Brave

Since making the full transition from Cologne's Kompakt to Berlin's BPitch Control, Sascha Funke's productions found a way to become a little noisier and a lot more pop-oriented at the same time. Funke's trio of 12s for the then young Kompakt helped define the sect of that label that thrived on warm, clean, uncluttered productions. When he switched over to BPitch — where he made his biggest splash of all, with a magnificent 2001 cover of Bros.' "When Will I Be Famous?" — he fell into that label's reputation for more aggressive sounds and began to leave a significant impact on a second label. Bravo, Funke's overdue full-length debut, is a hodgepodge of old and new material that plays to the producer's two primary strengths — full-bodied arrangements that balance abrasion and comfort, and his love of dance-pop, regardless of whatever scene it can be shoehorned into. The two tracks with vocalist Fritz Kalkbrenner are unsurprisingly two of the most emotional; while not quite as lyrically focused as Pet Shop Boys (one of Funke's favorites), "Now You Know" and "Forms and Shapes" are as suited for the bedroom as they are tailored for the club. One of the most compelling features of the album is the tension between minimal-minded techno and progressive house. Funke never seems to commit one way or another, but it's no matter — it helps create a sound of his own that can appeal to followers of both stripes. Those who prefer the Kompakt-era material (none of which is reprised here) will be made most happy with "Quiet Please," a track where the open spaces between the notes are as important as the shimmers of keyboard. The only full-on mishap is "3:1 für die Liebe," a sentimental track that samples everyone's least favorite Cheap Trick single and, in the process, comes off as an outtake from the Jerry Maguire score. Other than that, it's an excellent album from one of Germany's most consistent producers.