DIETER MOEBIUS - Forced Exposure

$17.00 IN STOCK

Dieter Moebius - one half of the legendary duo Cluster and the godfather of electronic krautrock - passed away in the summer of 2015. Bureau B are reissuing his final four solo albums. Following on from Blotch (BB 209CD/LP) and Nurton (BB 210CD/LP), reissued in 2016, Kram (BB 258CD/LP) and Ding now complete the quartet. Liner notes were penned by Moebius's friend, the U.S. composer, producer, and musician Tim Story. Ding was originally released in 2011.

Tim Story on Ding: "If Dieter Moebius' previous album Kram was an irreverent mélange of bright synthetic textures, 2011's Ding might be considered Moebi's industrial album. There is a cyclical, mechanical feel to many of the pieces here -- but this is light industry, not heavy machinery. Small, discrete contraptions churn out curious objects as the listener strolls the factory floor, the combinations evolving as perspectives shift with each step taken. Moebi made extensive use of a relatively portable sample recorder/looper during the creation of Ding, and the freedom to capture random bits of sound in the natural (or unnatural) world must have been inspiring. These organic ambiences might have evoked a terrain that feels familiar, except of course that this is a Moebius album. Angular rhythms, disembodied voices, repeated loops of audio debris all combine to forge a facsimile of reality that is wonderfully peculiar. The earthy environments of Ding give it a remarkable depth of field, and Moebi masterfully allows a great deal of transparency in the mixes. The smallest of musical cues -- the alternating, faraway chords which float through 'Bone,' for example -- are sufficient to tie the seemingly disparate elements together into a satisfying, truly musical experience. The strands of natural, mechanical, and electronic sounds are so deftly juxtaposed that music never quite overwhelms noise, and the clamor is never allowed to stifle Ding's strange poetry. Altogether, Ding feels like something of a small revelation -- there's liberation in Moebi's willful escape from a sound palette confined solely to his synthesizers. If the notion of manipulated, overlapping field recordings sounds dry and abstract, Ding is anything but. In places, the loping, syncopated pulses suggest the polyrhythms of African music, even funk -- but it's a state which never quite materializes because the rhythm loops are almost always trimmed slightly too long or too short, deliberately interrupting the 'groove' that otherwise could have taken hold. So it's music you might conceivably dance to, if your legs aren't quite the same length. Mentally, it's much easier to dance with Ding. Shot through with Moebi's humor and extraordinary imagination, its provocative choreography of music and noise remains one of his most seductive."

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Dieter Moebius - one half of the legendary duo Cluster and the godfather of electronic krautrock - passed away in the summer of 2015. Bureau B are reissuing his final four solo albums. Following on from Blotch (BB 209CD/LP) and Nurton (BB 210CD/LP), reissued in 2016, Kram (BB 258CD/LP) and Ding now complete the quartet. Liner notes were penned by Moebius's friend, the U.S. composer, producer, and musician Tim Story. Ding was originally released in 2011.

Tim Story on Ding: "If Dieter Moebius' previous album Kram was an irreverent mélange of bright synthetic textures, 2011's Ding might be considered Moebi's industrial album. There is a cyclical, mechanical feel to many of the pieces here -- but this is light industry, not heavy machinery. Small, discrete contraptions churn out curious objects as the listener strolls the factory floor, the combinations evolving as perspectives shift with each step taken. Moebi made extensive use of a relatively portable sample recorder/looper during the creation of Ding, and the freedom to capture random bits of sound in the natural (or unnatural) world must have been inspiring. These organic ambiences might have evoked a terrain that feels familiar, except of course that this is a Moebius album. Angular rhythms, disembodied voices, repeated loops of audio debris all combine to forge a facsimile of reality that is wonderfully peculiar. The earthy environments of Ding give it a remarkable depth of field, and Moebi masterfully allows a great deal of transparency in the mixes. The smallest of musical cues -- the alternating, faraway chords which float through 'Bone,' for example -- are sufficient to tie the seemingly disparate elements together into a satisfying, truly musical experience. The strands of natural, mechanical, and electronic sounds are so deftly juxtaposed that music never quite overwhelms noise, and the clamor is never allowed to stifle Ding's strange poetry. Altogether, Ding feels like something of a small revelation -- there's liberation in Moebi's willful escape from a sound palette confined solely to his synthesizers. If the notion of manipulated, overlapping field recordings sounds dry and abstract, Ding is anything but. In places, the loping, syncopated pulses suggest the polyrhythms of African music, even funk -- but it's a state which never quite materializes because the rhythm loops are almost always trimmed slightly too long or too short, deliberately interrupting the 'groove' that otherwise could have taken hold. So it's music you might conceivably dance to, if your legs aren't quite the same length. Mentally, it's much easier to dance with Ding. Shot through with Moebi's humor and extraordinary imagination, its provocative choreography of music and noise remains one of his most seductive."

$17.00 IN STOCK

Dieter Moebius - one half of the legendary duo Cluster and the godfather of electronic krautrock - passed away in the summer of 2015. Bureau B are reissuing his final four solo albums. Following on from Blotch (BB 209CD/LP) and Nurton (BB 210CD/LP), reissued in 2016, Kram and Ding (BB 259CD/LP) now complete the quartet. Liner notes were penned by Moebius's friend, the U.S. composer, producer, and musician Tim Story. Kram was originally released in 2009.

Tim Story on Kram: "Recorded in 2008, Kram's playfully disjointed rhythms and shiny plastic surfaces give us just a glimpse perhaps of Moebi's own state of mind -- content, at ease, and happy to be working on music. With small mobile recording setups in Berlin and Majorca where he and Irene split their time, he recorded when the muse struck (although he would hate the word 'muse'). In English, 'kram' means 'stuff' and the title is fitting. Synthetic, toy-like sounds skitter across the soundstage, colliding with those unlikely rhythms, and modulating in real time with Moebi's unmistakable hand on the controls. Funny, warped, joyfully cluttered, Kram unapologetically embraces its disposable sounds and sly humor. Imbued throughout with his singular conception of music and sound, it's arguably Moebius' most cheerful and mischievous album, and it's all the richer for it. Moebi was a champion of the everyday -- self-effacing in both his life and his music. In Kram, he elevates the commonplace, then promptly subverts the touchstones which make it familiar. The lack of overt 'emotionality' in his work sometimes obscures the humanity and depth that's always there, lurking behind the fabricated surfaces. Kram is a perfect example. Though he would be quick to dismiss it, the warmth of Moebi's personality drifts indelibly through it."

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. Dieter Moebius - one half of the legendary duo Cluster and the godfather of electronic krautrock - passed away in the summer of 2015. Bureau B are reissuing his final four solo albums. Following on from Blotch (BB 209CD/LP) and Nurton (BB 210CD/LP), reissued in 2016, Kram and Ding (BB 259CD/LP) now complete the quartet. Liner notes were penned by Moebius's friend, the U.S. composer, producer, and musician Tim Story. Kram was originally released in 2009.

Tim Story on Kram: "Recorded in 2008, Kram's playfully disjointed rhythms and shiny plastic surfaces give us just a glimpse perhaps of Moebi's own state of mind -- content, at ease, and happy to be working on music. With small mobile recording setups in Berlin and Majorca where he and Irene split their time, he recorded when the muse struck (although he would hate the word 'muse'). In English, 'kram' means 'stuff' and the title is fitting. Synthetic, toy-like sounds skitter across the soundstage, colliding with those unlikely rhythms, and modulating in real time with Moebi's unmistakable hand on the controls. Funny, warped, joyfully cluttered, Kram unapologetically embraces its disposable sounds and sly humor. Imbued throughout with his singular conception of music and sound, it's arguably Moebius' most cheerful and mischievous album, and it's all the richer for it. Moebi was a champion of the everyday -- self-effacing in both his life and his music. In Kram, he elevates the commonplace, then promptly subverts the touchstones which make it familiar. The lack of overt 'emotionality' in his work sometimes obscures the humanity and depth that's always there, lurking behind the fabricated surfaces. Kram is a perfect example. Though he would be quick to dismiss it, the warmth of Moebi's personality drifts indelibly through it."

$17.00 IN STOCK

Dieter Moebius -- half of the legendary duo Cluster and the godfather of electronic krautrock -- passed away in the summer of 2015. In 2016, Bureau B begins rereleasing his final four solo albums, starting with his 1999 album Blotch. Moebius's most famous collaboration is, of course, the "long-term project" Cluster with Hans-Joachim Roedelius, which existed from 1969 until 2010 (with some lengthy breaks). The duo existed in changing formations involving such legendary colleagues as Conny Plank, Michael Rother, and Brian Eno. Yet solo albums remained an exception. In 1983 Moebius released his first, titled Tonspuren (BB 040CD), which was followed a full 16 years later by his second solo album, Blotch. Typical for an oeuvre characterized by understatement, Moebius named his album after a mere dab of paint. Nevertheless, this record marks a turning point in his work. From this album onward, up until his death in the summer of 2015, he focused increasingly on his solo work, enabling audiences to examine his music separately and microscopically. Blotch is far removed from the ease that defines Tonspuren. Its tracks feel like loop-based sketches, which stoically delve into experimental sonic atmospheres -- seasoned with snippets of speech -- that hypnotize the listener with the smallest of variations and embellishments. The surprising 11-minute track "Kohlzug" sticks out, with a no wave saxophone that suggests a decelerated version of Ted Milton's jazz-punk. Sonically, Blotch is clearly a product of its time; Moebius used an E-mu Orbit 9090 sound module and the then-current Korg Prophecy solo synth. This pioneering digital synthesizer was among the first to provide various algorithms and modes of synthesis to mimic the sounds of analog synthesizers in detail. Moebius recorded his tracks with a Yamaha eight-track recorder. The mastering was completed by the renowned American composer and ambient veteran Tim Story at his studio in Ohio. Story, who also produced Cluster's final album, Qua, in 2009, himself contributed some atmospheric highlights using a prepared piano, a heavily processed steel guitar, and a piano miniature on closer "Balistory." Blotch is a turning point in the work of Dieter Moebius, and his late solo work holds some very exciting releases in store. While its predecessor, Tonspuren, was marked by an erratic lightness and an exhilarating sweetness in the elektrokraut style of NEU! and Harmonia, Blotch marks a late revival of the somewhat more oblique and experimental early work of Cluster.

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. First-ever vinyl edition. Dieter Moebius -- half of the legendary duo Cluster and the godfather of electronic krautrock -- passed away in the summer of 2015. In 2016, Bureau B begins rereleasing his final four solo albums, starting with his 1999 album Blotch. Moebius's most famous collaboration is, of course, the "long-term project" Cluster with Hans-Joachim Roedelius, which existed from 1969 until 2010 (with some lengthy breaks). The duo existed in changing formations involving such legendary colleagues as Conny Plank, Michael Rother, and Brian Eno. Yet solo albums remained an exception. In 1983 Moebius released his first, titled Tonspuren (BB 040CD), which was followed a full 16 years later by his second solo album, Blotch. Typical for an oeuvre characterized by understatement, Moebius named his album after a mere dab of paint. Nevertheless, this record marks a turning point in his work. From this album onward, up until his death in the summer of 2015, he focused increasingly on his solo work, enabling audiences to examine his music separately and microscopically. Blotch is far removed from the ease that defines Tonspuren. Its tracks feel like loop-based sketches, which stoically delve into experimental sonic atmospheres -- seasoned with snippets of speech -- that hypnotize the listener with the smallest of variations and embellishments. The surprising 11-minute track "Kohlzug" sticks out, with a no wave saxophone that suggests a decelerated version of Ted Milton's jazz-punk. Sonically, Blotch is clearly a product of its time; Moebius used an E-mu Orbit 9090 sound module and the then-current Korg Prophecy solo synth. This pioneering digital synthesizer was among the first to provide various algorithms and modes of synthesis to mimic the sounds of analog synthesizers in detail. Moebius recorded his tracks with a Yamaha eight-track recorder. The mastering was completed by the renowned American composer and ambient veteran Tim Story at his studio in Ohio. Story, who also produced Cluster's final album, Qua, in 2009, himself contributed some atmospheric highlights using a prepared piano, a heavily processed steel guitar, and a piano miniature on closer "Balistory." Blotch is a turning point in the work of Dieter Moebius, and his late solo work holds some very exciting releases in store. While its predecessor, Tonspuren, was marked by an erratic lightness and an exhilarating sweetness in the elektrokraut style of NEU! and Harmonia, Blotch marks a late revival of the somewhat more oblique and experimental early work of Cluster.

$17.00 IN STOCK

On the second album of his late solo work, 2006's Nurton, krautrock legend Dieter Moebius (1944-2015) searches for flaws and uses them as a creative impulse. As usual, he blithely ignores any mainstream expectations. In science, an experiment is defined as an attempt to methodically gain information by systematically varying parameters. The results then confirm or refute the hypothesis or the model of the experiment. In art, however, confirmation is not of interest. Far more exciting are the flaws. They can lead to completely unexpected results or to new phenomena. In science, such moments are called discoveries. In this sense, Nurton is experimental music. One can observe Dieter Moebius on his quest for inspiration through flaws; rather than sonically imitating the instruments of a band lineup or following a conventional song structure, he departs from such rigid approaches. He gladly makes use of noises and otherness to create variations, examine the results, and sculpt his songs. In doing so, he allows the listener to participate in his quest to harness unexpected flaws and to share in his frequent discovery of an inspiring sonic event found off the beaten path. Many tracks on Nurton commence with noise-like loops. Moebius then adds levels of sound, layer by layer. Threatening, industrial-sounding squeaking; wheezing; and sluggish pounding are joined by playful digital lead sounds or provided with a foundation of meditative drone sounds. And almost imperceptibly, the piece lures one into a supremely comforting hypnosis. On Nurton, Moebius demonstrates his true greatness; from a seemingly arbitrary initial loop, he creates hypnotic experimental atmospheres -- linear, without escalation, stoic, with clarity, and to hypnotic effect. In doing so, Moebius uses bolder and more experimental lead sounds than on his previous solo album Blotch, from 1999 (BB 209CD/LP). The sonic impression is more diverse and feels reconciled with the sounds of digital synthesis. Only the last track of the album, fittingly titled "Das Letzte" ("The Last"), provides a preview of the musical development that would characterize Moebius's solo releases to follow.

$26.00 IN STOCK

LP version. First-ever vinyl edition. On the second album of his late solo work, 2006's Nurton, krautrock legend Dieter Moebius (1944-2015) searches for flaws and uses them as a creative impulse. As usual, he blithely ignores any mainstream expectations. In science, an experiment is defined as an attempt to methodically gain information by systematically varying parameters. The results then confirm or refute the hypothesis or the model of the experiment. In art, however, confirmation is not of interest. Far more exciting are the flaws. They can lead to completely unexpected results or to new phenomena. In science, such moments are called discoveries. In this sense, Nurton is experimental music. One can observe Dieter Moebius on his quest for inspiration through flaws; rather than sonically imitating the instruments of a band lineup or following a conventional song structure, he departs from such rigid approaches. He gladly makes use of noises and otherness to create variations, examine the results, and sculpt his songs. In doing so, he allows the listener to participate in his quest to harness unexpected flaws and to share in his frequent discovery of an inspiring sonic event found off the beaten path. Many tracks on Nurton commence with noise-like loops. Moebius then adds levels of sound, layer by layer. Threatening, industrial-sounding squeaking; wheezing; and sluggish pounding are joined by playful digital lead sounds or provided with a foundation of meditative drone sounds. And almost imperceptibly, the piece lures one into a supremely comforting hypnosis. On Nurton, Moebius demonstrates his true greatness; from a seemingly arbitrary initial loop, he creates hypnotic experimental atmospheres -- linear, without escalation, stoic, with clarity, and to hypnotic effect. In doing so, Moebius uses bolder and more experimental lead sounds than on his previous solo album Blotch, from 1999 (BB 209CD/LP). The sonic impression is more diverse and feels reconciled with the sounds of digital synthesis. Only the last track of the album, fittingly titled "Das Letzte" ("The Last"), provides a preview of the musical development that would characterize Moebius's solo releases to follow.