Ulrich Schnauss & Jonas Munk 'Passage' [CD] (EU import)

”Passage” is the second collaborative album from London-based synth-wizard Ulrich Schnauss and Danish producer Jonas Munk. 11 tracks of breezy, blissed-out electronica and multi-coloured ambient.

As the album title denotes, there's a sense of movement in the music these two producers create together: a Schnauss & Munk composition starts one place and ends up someplace very different – something that can only rarely be said about electronic music, which traditionally has focused it's energy on texture rather than composition. Sometimes their vivid, expansive soundscapes feels like the sonic equivalent of gliding towards the horizon through a panoramic landscape on a train. One's perspective changes slightly when in motion from one place to another – continuously approaching new things and leaving others behind. Listening to the album in it's entirety feels like an emotional passage, or one that plays out via a series of dreams.

There's a prismatic, multi-dimensional quality to these 11 tracks, likely stemming from the fact that these two producers each have worked with a wide range of styles and musicians throughout their 15+ year career. Both Ulrich and Jonas, however, have the skills of seasoned producers to weave the multitude of influences together in a well-defined sonic aesthetic. The result is a compelling set of melodic electronic music that echoes the past, yet feels fresh.