Alright, let’s dive into Trendel, the 2007 brainchild of Martijn Hohmann and Marc Heijmans. This Dutch duo dropped this wild ride under Universaal Kunst, a label that seems to specialize in stuff you can’t quite pin down (and honestly, isn’t that the best kind?). It’s an electronic album with Noise, Experimental, and Musique Concrète vibes—basically, if your ears like being challenged, this is your jam.
First off, kudos to the artwork team because wow, there are more names credited for visuals than people in some small towns. Alexander Machiel, Barend van Hoek, Zeke S. Clough—the list goes on. The whole thing feels like a chaotic art gallery smashed into a CD cover. And yeah, it fits. You look at it and think, “Okay, I have no idea what’s coming next,” which is exactly how the music hits you.
Now, onto the tracks. There’s one called Untitled (how mysterious), but don’t let the lack of a title fool you—it’s got personality for days. It starts off all glitchy and disorienting, like someone spilled coffee on a synth and decided to roll with it. But then, outta nowhere, these deep bass tones creep in, giving it this almost cinematic vibe. Like, imagine walking through an abandoned factory while ghosts whisper bad poetry in your ear. That’s Untitled. Honestly, it sticks with me because it’s so unpredictable—you never know whether it’s gonna lull you or jumpscare you. Love it.
Another standout? Well, okay, truthfully, most of the other tracks blend together after a while, but there’s this one piece—I won’t name it ‘cause who knows what it’s actually called—that sounds like someone took a vacuum cleaner, a xylophone, and maybe a car alarm, and just went nuts. It’s not something you’d play at a party unless you hate your friends, but man, it’s fascinating. It’s like listening to chaos try to organize itself. Sometimes it works; sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, you’re glued to it.
What’s wild about Trendel is how unapologetically weird it is. These guys didn’t sit down and think, “How do we make hits?” Nope, they clearly thought, “How can we make people scratch their heads and maybe question reality?” And props to them! In a world full of cookie-cutter beats, this album stands out like a sore thumb. Or maybe like that one guy at a rave wearing a suit made of tin foil.
Final thought: If aliens ever land and ask us to explain human creativity, we should hand them a copy of Trendel. They’ll either beam us aboard as geniuses or politely decline further contact. Either way, mission accomplished.
