After having heard one of his latest tracks ('Skullwatch') on the 4-CD-compilation-beast 'Old-School Electrology Volume One', Geert de Wilde returns now with his 5th album of his long-going career under his moniker IC 434. Again signed to the German Infacted Recordings label, Geert presents us a new and crafty produced example, how to combine the ideals of a veteran act with new and updated composition skills. His music is as usual for the most part based and programmed on his beloved Korg M1 workstation synthesizer, but his tunes can not completely sort into the 'old-school' drawer. Even if one may thinks to have heard the one or another sound before, since the Korg M1 is an old, late 80s built machine, Geert's tasteful arrangements are still sounding fresh and can easily stand with the state-of-art. What has to be pointed out, is Geert's handmade-like bass-line sequencing, which follows in its technical kind some ideals like early Image Transmission ('Deportation') for instance. Together with his raspy vocal performance, which reminds a bit on a more EBM-related version of P. Spilles (Project Pitchfork) meets Denis Ostermann (In Strict Confidence), here shines through the typical old-school factor. But besides all of that 'we-journalists-need-permanently-search-for-comparisons' rambling, Geert impresses with his well-balanced album, which offers the one or another track worth to mention specially. 'Rats' with its dark and creepy synthesizer pad-programming is a haunting and moody tune, which dramatic slows down the tempo. The rather more danceable tunes like 'An Ideal World', the fast arranged 'Deportation', or 'Sangre De Toro' offer solid club food, while I personally still prefer the brilliant 'Skullwatch'. With 'The Waiting' and the last tune 'Barnard 33', Geert gives us some instrumental insight into one of his biggest hobbies, Astronomy. It finally doesn't wonder too much, that also the band moniker IC 434 is named after a galactic fog. 'Anhedonia' reaches finally hits a target, which can be seldom discovered: it balances well the ideals of the old school und unites tradition with the technical skills of our current days. Thumbs up for this album!