A Strangely Isolated Place Tracks
1. Gone Forever
2. On My Own
3. Letter from Home
4. Monday - Paracetamol
5. Clear Day
6. Blumenthal
7. In All the Wrong Places
8. Strangely Isolated Place
A Strangely Isolated Place Review
Ulrich Schnauss's A Strangely Isolated Place was released in Europe during May of 2003, but fans had to wait over a year for it to arrive on these shores. The Berliner's follow-up to Far Away Trains Passing By is another gentle and fascinating record, similarly drunk with melody. But Schnauss has augmented his electro-synth sound with tsunamis of huge, arching major chords that rival M83's over-the-top lushness. Shoegazer influences show up in the Slowdive-esque "Gone Forever," as well as the My Bloody Valentine buzz in "Clear Day". Despite Place's ethereal sheen, the bones of solid dance-ability are also here, as several clever DJs have already noted (see Sasha's use of "On My Own" for Involver). The record could use a few well-placed batches of noise to act as counterpoint, but long-suffering fans of early Cocteau Twins looking for a fix of dreamy songcraft should find much to love. --Matthew Cooke
A Strangely Isolated Place Review
The domestic version of Schnauss' second album, originally released by Berlin/Manchester's City Centre Offices in May '03. Fuses the ambient electronics of Eno & Boards of Canada with Slowdive & My Bloody Valentine, with an emphasis on melody.
A different version of the track 'Monday - Paracetamol' by Ulrich can be found on the soundtrack to Gran Turismo 4, called 'A Million Miles Away'.
You know how sometimes twins don't have to be identical? Well, with a faster, more aggressive beat, the atmospherics have been layered below in this mix to create 'foreground music' - a driving electrosnare that ought to get people moving as opposed to just tapping. The intro does more to get you in sooner.
People critical of the drawn-out repetition on this album ought to find the more complex construction of this version more to their liking. Clocks in at 7:10, but takes you through a few places along the way.
I managed to record it from my PS2 onto MD, and you might be able to 'find' it somewhere in the ones and zeroes.
There are few things worse than parents that dress their twins in identical clothing, wouldn't you agree?
I hope this has been helpful for someone out there, as I would rate this version higher (subjectively) than the stuff on this album.