guitar insert that adds a fuzzy touch to the track. Drawing inspiration from the bands that forged the Krautrock genre such as Can or Guru Guru, “Still Foggy” evolves historical sounds in a modern context. A deep, load-bearing bass line and solid, linear drumming give life to a hypnotic rhythm section. Effects are added to the synth, creating a minimal, enveloping musical trip. “Grumpy Joa” is a rhythmic and engaging track, where we also find the first sung lyrics, elaborate drumming and excellent guitar work. We are in a context where the band emphasises the more classic Kraut instruments and sounds, with the guitar playing the lead role in both the melodic line and the solo inserts, scratchy and distorted adding a retro psychedelic touch. With more psychedelic overtones, “Pueblo” reminds us of a ride through the endless American prairies. A journey into the sounds of the late 1960s, where guitar work is at the heart of the melodies and solo inserts. The rhythm section is a very rhythmic and engaging ride. In the best Psychedelic tradition, “Interpreters Of Forest” is a song with hand percussion and acoustic guitar. A track with mystical atmospheres and very dilated sounds, combining traditional percussion with the more lysergic sounds of the acoustic guitar. The tile-track “Fortune Goodies” is the longest track in duration, exceeding seven minutes in length. A long Krautrock trip where the rhythm is elaborate and the hypnotic bass lines give body to the track. The guitar and vocals intertwine between modulations and layering that give a Psych feel to the sound. “Whereabouts” features powerful drumming, punchy bass lines and the guitar takes centre stage with an extended solo. Alternating between passages with distorted guitar and others with acoustic guitar, the song flows, evolving the central theme and enveloping the listener. The bass is the protagonist in “Steller Waffle” with a driving line, the drumming is solid and linear and the sound is enriched by synths and effects. The sounds are minimal and the band shows excellent technique in modulating and inserting effects. The album’s shortest track “Floating Fountain” continues the exploration of a minimalist sound but where modulations fill in and make the melodies pompous. Slower drumming with dilated synth sounds give us the idea of floating in the deepest space. The band’s more Electronic and Experimental sounds are emphasised in the concluding “The Border.” A mixture of Kraut and experimentation where the markedly electronic synth sounds with references to Kosmisce Musik are evident. A band that has carved out its own space within the modern Krautrock genre, confirming again in this work what was good in their previous albums. The sound is constantly evolving, succeeding in imprinting itself from a classic Krautrock inspiration. A listen recommended for all lovers of the purest Krautrock, where the band is skilful in bringing the atmospheres and sounds of the classic period to the present day.
Tracklist
01. Your Pulse (05:22)
02. Still Foggy (04:48)
03. Grumpy Joa (05:32)
04. Pueblo (04:06)
05. Interpreters Of Forest (05:09)
06. Fortune Goodies (07:52)
07. Whereabouts (05:44)
08. Steller Waffle (03:37)
09. Floating Fountain (03:35)
10. The Border (04:44)
Lineup
Kyotaro Miula / Guitar, Vocals, Synthesizer, Sound Collage ＆ Drums
Taku Idemoto / Guitar ＆ Drums
Keita Ise / Bass
Kosei Terunuma / Drums
