hackedepicciotto is of course Alexander Hacke from Einsturzende Neubauten and Danielle de Picciotto (Space Cowboys, Love Parade, Crime & The City Solution) and 'Lichtung' is the pair's latest album on the Mute label in the U.S. Past hackedepicciotto albums that I've reviewed here have always been interesting so I expect nothing less from 'Lichtung.' A cursory listen to the album gave me the impression the album is less experimental and more personal in nature. The softness of the opener (title track) seems to bear this out; it's an elegant, mystical piece that draws you into another world. "Vogelfrei," the instrumental that follows dispels any notion of frailty. "Wiederbelebung" has some neoclassical influences filtered through a distortion pedal with Black Forest vocals and a distinctly Teutonic cadence. "Ertedank" is kind of spookily psychedelic with industrial percussion and harmonious vocals in unison by both Alexander and Danielle, happening with frequency on several of the tracks, and especially noteworthy in "Zeitenwende," although both have their solo moments. I'm not sure this kind of folksy vocal technique completely resonates with me but I'm willing to give it time. By now you should have guessed by the titles that all the vocals are in Deutsche, but there are English lyrics translations on their Bandcamp site. "Draussen" is an instrumental that had me vaguely thinking of Dead Can Dance, and I'm coming to realize that I like the music more than the vocals overall. So far, this track really makes the album. There's only two more to go with "Einig," the first song I watched the video for, and on this one I really enjoyed the vocals, as well as the animated fantastic beasts that strutted across the screen. Clever! Lastly, there is "Der Marschall," a stately, but somewhat ominous neoclassical instrumental with a heaping helping of melancholy. You could easily use this track for a steampunk funeral procession. Although I'm not as enthralled with 'Lichtung' as by previous hackedepicciotto albums, there is still plenty of merit on it.