Though he's been making music since the '90s,
Enthusiast is only
Siriusmo's second album. He spent much of his career releasing singles and EPs (many of which were collected in the entertaining comp Pearls & Embarrassments) and his focus on short-form releases even trickled down to his first full-length, the unapologetically fragmented and aptly named Mosaik.
Enthusiast's title also offers truth in advertising: while it offers a somewhat more coherent listening experience than
Siriusmo's debut album, the focus is still on what has made his music distinctive and engaging from the beginning: the joy that he has in making it. Each track here is full of the playful touches that have always been his signature: "Doctor Beak" pairs a bubbly melody that recalls the classic electronic instrumental "Popcorn" with a kinetic house beat, while "Rantanplant" pits a wry melodic motif against ever-changing backgrounds. As on Mosaik, this kind of mischief is the glue that holds his chameleonic sound-shifting together.
Siriusmo hops from the smoothly jazzy "Liu" to "Itchy"'s prickly techno to the stylish and stylized French pop of "Petit Cochon" to the lounge-tinged final track "Leftovers" without breaking a sweat, though listeners might break one trying to follow him.
Enthusiast's tracks with vocals, like the dubstep-tinged MC Ramon showcase "Cornerboy," help anchor some of the wilder instrumentals. Even though tracks like this and "Plastic Hips" reflect how well-versed
Siriusmo is in the sounds of 21st century EDM, his freewheeling spirit evokes and updates the anything-goes heyday of early-2000s electronica; for example, the sweet analog squiggles on the title track suggest a more grown-up version of cult favorites
Plone. As always,
Siriusmo's music is nothing if not picturesque in its sounds and juxtapositions, with "Tränen Aus Bier" pairing a hip-hop beat with what sounds like an organ out of an old horror movie soundtrack and a bubble machine. His greatest strength is still in these kind of miniatures, and his approach to music is more about having as much fun as possible in the moment rather than creating a bigger picture. Those who don't share his sense of humor or fondness for quick-shifting sounds may be left scratching their heads while listening to
Enthusiast, but listeners who are ready for anything will enjoy the wild ride the album offers. ~ Heather Phares