Berlin is not even safe for slacker and indie rocker Stephen Malkmus. The former frontman of the influential American guitar band lived in the German capital for a few years in the early 10's and was captivated by the electronic music scene. He then worked (back in Portland) for years on his own electro record. This laptop album on which he plays everything himself was already ready in 2017, but
… his record company did not think the time was right for an electronic Malkmus at the time. Two years later Groove Denied is released. Above all, it shows that Malkmus sounds just as casual on a laptop as with a guitar. Cautious disco beats and analog-sounding synthesizers deliberately simmer unsteadily together and the songs that are always equally cool and slightly ironically sung are unmistakably Malkmus. Towards the end of Groove Denied the guitars just start to dominate again on this otherwise fine album. (MR)more
