Welt Star Doppel LP
Second release from WELT STAR. Neither their Bandcamp page nor Under the Gun’s site have any description of the group whatsoever, but a previous MRR review of their 2022 Ich Hasse Blumen cassette describes them as “an international collaboration featuring the brains behind DIODE, BOBBY WOULD, and VAGUENESS,” so at least there’s that. Sung in German, I hear a monotone vocal that hangs heavy over an otherwise fun and jumpy soundscape of drums, synths, and melodic guitar riffs. Rhythms are often syncopated and mechanical-sounding, like an engine roaring with a rough idle. Something vaguely post-punk, with a modern German influence and the zaniness like you might find on Berlin’s Phantom label. The first eight tracks are new recordings, while the last seven comprise Ich Hasse Blumen in its entirety, giving us a full dose of the WELT STAR experience on one vinyl release. This one has my vote—awesome record.