Antonelli Soulkiller

• Words: Luciana Lopez
• Label: Italic
• XLR8R Rating: 5/10

Stefan Schwander (a.k.a. Antonelli) clearly gets the point of minimalist art–whether it’s music or visuals or macaroni necklaces, he makes the most emotional impact with the slightest disturbance. On Soulkiller, his sixth album, Schwander layers analog drum machines, synthesizers, and sequences for tracks that get across his sense of whimsy and fun with cheerful beats and buoyancy. House and techno mix with funk on dancefloor-friendly tracks that ebb and flow endlessly. Schwander recorded these tracks live to tape, which adds to the apparent simplicity. Unfortunately, the emotional range here is narrow; from track to track, there are few peaks or valleys. “Minimal” shouldn’t also have to mean “limited.”