Neon Golden

Amazon.com
The combination of meandering acoustic guitar, mournful vocals, post-punk rock, crisp electronica, flutes, dub bass, sax, occasional breakbeat, and banjo could've turned the tender tunes on Notwist's sixth album into chaotic and indulgent noodling. The 15 months spent in the studio putting the unlikely components together, however, pays off with a collection beautiful and dreamy lo-fi lullabies in which hazy pop melodies drift by on an eccentric flow of sensual bleeps, whooshes, and crackles. Even when Neon Golden strays toward more traditional rock, Markus Acher's downtrodden yet hopeful vocals and achingly sweet melodies hold up, as do the sumptuous atmospheric add-ons that link the New Order-like "Pilot" and "One with the Freaks" to the title track's ambient electronic pulses. Yet nothing is more magical or odd than "Trashing Days," where Notwist manages to make pneumatic space-age sound effects rubbing against scraping beats, woozy horns and a quietly plucked banjo, sound like the most natural thing in the world. --Dan Gennoe

Product Description
15 months in the making, and light years ahead of their post-punk, self-titled debut in 1990, Neon Gold is Notwist's sixth full length album. 'Top 10 album of the year', says the New York Times. This Domino release features three bonus tracks not available on the import, 'Scoop', 'Propeller 9' & 'Formiga'. A total of 13 tracks in all. 2003.

Neon Golden,The Notwist,Domino,Ambient Pop,Indie Electronic,Pop,Rock,Rock/Pop

Neon Golden

Average customer rating:

Adictive
My my.
Today I step out of your past
Belle & Sebastian meets Kraftwerk
Outstanding

Neon Golden
The Notwist
Manufacturer: Domino
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Ambient Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Electronic Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Indie & Lo Fi | Alternative Rock | Indie Music | Stores | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

Faking the Books
Life Is Full of Possibilities
Nothing's Lost
13 & God
You Forgot It in People

ASIN: B00008BL4F
Release Date: 2003-02-25

Tracks:

One Step Inside Doesn't Mean You Understand
Pilot
Pick Up the Phone
Trashing Days
This Room
Solitaire
One With the Freaks
Neon Golden
Off the Rails
Consequence
Scoop (domestic edition bonus track)
Propeller 9 (domestic edition bonus track)
Formiga (domestic edition bonus track)

Amazon.com

The combination of meandering acoustic guitar, mournful vocals, post-punk rock, crisp electronica, flutes, dub bass, sax, occasional breakbeat, and banjo could've turned the tender tunes on Notwist's sixth album into chaotic and indulgent noodling. The 15 months spent in the studio putting the unlikely components together, however, pays off with a collection beautiful and dreamy lo-fi lullabies in which hazy pop melodies drift by on an eccentric flow of sensual bleeps, whooshes, and crackles. Even when Neon Golden strays toward more traditional rock, Markus Acher's downtrodden yet hopeful vocals and achingly sweet melodies hold up, as do the sumptuous atmospheric add-ons that link the New Order-like "Pilot" and "One with the Freaks" to the title track's ambient electronic pulses. Yet nothing is more magical or odd than "Trashing Days," where Notwist manages to make pneumatic space-age sound effects rubbing against scraping beats, woozy horns and a quietly plucked banjo, sound like the most natural thing in the world. --Dan Gennoe

Album Description

15 months in the making, and light years ahead of their post-punk, self-titled debut in 1990, Neon Gold is Notwist's sixth full length album. 'Top 10 album of the year', says the New York Times. This Domino release features three bonus tracks not available on the import, 'Scoop', 'Propeller 9' & 'Formiga'. A total of 13 tracks in all. 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Adictive.......2006-01-13

One of those albums that you cannot stop listening to. Beautiful melodies, crunchy beats - a really nice amalgamation of electronic and acoustic instrumentation.

My my........2005-11-30

I bought the CD shortly after downloading the song "Pick up the Phone" from some kids on Livejournal. It sat in my bedroom collecting dust for three or four months after an initial listen left me with an impression far different than that of "Pick up the Phone" gave me. Some months later, I picked it up again. (Refer to review title). This album is simply amazing. Each song gives it's own take on the style of music that is portrayed. A simple melody with an electronic backbeat. I have honestly heard nothing like it, but I rarely venture into the whole 'electronica' stuff. That's another reason I find this to be such a great release. It has electronic elements, but isn't the rave stuff (I stereotype, I know). The lyrics themselves aren't entirely amazing, at least in most songs, but that is overshadowed by the great music.

Today I step out of your past.......2005-10-16

Clean and crunchy beats sputtering under a layered synth soundscape that's half rock and half etherial electronic pop, with perfectly restrained and plaintive vocals that slip in some deceptively powerful lyrics. This album should not be missed, and it's sad that the pop pilfering of The Postal Service has managed to bolster a user friendly and pretentiously vapid reappropriation of this "kind" of music into the mainstream.

Neon Golden should be understood and appreciated as a classic. It's a groundbreaking album, and much as Portishead did with their album "Dummy," the Notwist have simultaneously created and perfected their own genre of music. There will be many imitators to follow, but hopefully history will remember the true importance and influence of this album.

The music creeps up on you, and while it seems at first to be rather simple and pleasant, there's a great deal more going on here that unfolds and presents itself upon repeated listens. This is one of those truly indespensible albums that defies genre classification. It grows on you with each listen, and steadily makes more and more sense.

It took them till this album to really establish their unique sound, but if you want to look into their older material (without stumbling upon their early missteps as a garage punk/prog mess), you should also check out Shrink, which is the first album where they really started to "figure things out."

If you're already into The Notwist, I'd highly recommend the album "Faking the Books" by Lali Puna... Another incredible artist fusing electronics with whatever to turn out something unique and fascinating.

Also, if you're a fan of The Notwist, you HAVE to check out their collaboration with Themselves that they did under the name 13 & God. The self titled 13 & God album stands up to the accomplishment of Neon Golden, and presents a different side to the band through a collaboration with some amazing artsits from the Anticon collective. Essential purchase for any fan.

Belle & Sebastian meets Kraftwerk.......2005-09-28

If I had to describe this album to the uninitiated, it would be "the love-child of Belle & Sebastian and Kraftwerk". Take the plaintive vocals of Stuart Murdoch and combine them with the Casio synth beats of Kraftwerk, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what The Notwist sound like.

And it works so well. Markus Archer's vocals make this album what it is. His voice pulls you into the songs Pick up the phone and Consequence, and the beats keep you in there.

A fantastic and original album from this excellent German band.

Outstanding.......2005-05-12

Probably one of the most delicate albums I have ever heard. The Notwist's sound is so carefully constructed, yet so rich I can't be anything other than blown away by it. I know tons of bands who are desperately trying to sound like The Notwist on Neon Golden (Das Pop, dEUS, amongst others), yet I know of no other band that actually sounds like this.

Neon Golden is a outstanding record that can be played both as soothing background music, as well as an album that holds your full attention right to the end. 10/10

Average customer rating:

DOMESTIC RELEASE
Number one pick for 2002
Hmmmm
Kid A , Leonard Cohen all wrapped in Neon Golden
Good to start, Very Good as you listen more

Neon Golden
The Notwist
Manufacturer: Msi Music
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Indie Rock | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Ambient Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Electronic Pop | Indie & Lo-Fi | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Indie Music | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00005NY9B
Release Date: 2002-08-23

Tracks:

One Step Inside Doesn't Mean You Understand
Pick Up The Phone
This Room
One With The Freaks
Off The Rail
Pilot
Trashing Days
Solitaire
Neon Golden
Consequence

Album Description

15 months in the making, and light years ahead of their post-punk, self-titled debut in 1990, Neon Gold is Notwist's sixth full length album. 2003.

Album Details

Minimalistic and Subtly Charming, this Album Picks Up Somewhat Where Young Marble Giants' 'colossal Youth' Left Off. Simple Melodies, Deadpan Vocals, Ethereal Lyrics. Notwist Just have So Many More Dimensions to their Sound. An Instant Classic Has Emerged Amid the Clash of Nu-metal and Pop, Definitively Alternative. It May Take a Few Listens for Some, but this is Just Plain Great Stuff...eventually, You'll Get It!

Customer Reviews:

DOMESTIC RELEASE.......2003-01-10

Notwist's long-awaited "Neon Golden" is to be released in the US on February 23rd through the Domino USA label. Finally! The album of 2003 is soon to see domestic release! I cannot wait to finally hear this album. Check it out!

Number one pick for 2002.......2002-12-04

this is my number one pick for 2002... amazing record. completely fresh approaches..perfect blending of electronics and acoustic instrumentation coupled with great songwriting..

Hmmmm.......2002-10-19

Not Kid A, not really. It does bear comparison, but I can hear more Amnesiac than Kid (yes, there IS a difference) and also quite a bit of darling Bjork's Homogenic. It isn't as wicked-cool, instant-classic as Kid A is, either, but it does have something that Radiohead doesn't have anymore: truly meaningful WORDS to back up the blips and emotional landscapes. Love it. Definitely one of my top 2 or 3 of 2002. Purple monkey dishwasher.

Kid A , Leonard Cohen all wrapped in Neon Golden.......2002-08-17

I give very few albums 5 stars. Beatles Stg. Peppers, Stevie's Songs In THe Key of Life, The Dismemberment Plan's Emergency & I, Radiohead's Kid A and this one The Kid A comparison is hard not to make, but Noen Golden stands on it's own. This record is about textures: electronic beats, pulsing waves, the mixture of organic instruments with digital blips and loops, and most notably the serenity of Markus Acher's voice. So,why haven't labels like Mute or Communion or Darla jumped on getting this available for domestic distribution yet? A more obvious choice would even be Matador, who recently released one of Console's albums domestically. As of right now, the Notwist have released the record of the year. It's a shame that most people might not have a chance to hear it. If you liked the sound of Kid A and Bjork's Vespertine, do youself a real treat and pick up this disc.

Stand out tracks: Pick Up The Phone, This Room, Consequence

Good to start, Very Good as you listen more.......2002-07-27

This is my second Notwist disc, and again, not a disappointment. This one has similarities to Radiohead's Kid A, but I like The Notwist's rhythm section better. It is one of those discs that gets better with each listen, which I find, turn out to be the best.

Average customer rating:

Neon Golden
Notwist
Manufacturer: Msi Music Corp
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD
ASIN: B0000DEPK7
Release Date: 2002-08-23