|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CD
|
|
BB 460CD
|
After a couple of decades dancing in the dark, Berlin brothers Norbert and Volker Schultze finally found their way back into the spotlight via Bureau B's much-needed reissue of their minimal and masterful debut LP Dinner Für 2 (BB 277CD). Now the Hamburg imprint turn their attention to the second VONO LP, Modern Leben, which found the brothers Schultze expanding on the stark palette of their debut, adding spiky fretwork and muscular rock chords to their infectious synth-lines and efficient rhythms for an altogether heftier sound. On Modern Leben, VONO confidently stepped out of the minimalism of their debut, diving headlong into a bold blend of German post-punk, synth pop, and rock influences. Across its 13 tracks, the Schultze brothers offered a kaleidoscope of moods and textures, from brooding gloom-tunes to moments of brighter optimism, crafting an album that feels both cohesive and adventurous. The opener, "Ich steh' im Regen," sets the tone with its effective simplicity: a crisp drum machine, a restrained bassline, and a smooth croon that calls to mind early Japan or Roxy Music. On "Bin Ein Jeder Hat Ihn Gern Boy," taut guitar chops and a brooding synth bass create a simmering tension, sustained by twisted electronics as the track unfolds. The A-side closes on an uplifting note with "Nachtwanderer," its sweeping synth washes evoking a sense of hope as it transitions into a widescreen, cinematic finish. The B-side opens with the DAF-t duality of "Du Siehst So Gut Aus", its lyrical list of compliments yelped over aggressive electro-punk backing, before the romantic "Wenn Du Mich Küsst" cartwheels further towards playfulness via stomping beats and bombastic melodies. The slower "Hurra" introduces greyscale synth stabs and growled vocals, adding an ominous layer to the album's diverse sound, which takes a further detour via the percolating rhythms and almost tropical tones of "Genieß' den Morgen." VONO's sound continued to evolve, coalescing into the hulking EBM roar of 1986's It's Time before the duo dissolved. So much like its creators, Modern Leben is an album that thrives on contrasts, seamlessly moving between stark post-punk grit and expansive synth-pop melodies, while maintaining the intensity and edge that runs through all three of their albums.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
BB 460LP
|
LP version. Reissue, originally released on Sky Records label, 1983. After a couple of decades dancing in the dark, Berlin brothers Norbert and Volker Schultze finally found their way back into the spotlight via Bureau B's much-needed reissue of their minimal and masterful debut LP Dinner Für 2 (BB 277CD). Now the Hamburg imprint turn their attention to the second VONO LP, Modern Leben, which found the brothers Schultze expanding on the stark palette of their debut, adding spiky fretwork and muscular rock chords to their infectious synth-lines and efficient rhythms for an altogether heftier sound. On Modern Leben, VONO confidently stepped out of the minimalism of their debut, diving headlong into a bold blend of German post-punk, synth pop, and rock influences. Across its 13 tracks, the Schultze brothers offered a kaleidoscope of moods and textures, from brooding gloom-tunes to moments of brighter optimism, crafting an album that feels both cohesive and adventurous. The opener, "Ich steh' im Regen," sets the tone with its effective simplicity: a crisp drum machine, a restrained bassline, and a smooth croon that calls to mind early Japan or Roxy Music. On "Bin Ein Jeder Hat Ihn Gern Boy," taut guitar chops and a brooding synth bass create a simmering tension, sustained by twisted electronics as the track unfolds. The A-side closes on an uplifting note with "Nachtwanderer," its sweeping synth washes evoking a sense of hope as it transitions into a widescreen, cinematic finish. The B-side opens with the DAF-t duality of "Du Siehst So Gut Aus", its lyrical list of compliments yelped over aggressive electro-punk backing, before the romantic "Wenn Du Mich Küsst" cartwheels further towards playfulness via stomping beats and bombastic melodies. The slower "Hurra" introduces greyscale synth stabs and growled vocals, adding an ominous layer to the album's diverse sound, which takes a further detour via the percolating rhythms and almost tropical tones of "Genieß' den Morgen." VONO's sound continued to evolve, coalescing into the hulking EBM roar of 1986's It's Time before the duo dissolved. So much like its creators, Modern Leben is an album that thrives on contrasts, seamlessly moving between stark post-punk grit and expansive synth-pop melodies, while maintaining the intensity and edge that runs through all three of their albums.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
CD
|
|
BB 277CD
|
Bureau B present a reissue of Vono's debut album Dinner Für 2, originally released in 1982. Among the lesser known dark-electro/post-punk bands of the early 1980s, the Berlin duo Vono really stood out. The radical nature of their music, the cold sound and sparse lyrics -- Vono were arguably on a par with the more prominent ambassadors of the genres (Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, Liaisons Dangereuses, etc.). Extreme even for the early eighties, their minimalism was constructed purely on synthesizers and heavy on bass. With lyrics to match, their debut album Dinner Für 2 was unique. Auspicious beginnings for Vono back in 1982 offered no warning that the name would later fade into relative obscurity. Two brothers, Norbert and Volker Schultze, founded the project in the late seventies. They generated a substantial following in the cooler clubs of Berlin, playing a huge number of notoriously loud gigs. It was their producer Stephan Kaske who pointed them in the direction of legendary German label Sky Records (home to seminal albums by Cluster, Brian Eno, Michael Rother, Conrad Schnitzler, Asmus Tietchens, etc.). Kaske had released records of his own on the label, under the name of Mythos. Sales of Vono's debut album vastly exceeded expectations, to the satisfaction of the musicians and the label. Nevertheless, the brothers chose to embellish the sound of their sophomore work with guitar and drums, moving closer towards rock music. Given its consistently minimalist ethos, Dinner Für 2 is surprisingly varied. Dark and danceable electro-pop dominates, but spherical sounds and gentler moments are also there to be found. The songs are, for the most part, built on a framework of just one or two recurring bass patterns or melodies, coupled with lyrics which are barked rather than sung and delivered with Teutonic rolled "R"s and exaggeratedly uttered final syllables. Some tracks have a rather Dadaistic flavor, featuring a single line like "Tief Im Dschungel Sitzt Ein Haifisch" (deep in the jungle, a shark lurks) or numbers shouted into the microphone, as on "Lottozahlen" (lottery numbers). An occasional instrumental track offers some light relief. What a shame that Vono did not stick to their radical concept. At least this gem of electronic music can now be presented to a wider audience.
|
|
|
Artist |
Title |
Format |
Label |
Catalog # |
|
|
LP
|
|
BB 277LP
|
LP version. Bureau B present a reissue of Vono's debut album Dinner Für 2, originally released in 1982. Among the lesser known dark-electro/post-punk bands of the early 1980s, the Berlin duo Vono really stood out. The radical nature of their music, the cold sound and sparse lyrics -- Vono were arguably on a par with the more prominent ambassadors of the genres (Deutsch Amerikanische Freundschaft, Liaisons Dangereuses, etc.). Extreme even for the early eighties, their minimalism was constructed purely on synthesizers and heavy on bass. With lyrics to match, their debut album Dinner Für 2 was unique. Auspicious beginnings for Vono back in 1982 offered no warning that the name would later fade into relative obscurity. Two brothers, Norbert and Volker Schultze, founded the project in the late seventies. They generated a substantial following in the cooler clubs of Berlin, playing a huge number of notoriously loud gigs. It was their producer Stephan Kaske who pointed them in the direction of legendary German label Sky Records (home to seminal albums by Cluster, Brian Eno, Michael Rother, Conrad Schnitzler, Asmus Tietchens, etc.). Kaske had released records of his own on the label, under the name of Mythos. Sales of Vono's debut album vastly exceeded expectations, to the satisfaction of the musicians and the label. Nevertheless, the brothers chose to embellish the sound of their sophomore work with guitar and drums, moving closer towards rock music. Given its consistently minimalist ethos, Dinner Für 2 is surprisingly varied. Dark and danceable electro-pop dominates, but spherical sounds and gentler moments are also there to be found. The songs are, for the most part, built on a framework of just one or two recurring bass patterns or melodies, coupled with lyrics which are barked rather than sung and delivered with Teutonic rolled "R"s and exaggeratedly uttered final syllables. Some tracks have a rather Dadaistic flavor, featuring a single line like "Tief Im Dschungel Sitzt Ein Haifisch" (deep in the jungle, a shark lurks) or numbers shouted into the microphone, as on "Lottozahlen" (lottery numbers). An occasional instrumental track offers some light relief. What a shame that Vono did not stick to their radical concept. At least this gem of electronic music can now be presented to a wider audience.
|
|
|
|