I’m quite open about how much I detest purely electro music. Not only is it a genre (and an unwittingly close one to much of country music) that I will not only freely admit to my blanket prejudice of, but it’s one where I will take that blanket, curl up in it, and experience an amazing night's sleep.

What does this mean? Well for starters, you could assume that German electro trio Brandt Brauer Frick are pretty much in trouble from the get go when it comes turn for me to review their new album, You Make Me Real. But a funny thing happened as I listened, and now I find myself in an odd predicament; I don’t necessarily hate the material (!)…I just don’t quite understand it.

To justify my disgruntled attitude towards this genre, I can only say that I view it as an entity that lacks, well, soul. What it lacks in lyricism and in artists toiling over their craft, it tends to make up for in baseless digital beats. It’s a gateway to that ecstasy-riddled club full of glowsticks and fist pumping: a very real manifestation of hell of Earth.

However, You Make Me Real, running at nine tracks deep, tends to go against the grain. What it has going for it is a respectable form of artistry in the many live instruments it features. These layers of earthy, largely percussive tones are nuanced and feel organic, benefiting from some excellent pacing.

I’m not quite sure what You Make Me Real adds up to, but it’s not a bad thing. It’s not conventional for its genre, but it’s rich in content and, quite frankly, anything that has me challenging my own limitations ought to be commended.

Review score: 5/10