It’s rare to see a group release a third album that is even better than their other two, extremely consistent, efforts. 

This is the case however, for Moderat and III. The group, consisting of Sascha Ring from Apparat and the Modeselektor boys Gernot Bronsert and Sebastian Szary, have created an album that brings back familiar atmospheric notes that we’ve come to know and love from their previous efforts. But once again, they’ve stepped it up a notch. Rather than creating hit EP’s and singles, Moderat have succeeded in creating a complete and coherent journey of soundscape in a manner that not many of their peers know how to.

The album tends to drift in and out of epic, monumental tracks into smaller softer tones, but somehow does so in a manner that isn’t jolty or unnerving. Rather, it provides an up and down soundscape whereby vocals aren’t really noticed and become just another instrument.

The most interesting track for myself was Running. Reason being? This track fits any setting at all – it wouldn’t be a stranger to a closing set in Ibiza, in a dingy club, a sold out concert highlight, or in your living room. The vocals layer and intertwine over a nice 3×4 beat, where more chopped vocals surround it as the main melody. The track continues to build until it hits a breakdown of messy voices and synth patterns, fading into silence and subsequently groaning back into the huge main melody, where Ring rejoins to sing – “So I keep on running”.

The following track, Finder, takes these notes and follows them through in a very Moderat-esque manner with little vocals and lots of instrumentation, and a synth reminiscent to Bad Kingdom from their second album – not that I’m complaining.

Ghostmother subtly relaxes the album’s direction, offering a vocal-heavy slow burner, a complete opposition of the prior track. With strong underpinning synths, the backing vocals from Ring’s two other members (for the first time) create a beautiful atmosphere of choral harmonies that last the entire track.

Another stand out from the album is The Fool, where a dynamically layered synth intro gives way to one single low note every 32 bars – a pattern which is consistent throughout the song and creates a brooding and thoughtful piece when paired with the monumental main synth melody.

For myself, the two final tracks, Animal Trails and Ethereal, work in tandem. The former is probably the most experimental and emotive soundscape off the album, grouping stabbing synths, plucking basslines and live drums altogether in what seems like one final send off from the epic nature of the album. Ethereal then ties it altogether. Soft, layered, echo-y vocals that surround the percussion are paired with the continuously growing synth work – a perfect finish to a spectacular album.

III is out now, and is one of, if not the best, album I have heard this year. The hype is definitely valid for the third project from the trio. Stream the album below!