(Rough Trade)

www.roughtrade.com

Black Noise is a fascinating techno record, styled with rich drum programming and deep, dour melodies. Three years back, Hendrik Weber's sophomore outing as Pantha Du Prince garnered widespread critical acclaim in many circles for its wealth of gorgeous mood shifts and hypnotic atmospherics. In its precise sound detail and chilly sonic terrain, Black Noise follows the well-loved This Bliss with emotionally bountiful chord changes and a familiar emphasis on bell tones.

Given Animal Collective's recent steamrolling popularity, Hendrik Weber comes off like an oily-slick businessman on "Stick To My Side", the single Black Noise cut that features guest Noah Lennox on vocals. Weber has long known of Panda Bear and Animal Collective, though; there's a much-discussed Pantha Du Prince "Peacebone" remix as well as an AC tour support slot under his belt. If Weber's guest on "Stick" weren't battling a watery batch of reverb and rustling ambience that help mesh it with the course of this otherwise wordless album, Lennox would come close to breaking the spell here, as his walk-on marks the cheeriest moment by a mile.

The path to wintry stark settings over Black Noise's eleven pieces is cleared with scattered bells and manipulated field noises imported from the Alps. The former are everywhere; "Abglanz" is abundantly glassy, and "Bohemian Forest" opens (several times) to reveal a micro-symphony of clinks, just so that Hendrik Weber can pull out from it and employ the same compelling strategy again toward the end. Pigeonholing This Bliss as a straight, linear dance album is an unforgivable injustice, and Weber's direction on Black Noise isn't entirely club-ready, either. Sure, the gritty low-end that powers pre-album single "Behind the Stars" is best suited to a DJ set, but it's one of the lesser chameleonic cuts on the album, boasting a monochrome, floor-centric functionality that sticks out like a sore thumb.

Toward Black Noise's close, the coupling of lilting organic elements and wonderful ringing render "Welt Am Draht" more wholly representative of the album than "Behind the Stars". "Welt" references Black's ultimately sad but ever-evolving melodic thread, and the aesthetics remain consistent -- bells are front and center against soft synth washes, a steady peppering of percussion, and mournful choral accompaniment from the far back corner. Not unlike This Bliss, Lawrence's after-hours techno, or Trentemøller's The Last Resort, Weber's strongest compositions might come off too delicate for some, but they're actually rife with color and never short on memorable flourishes.

Standout Tracks: "Lay In A Shimmer," "Satellite Sniper" DOMINIC UMILE