Tonic Walter explore a darker side of their electronic sound at Melkweg

Tonic Walter have a way of making electronic music feel wonderfully close, even when the synths begin to fill the room. Their blend of organic grooves, analogue textures and melodic house draws as much from the emotional arc of a live band as from the pulse of club music. On their second album, II, the German duo step into more uneasy territory. Where their debut It All Comes Together explored unity and transformation, the newer songs look at separation, tension and the fragile distance between hope and collapse. Those contrasts come to Melkweg's OZ room in Amsterdam on 12 December, with doors opening at 7:30pm. The interesting part of hearing them live is how easily a quiet passage can change the meaning of the rhythm that follows. It is electronic music made for people who enjoy the details as much as the beat.