Speculation

Almost the inverse of its predecessor, ABC123, with Speculation To Rococo Rot are an incredibly physical unit: you can almost hear the blood pumping as the drums and bass lock together on these rich, compelling tracks, an organic foundation for spirals and corkscrews of electronics. It’s doubtless partly attributable to where they recorded the album, at Scheer, Germany’s Faust Studios, run by long-time Faust member Jochen Irmler. He guests on organ on the meandering closer, “Fridays”, but you can sense Irmler’s mischievous spirit informing proceedings throughout – see the sensory overload of “Ship”, which feels full and fit to burst, or the delicate cross-patterns of the following “Bells”. I wouldn’t say To Rococo Rot sound ‘rejuvenated’ here – they’re always deeply connected to the music they’re making, always questing and moving forward – but there’s something particularly thrilling about the rough edges and unpredictable turns you encounter throughout Speculation.