J. Willgoose, Esq. said the following about “Der Rhythmus der Maschinen”, “It’s a kind of reinterpretation of the first few minutes of Fritz Lang’s Berlin-made visionary science fiction film, Metropolis, using samples from Ruttmann’s 1930 audio film ‘Wochenende’ cut to a heavy, industrial soundtrack. Blixa Bargeld delivers a half-spoken monologue over the outro about the city as a machine – it’s a bit mad (the whole song is) but I like it. The song is about the more physical, industrial influence on the city, be it the railway or heavy industry and manufacturing that saw it boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.”
An accompanying video for “Der Rhythmus der Maschinen [ft. Blixa Bargeld]”, made by Jordan Martin at Double Vision using archival footage and content from public service films, is available to watch HERE.
Jordan Martin said the following about the video: “Using the Prelinger Archives we sourced footage from the era. You’ll see things from Ruttmann’s Berlin: Symphony of a Great City and Master Hands from the Jam Handy Organisation. A really fun edit, creating a driving force to the track, using images of huge and intricate macro machinery from the industrial revolution.”
The track follows the release of the album’s first two singles, which were both A-Listed at BBC 6Music. “Blue Heaven”, an anthem of proud self-determination inspired by Marlene Dietrich, features vocals from Andreya Casablanca of Berlin garageistes Gurr. “People, Let’s Dance”, featuring vocals from the Berlin-based musician, EERA, incorporates a guitar riff from Depeche Mode’s “People Are People” and takes its title from a chapter of Rory MacLean’s “Berlin: Imagine A City”. Showcasing another, more contemplative, side to the record, the band have also shared “Lichtspiel III: Symphonie Diagonale”, from the third part of the album, where the shadow of Bowie’s B-side to Low looms large. It is the third in a series of tracks entitled Lichtspiel (literally, “light play”) which were inspired by pioneering early abstract, expressionist film produced, or debuted, in Berlin.
Public Service Broadcasting will tour the UK this October and November with a show at London’s O2 Brixton Academy on 10th November 2021. Full dates are listed below and tickets are available HERE.
