Trentmoller – Late Night Tales

I generally like these Late Night Tales compilations where artists produce a mix incorporating their influences from different styles and genres. Trentmoller’s selections are no less eclectic and varied, but none are especially fun or innovative.  The main problem is, it sounds too much like Trentmoller.

All his picks are from a varied palette of  musical tones, however the atmosphere they evoke is the absolute spitting image of Andreas himself. There’s that trademark dark beauty, a starkness and an icy chill that permeates all of these songs. None are particularly offensive, but in a bizarre way for an ‘eclectic’ album, they’re just too’ samey’. It’s essentially like listening to ‘Into the Great Wide Yonder’, but through an ancient magical gramophone that allows you to access the sounds of yester-year.

Of most interest are the contributions of Eden Ahbez, Darkness Falls, Jacqueline Taieb and The Shangri-Las. This Mortal Coil, The Velvet Underground and Mazzy Star are also worth a listen if you’re not already familiar with their work.

Maybe I’m being harsh, because it would be spookily clever if it wasn’t so boring at the same time. If you like Trentmoller you may like this, but if you like Trentmoller then you may as well just listen to a Trentmoller album rather than this deconstructed soundscape of his influences. And with the money you save, buy the Belle and Sebastian Late Night Tales instead.