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Das Rad — Open Up the Door
(Discus Music 212CD, 2026, CD / DL)

by Jon Davis, Published 2026-10-29

Open Up the Door Cover art

By my count, Open Up the Door is the sixth full-length release by Das Rad, and it is a fine example of the unique path they’ve taken with their music. As I mentioned reviewing Funfair a couple of years ago, some of the comparisons that come to mind are David Sylvian, No-Man, David Bowie (Blackstar), and Scott Walker (Tilt and later), along with later Talk Talk. But aside from the diversity of those artists, Das Rad has a quite distinctive sound, and a number of factors are in the mix. One is Peter Rophone’s voice, which is sometimes soft and breathy (hence the Sylvian reference) but sometimes ventures into a more forceful tone or a strong falsetto. Another factor is Nick Robinson’s guitar, which is all over the map — in a good way. His playing is often heavily distorted and almost atonal, adding an edge of anxiety to Rophone’s smoother tones. And then you have Martin Archer, who handles a wide array of keyboards but also contributes woodwinds, and the saxes lend a hint of jazz even though they’re not playing typical jazz parts (which you wouldn’t expect from Archer anyway). The rhythm section consists of Jon Short (bass) and Steve Dinsdale (drums), and they provide the glue that holds it all together, with a kind of atmospheric groove touch that sometimes propels and sometimes merely punctuates. In this 2CD set, they include some relatively concise tracks (under five minutes) along with some longer ones that stretch out more. In fact, the “bonus disc” ends with “Lost Constellations,” which clocks in at 26:30, and there are three other tracks longer than ten minutes. Figured in dollars (or pounds) per minute, it’s an excellent deal, especially considering the quality of the music. One of my favorite tracks is “Threshold,” which is built around some prominent bass work a little reminiscent of Mick Karn on one of his jazzier solo albums, especially in conjunction with Archer’s soprano sax and Robinson’s dissonant guitar (bringing David Torn to mind without resembling his playing). Rophone is at his most Bowie-esque here as well. It’s just one winning track among many. This is a fine album by a band that really has its own sound.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Martin Archer, Das Rad

More info
http://discusmusic.bandcamp.com/album/open-up-the-door-212cd-2026

 

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