Though around since
1989, The Notwist only broke into the slightly larger indie-world consciousness
with 2002's Neon Golden. The long gestation was worth it: Golden is one of the most accomplished,
moving, and elegiac electro-pop albums of the millennium, like Bonnie "Prince"
Billy's I See A Darkness with synths. The Devil, You + Me is no less
realized—it's just less soothing. "I would never beat you up" is the best
that "On Planet Off" can promise, which pretty much sums up the mood:
superficially calm, but a lot less accommodating than before. Instead of offering
obvious string swoops, the electronics, woodwinds, and accoutrements are more
densely layered and less obviously hooky. As the long-overdue follow-up to a
widely beloved album, it's not bad at all: After years of unsuccessful experimentation,
The Notwist isn't about to ditch a sound it took this long to find. As a
standalone unit, it's a bit too pallid and self-consciously dour to serve as an
introduction for newcomers. For those already hooked, though, The Devil should make a fine soundtrack for a
depressive summer.