Guy Gerber has never been one to opt for the conventional road, and it’s a facet of his personality that he explores further on his latest full-length, Who’s Stalking Who. For a start, there’s the fact that the album has been released for free via Gerber’s Soundcloud page and courtesy of Pacha’s magazine, with Gerber’s 2013 residency at the Ibiza club no doubt a pivotal factor in that decision.
What’s most striking and unique about this package isn’t, however, the manner by which it’s distributed, but rather, the many nuanced sounds on offer. If potential listeners might be questioning the musical legitimacy of something that’s been give away for absolutely nought, they would do well to sample the LP first; one that’s full of warm, sun-kissed textures, sophisticated appeal and hidden intricacies.
The various moments of wonder and bewilderment kick off with an intro that senses at the great journey ahead. Preceding efforts a la ”The Night of the Glove” and the curiously titled ”I Never Wandered Where Your Heart Beats” compound the early promise, but it’s the devilishly enchanting update of ”Disorientation” that takes the early plaudits, as it takes the LP on an entirely different course: one that’s brimming with frantic tones as it is beguiling hues.
The somewhat industrial sounding facets served up by the latter are gradually brought down a notch soon after, with the more effortlessly gliding timbres of ”25 Stitches” (complete with ghetto-infused vocals) considerably lighting the mood. Matters go somewhat esoteric and eccentric at this point, with Gerber – keen as he always is – evidently wanting to showcase his darker, stranger side. Indeed, ”Sign of the Times” is nothing like as despondent as its title suggests, with it instead acting as a perfect foil to the acid-led title track.
The concluding moments arrive thick and fast, with both Gerber’s reinterpretation of Chaim’s ”Blue Shadows” and his own ”Irma and Lynda Bang The Drums” as prolific as what’s arrived before. In all, Who’s Stalking Who is a rather untypical gem. Which really, is typical of what we’ve come to expect from Gerber, isn’t it?
– Stephen Flynn
