Been playing this one quite a bit lately, predominantly on long lunchtime walks and miscellaneous train journeys from here to there. Without meaning to damn it with faint praise, it’s the kind of album that fits the bill when I’ve been stumped for what else to listen to: a benignly dreamy instrumental slice that doesn’t quite fade into the background but instead seeps quietly into the subconscious. The motorik beats and atmospheric abstractions automatically recall Neu! and Brian Eno, though there are certain vague, hazily nostalgic qualities (e.g. could just be my weird brain, but opener ‘Sonnenring’ somehow reminds me of hearing Queen’s ‘Radio Ga Ga’ on a distant radio…) that also bring to mind the likes of LCD Soundsystem and Boards Of Canada. While it’s unlikely to replace your go-to kosmische or ambient classics as an all-time favourite, ‘3’ is nevertheless a satisfying and immersive piece of work that feels tailor-made for soundtracking all your bleariest late-night contemplations.
