Moderat – Moderat II

There were seven years between Moderat’s first EP and album, with the Modeselektor duo and Apparat’s Sascha Ring putting the gap down to “artistic differences”.

It’s taken another four years for them to record a follow-up and as with its predecessor, it’s the creative dissonance that acts as the adhesive holding the record together and which ultimately makes it such a thrill.

Apparat’s naval-gazing, soulful songwriting (although this year’s excellent Krieg Und Frieden showcased a more experimental bent) sits beautifully on top of Modeselektor’s marauding, electronic tub-thumping. The salubrious Gita, with its chopped backing vocals and warm, droning harmonies, is the biggest collaborative success.

On the epic 10-minute Milk – which takes Modeselektor’s beats down a road well-travelled by Orbital – and the introspective Damage Done, both place their own indelible stamp on the record. It’s marginally more cohesive than I, and an excellent listen from start to finish. [Finbarr Bermingham]