They began playing as the Hyperactive Kid trio almost fourteen years ago. Now as the trio begins its rebellious-adolescent years the three Berlin-based musicians are switching to their given names – Gropper , for sax player Philipp Gropper, Gaupe for guitarist Ronny Graupe and Lillinger for drummer Christian Lillinger. Despite its title, «Riot», the fifth album of the trio does not rebel against the highly individual and still hyperactive attitude of the trio, free-spirited and conspirative of the three musicians, immune from any genre or style clichés.
Still, «Riot», marks a new era for the this trio, liberated from historical bonds and aiming for newer, adventurous sonic territories. The studio atmosphere enabled the trio to experiment more with sound manipulations and later with post-production touches. But also to explore and incorporate new, supposedly alien elements to the trio urgent interplay. «Riot» offers few longer pieces scattered between brief, sketchy interludes, each one suggests new sonic course for the trio.
«Being Dark Is Easy» flirts with a techno-like structure that keeps intensifying before exploding in a cathartic coda. «Daup Zustand» demonstrates beautifully the inventive, touch-and-go interplay of the trio. This is a playful, fast-shifting pieces that refuses categorically to follow any strict narrative. «Illusions» stresses the trio collaborative and disciplined interplay even more, developing an ambitious and complex piece, almost like a prog-rock one, but at the same time it highlights the trio daring sonic searches. «Sale» revolves around a minimalist, repetitive pulse, processed as in electronic dance music and the title-piece even intensifies this vein with a kind of a disturbing, epileptic pulse, Shorter pieces like «Mirror», «Demons» or «Obstacle» experiment with new, extended techniques and newer sonic terrains bordering with noise. drone and electronic sounds.
You can always count on this trio challenging, fresh attitude.
Eyal Hareuveni
Philipp Gropper (ts), Ronny Graupe (g), Christian Lillinger (dr)
