Einstürzende Neubauten is one of those artists where it takes some courage to dip into their extensive and daunting back catalogue. The German outfit began their existence as a truly "industrial" band, using machinery, metal tools, and other items as part of their clanging, noisy assault on the senses. My first attempt at initiation with this band came back in college, with the Strategies Against Architecture '80-'83 compilation. I don't think I sat through the whole collection even once. Over the years, Einstürzende Neubauten has become considerably more palatable my set of ears as the band has chosen more orthodox methods to create music. Many of the band's later releases are much easier to dive in and enjoy, despite still being one of the more unusual outfits around.

Though other recent releases have also caught my attention, Berlin Babylon has founds its way onto my playlist quite often. The album is the soundtrack to the 2001 film of the same name by Hubertus Sieger. Einstürzende Neubauten excels at creating musical landscapes, making them an obvious choice for this sort of project. The album is cohesive from start to finish, moving through throbbing rhythmic portions to ambient soundscapes, using occasional narration along the way. Some of the material is derived from Silence is Sexy, reworked for the film's needs. The album does well at conveying moods throughout, from contemplative to nervous pensiveness. The band's sense of percussion is evidenced, with many objects still being struck.

No doubt there are many jumping in points for a band such as this, depending on your tolerance for all out aural attacks or more gentle approaches to music. For those who might have heard 80s Einstürzende Neubauten and then had a series of nightmares that have only recently receded due to years of intensive therapy, an album like Berlin Babylon is a good way to discover this band can be thoroughly enjoyable in other realms as well.

Review by John Chedsey

Review date: 03/2006

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