STRATIS "As Life Goes By"
Performed and Recorded by Albert Klein & Antonios Stratis
Temporary Music 004 - 2006
Format: CD sealed (79 minutes - 19 tracks)
In the USA available via www.othermusic.com New York City
In Europe you can order via  Infrarot  

The minimal-synth/coldwave dam has broken and we´re getting a flood of gems up in here. We reviewed Stratis´ amazing HerzlosCD a while back and gushed over its Blade Runner/Vangelis/Chris and Cosey Futur-O-vibe. Records like this risk the danger of sounding mega out of touch, or embarrassingly forced or just plain bad. Fortunately with Stratis, their love of the analog-future sound has preserved their creative juices like a cryogenically preserved Walt Disney head. Mostly instrumental tracks, As Life Goes By revisits the BladeRunner-esque, cyber-urban vibe, this time with a tastefully amplified sense of propulsion. Now that more than 20 years have passed since the inception of Stratis, they have shifted into a sound that creativ resembles Chris and Cosey-influenced Detroit techno. There is a palpable atmosphere of urban decay and longing for a brighter future, reminiscent of the dark, searching feel of Suburban Knight and Juan Atkins, but again, with that added Yello/Vangelis floating, dark romantic feeling. It is both vintage (thanks to the masterfully played analog equipment) and future-focused--a strange, effective combination only old-schoolers like Stratis can pull off. Fortunately, As Life Goes By isn´t marred by any trance elements, because I´d rather imagine floating cop cars and taxi cabs in the rain than a buncha dudes in ties and dockers dancing on the weekend! Stratis is keeping it real!
othermusic - New York City

 1. Violentrose  6:33
 2. Traumlabor  3:51
 3. Under Water  3:09
 4. Nachtasyl  4:56
 5. It Was Wrong  2:44
 6. As Time Goes By  4:47
 7. Hedon Hurt  4:03
 8. Goldmann  2:12
 9. A Cage  2:29
10. In Herne  2:30
11. Nightfly  2:49
12. Dance  5:43
13. Birds In A Cage  4:46
14. Green Village  5:08
15. At Dawn  5:03
16. Foggy Weather  6:38
17. Mystery Trip  6:49
18. Bauerntanz  2:18
19. Der Pudel  2:20