I saw German composer/producer Ulrich Schnauss live a few times ages ago – I think SXSW 2005, supporting M83 that same year, and then opening for Chapterhouse in 2010 – and confess I never appreciated what he was doing at the time. I mean, as a certified guitar fetishist, his style of electronic shoegaze was a hard sell, and even if you are into the music, it doesn’t really translate as a conventional live experience.

But I’m older, wiser, and less dogmatic now, and as part of my “I am really into keyboards” thing right now, I’ve been revisiting his catalog and am finding it quite enjoyable. His 2003 album A Strangely Isolated Place was the one that garnered all the Slowdive and My Bloody Valentine comparisons and while I still think those a reach, I am appreciated the tones and textures on their own merits.

There’s no official videos for almost any of Schanuss’ work – odd, considering how cinematic it is and how dependent the live shows were on projections – but the title track of the record was remastered a couple years ago for the Now Is A Timeless Present compilation, so maybe just close your eyes and enjoy… because there’s nothing to look at.