Capturing the spooky and beautiful themes of Angelo Badalamenti (Twin Peaks, Mulholland Drive) and the introspection of Bohren & der Club of Gore, RADARE return with their third release, “Im Argen“.
Four years after their sophomore record, Hyrule, the instrumental quartet has left the vast landscapes of its predecessor and conceptu ally arrived at a scenery of impasses. Since then, the band has dedi cated themselves to quieter and more patient compositions— relying mostly on Rhodes piano, brushed drums, brass sections, and mellow tremolo guitar sounds.
The setting of “Im Argen” (a German term for in a sorry state) is gloomy, the songs are creeping slowly, spinning a suspenseful mood to turn calmness into unease. With the approach towards following an under lying narrative, the arrangements were condensed into five episodes— each one offering a perspective on people finding themselves left alone in unexpected and extreme situations.
The recording and production was handled by the band itself, the mas tering was done by Harris Newman at Grey Market Mastering. Newman — who also worked for bands like Timber Timbre, Arcade Fire, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor— put the final touches on the album and gave the recording a more distinguished and brilliant sound.