Paul Brtschitsch tags his music "touse," which is something he should keep to himself for a variety of reasons. Most of all, though, is the fact that dub, house and techno are more than sufficient epithets to describe his work, and—with his credentials—he needn't rely on marketing gimmicks. Besides, his name is unique enough, and his music on the whole solid enough, for Me, Myself and Live to be memorable anyway.
The Rootknox man's aforementioned credentials received a boost last year when he co-produced Anja Schneider's Beyond the Valley, a record that planed through the electronic world atop the "deep" wave which has since rippled through all genres of dance music. But it also begged the question, "Can he step out of Schneider's shadow and eventually be known primarily for his solo work?" By the fifth album you would think so, but even the PR claims "2009 will be his year" as if the man hadn't already released records on star-spangled labels like Plus 8 and Ostgun Ton, as well as his own Rootknox label over the past decade.
Me, Myself and Live may well visit some "Best of '09" lists come December, though, informed as it is by the emotions of the man ("Me") his varied musical past ("Myself") and the energy of his lauded live shows (you get the drift). The album lands on solid ground; shuffling along at a druggy 123bpm, instantly tunneling a groove. "The Dentex" is a tighter jam with polyrhythms and concertinaed beats, whilst "One Morning" gets squelchy and shuns the low end and richly sonorous sounds of elsewhere (elsewhere being Beyond the Valley). Instead, its hyperactive, blippy lead is the sort of unnerving sound M.A.N.D.Y. might work. Meanwhile, to compare "Rude Knox" with the polished and serene tech house of Deadmau5 would be lazy, but apt. And "Sugar" is both hypnotic (with its drawn out, harp-strung hook) and schizophrenic (two interludes of bouncy, pitch bent madness storm the dreamy 5 AM sounds that went before).
Similar to the way the endless loops of Damián Schwartz's Party Lovers become rather irritating after an hour or so, though, the rigid structures of the odd Brtschitsch track leave you wanting the man to unhinge himself and brave unchartered waters. Or, at the very least, reduce the tracks and put greater emphasis on the key elements, rather than hiding amongst the clutter, somewhere down the middle. In tantalizingly working his way to many highs throughout, Brtschitsch's unquestionable musicianship is shop-windowed. But he never really makes the trip peak. After all, a prick tease by any other name—like "touse"—is still just a prick tease.
Buy Paul Brtschitsch - Me, Myself and Live at
  
Tracklist: Paul Brtschitsch - Me, Myself and Live
 01. Three Weeks
02. Adiamo
03. The Dentex
04. Diamant Flute
05. One Morning
06. Doriana
07. Rude Knox
08. Wizards & Rabbits
09. Morane
10. Sugar
11. Extend
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