Perpetuum Mobile (album)

Infobox Album
Name = Perpetuum Mobile
Type = Album
Longtype =
Artist = Einstürzende Neubauten

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Released = February 10, 2004
Recorded = August 2002 - June 2003
Genre = Experimental Industrial
Length = 66:56
Label = Mute
Producer = Einstürzende Neubauten
Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|2.5|5 [http://wc07.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:hbfuxqyaldae link]
Last album = Silence Is Sexy (2000)
This album = Perpetuum Mobile (2004)
Next album = Alles wieder offen (2007)

This album, by Einstürzende Neubauten, is an offshoot of their first supporters-only recording experiment. It was released with Mute Records, in part to facilitate a world tour.

Track listing

# “Ich gehe jetzt” – 3:31
# “Perpetuum Mobile” – 13:41
# “Ein leichtes leises Säuseln” – 4:31
# “Selbstportrait mit Kater” – 6:12
# “Boreas” – 3:59
# “Ein seltener Vogel” – 9:14
# “Ozean und Brandung” – 3:44
# “Paradiesseits” – 4:07
# “Youme & Meyou” – 4:39
# “Der Weg ins Freie” – 4:04
# “Dead Friends (Around the Corner)” – 5:14
# “Grundstück” – 3:41

Themes

"Perpetuum Mobile" contains overarching references to its namesake perpetuum mobile (the musical term) and perpetual motion (the physical concept). Other islands in the notional sea are Boreas, Ararat (of note for both the Einstürzende Neubauten song Armenia and Mount Ararat), travel and airplanes, rare birds, and countless others not yet listed or explored.

Of Note

Supporters Album #1 ends with Compressors in the Dark (the black version of Ich gehe jetzt) while Perpetuum Mobile begins with the white version of "Ich gehe jetzt", forming another point of continuity for those who have both albums. It is possible that the black version (at the end) is for “leaving to return” or “leaving to go home” and the white version (at the beginning) is in counterpoint as “leaving to go away” or “leaving the house”.