Young German band MIT are shaping up to be a quite a hot commodity in 2008. In the weeks leading up to the release of their debut album Coda, interviews and reviews of the trio have been steadily creeping into all corners of the indie music blog-o-sphere. So let's go ahead and get the inevitable out of the way: MIT are a German electronica band. As such, they have been - and will continue to be - likened to Kraftwerk and Neu!. Such comparisons are indeed understandable, but perhaps also a bit lazy, as MIT have crafted a sound that is more punk than Kraftwerk and less Krautrock than Neu!. In fact, the band itself rather aptly describes their sound as electro-punk.'Beispiel' provides a deceptively calm introduction to the album with gentle, ambient synth notes. After a minute and twenty seconds, however, the primitive beat of the drums begins and the track builds upon itself with five minutes of haunting beats, thumping drums, hand claps and crashing cymbals, climaxing with vocalist Edi's singing, or rather shouting, German lyrics. And yes, all the album's lyrics are in German. If you're like me and don't speak the language, never fear - failure to understand the lyrics is surprisingly not a distraction. On one hand, the vocals fade into and become part of the pulsating music itself; on the other they simply add to the album's charm, bringing the complete German music experience full circle.MIT craft their songs with blips, tweaks and squeaks woven in and out of the exceptional drumming and simple synth beats that don't really manage to even border on a melody. And while there is the punk element that stands MIT apart from their German Krautrock forefathers, tribute is paid via an occasional 70's vibe with the spastic melody of 'Park', the buzzing drone of 'Kleur' or the retro spaciness of the title track. In all, Coda is a sparkling debut, with virtual webs of sound that present new layers to be discovered with each listen. Pair this fantastic album with their reportedly phenomenal live shows and it's fair to expect great success for these youngsters in the very near future. 77%Links MIT [official site] [myspace]