Hacke, Alexander – “Sanctuary ” – [Kool Arrow]

Einsturzende Neubauten member tosses in a little bit of everything on this solo effort. Crashing drum machines, a ton of keyboards and guitars, squeaking noises, odd vocal activity from who knows what sources… Things that caught my ear: #2 has a female self-defense instructor as guest vocalist. #4 features a gigantic bass line that would do Jah Wobble proud. #5 is a 13-minute potboiler with an instrumental buildup during the first 5 minutes, then has vocals dropping in and out for the rest of the piece, while the music rises and falls. #7 is titled “Seven” and is in 7/8 time. #8 has tabla and emotional vocals in a language I don’t recognize. I don’t know what #10 is about but it’s built on a cool blues riff. My fave tracks are the big synthetic-sounding rockers #5 and #7.