For an album to call itself HONIGPUMPE ("honeypump" in English) is to promise a certain amount of sticky smoothness, which, I'm glad to say, Thomas Fehlmann provides. Just the opener, "Strahlensatz," has a quiet tick of a rhythm over these long, lugubrious synth tones that swirl around themselves. "Soziale Wärme" is more structure but with the same sense of calm mellifluousness. But lest things get too smooth, "Bienenkönigin" and "Dusted with Powder" have plenty of dub techno thump to shake up the proceedings, and "T.R.N.T.T.F." continues that reggae good-feeling. Fehlmann always seems to have one surprising element in his tracks, like the meandering bass on "Atlas" or the disappearing guitar on "Schaum" or the off-kilter melody on "Arbeitstitel." Even "Little Big Horn (Liegend)" has a hint of Hawaiian steel guitar in it (even if it actually doesn't). But Fehlmann sometimes just opts for pretty, too, as with "100 Bäume," or the crystalline "Atlas 2," or the ambient "With Oil." It's a varied, lovely trip, as sweet as honey.

It honestly doesn't get much better than this one here. Thomas Fehlmann is a proper electronic producer. (Mr. Fehlmann happens to be that guy who wasn't Dr. Patterson in that wonderful group The Orb circa 1991--"Little Fluffy Clouds"!) But nonetheless, this album is a stunning tapesty of aural fabrics that resist conventional description. Fehlmann has that golden touch--which was also strong with brave Sir Richard D. James--of great producers that will absorb your attention while you're still deciding whether this type of music is "for you." You'll find yourself (in the right circumstances) concocting absurd abstractions in a silly fight to articulate what you're hearing: "Oh this VELvelty organ hoof was being cushioned by a four-to-the-floor" beat that screamed "precious" every three beat." Ookaaay...SEEyuh! Just simply beautiful stuff. One that stands apart from some of the stale sounds being recycled these days. Check out Kalabrese's "Rumpelzirkus" as if you enjoyed this one. He deserves more attention than he gets.