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LP
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A 046LP
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a-Musik, the Cologne-based bastion of sonic exploration, unveils a new chapter in their quest for boundary-pushing sounds. Timekeepers II, a split LP featuring recordings of two duos by Marcus Schmickler with Jaki Liebezeit and Hayden Chisholm. Side A bears the imprint of Liebezeit's rhythmic flow fusing with Schmickler's digital Shepard Tone interpretation. A studio recording taken before a performance at Moers Festival in 2014. On side B, Schmickler's electronics converge with Chisholm's bagpipe drones. The piece was composed for their show at Art's Birthday at Berghain and a-Musik's 20th anniversary at Gebäude 9. Tim Berresheim's artwork serves as a visual backdrop. Berresheim mostly works with computer rendered images, which have been created for a solo exhibition at JUBG in Cologne in 2022.
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CD
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A 033CD
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House Of National Dog. "The first joint release of Hamburg-based all-around artists Felix Kubin (music, sounds) and Mariola Brillowska (lyrics, vocals). For Brillowska's 2006 theatre play of the same title, Kubin composed a soundtrack in order to mess up this infamous musical by twirling colorful little building bricks around in it. This then became an album in its own right, where constructivist orchestra- and plunderphonics-collages meet Gameboy-disco while melancholy-laden chansons rub against Weill/Eisler-like hymns."
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LP
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A 031LP
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"Kölner Kranz sees a return to a thick molasses of digital smears welded to an ever-present system that unfolds over a staggering 36 minutes which, despite its sheer length, never rests. This music is really quite dense and difficult, heavy on detailing and spontaneity, which means that listening to these tracks takes some effort to get through. Left/right tones cascade in waves over bitmapped crackles as Lehn and Schmickler add layer after layer of events into a seductive audio landscape. Bewilderingly acute and brilliantly played, this release is compulsory listening for those interested in the state of modern electronics." Vinyl-only release, limited to 300 copies.
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CD
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A 034CD
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"Lehn and Schmickler 's 1st recording BART is considered one of the best synth improv albums ever made. Since BART, dating back to 2000, the duo has toured frequently through Europe, Japan and the USA.This double-release features some of the best performances the duo recorded over the course of 15 live concerts. A brilliant amalgam of the two musicians' strengths, Navigation Im Hypertext utilizes both improvisation and studio post-production techniques to create a lasting work, combining the feel of a classic composed electronic music record with the raw, crackling energy of a free improv-session. Exciting and destabilizing, Navigation Im Hypertext will surprise even the most hardcore Lehn fan: intertwined with Schmickler's, his art never sounded this rich. If anything, Navigation Im Hypertext takes electronic improvisation one step further. The arrangements range in tone from softer clusters of sound to more abrasive movements. Comes in digipack, CD-only release."
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CD
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A 032CD
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"Marcus Schmickler's recent release on A-Musik is yet another proof of his stylistic diversity. His music defies all attempts at categorization. Schmickler appears to be well versed in all musical genres, having reached a level of perfection which seems almost unique in these times. Sui generis, as they say. Only a short while after his impressive duo improvisation with John Tilbury (Variety) and with a new Pluramon album due for release, Schmickler will once again convince critics and audiences. At the same time, this release reveals yet another aspect of his manifold musical activities -- composing for instrumental ensembles and choirs. Demos is Schmickler's most ambitious work to date. Premiered in March 2004 in Cologne, the piece went on a triumphal trip through half of Europe. Among other places, it has been performed at Cracow and the renowned Center for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in Glasgow, where it was performed in the course of a three day festival organized especially for Schmickler. Demos -- which can be heard on this release in an arrangement for choir, chamber ensemble and electronic sounds -- deals with Nietzsche's thoughts expressed in his Zarathustra on the extent with which language could be dealt with (or addressed) as music. The piece does so on the basis of fragments from the text. The basis for (t)his philosophy Nietzsche perceived in the expression of the choirs in ancient Greek tragedy. Marcus Schmickler transcends the classic mythic emblems of ancient Greek choirs such as recitative and declamation by employing contemporary means. In the overwhelming power of the choir, Demos -- the Greek term for 'community' and commonly used for 'people' -- lets one sense the energy, which serves as a metaphor for a people and their ability to strongly voice their desires, their requests and their demands. Moreover, Schmickler's abstract and strepitous electronic sounds blend in an illustrative way with the text and the imagination of events portrayed in the dramatic performances of the choir. Thus they become projections of the clamour of an abstract mass. Demos is demanding, disturbing and suggestive in its idiosyncratic blend of sounds. This is a music which passes on the spirit of such luminaries as the late György Ligeti ('Requiem'), Jani Christou or Iannis Xenakis ('Medea'), but which in Schmickler's contemporary attitude gains a wholly different significance. Complementing the album are two excerpts of Schmickler's musical arrangements for theatre productions. All in all, this is an album which resurrects traditions as well as pursues the hitherto unheard in a unique way. In addition to that, it examines in how far constructivist and post-dramatic approaches can today inspire classic forms with new structures though the amalgamation of text, music and performative elements without betraying the qualities of the originals."
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7"
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A 030EP
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"Limited edition (1st edition of 500 copies) pre-taster for the forthcoming CD on Brombron. Sentimental moody A-side has become already a classic in his live shows. So, to public demand we present this now as a 'hit'-single b/w the paranoiac fast rocker 'Waschzwangmama'."
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CD
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A 028CD
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"Artistically seen, Andreas Gogol, musical collaborator of Simon Fisher Turner, C-Schulz and many others, has many lives. He is a filmmaker, a photographer and a musician while also being involved in several other fields of the fine arts. The music on Gorymaaz sounds as if it ran danger of falling apart and dissolving at any moment right in front of one's ears (which actually it does every now and then). Sometimes we encounter songs with a clearly discernible structure and arrangement, while its other parameters run like sand through the listener's fingers. Tonality and melodies just melt away and run into seemingly unstructured textures, for example, a blues bastard is contrasted with preposterous rock elements like distorted drums and ecstatically strummed guitars. Then again we encounter an acoustic entity which sounds as if its elements had been thrown together at random but which in the end almost miraculously fall into place and form a logic oneness. The music grates and scrapes, our ears are buzzing with distorted voices and alienated guitar sounds. While making use of all this, Gogol manages to avoid all traps of irony and plain inanities. It seems that the more serious he gets, the more absurd his musical constructions become. Nothing is garish, opulent or ornate on this album. What Gogol ultimately does is to play around with an idea, but at the same time avoiding coming too close to it. And that idea is the song. Be it voice alienation, tape speed or the tuning of his guitar -- all of Andreas Gogol's experiments are inspiring and multifaceted."
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LP
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A 028LP
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CD
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A 029CD
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"Musical events which are more or less alien to each other meet in a wide and harmonically differentiated space, which is explored in different directions. Briefly, they communicate -- only to separate again. Diverse actions form a clearly discernable foreground: The piano provides flageolets and piccicati, slow arpeggi and Feldmanesque figures which move through the space supplied by the computer sounds while, at the same time combining with these. From time to time, little events rear their heads as if posing a question. A mutual pulse is an altogether rare occurrence. The piano's harmonic figures meet with computer sounds unexpectedly within a slowly changing acoustic environment. Piano pixies sing and dance serenely in a virtual space while the noises from the instrument instigate dialogues with the computer. The music is tranquil, never aggressive and is at almost every moment polyphonic in the good old sense of the word. Pretty often, the two musicians play on two different planes so that in spite of the slowness of the whole thing, the resulting complex relationships offer a lot of surprises. Once the listener has become engaged in this process, he/she will remain so and become ever more curious. The sureness and the tranquility which emanates from these musical actions, figures, shapes and processes, acknowledges and asserts the ghost of Morton Feldman, who seems to hover benevolently over these sounds: Stop asking questions." -- Johannes Fritsch.
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CD
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A 025CD
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"Wittgenstein in Krisuvík - translated as 'twenty-two Elf Songs for Iceland', the solo CD by Wolfgang Müeller. Wolfgang Müller, author, artist and the head of the legendary cult band Die Tödliche Doris (1980 - 1987) lives in Berlin. He is the president of the Walther von Goethe Foundation Reykjavík. In August 1995, Wolfgang Müller met the head of Iceland's Elf Department, the medium Erla Stefánsdóttir, in Reykjavik, for a long interview. To his question whether elves are only to be found in Iceland, Erla answered: 'of course not. Elves are everywhere.' And how do the communicate with each other? Is there an international elf language?, enquired Wolfgang. Amused, Erla Stefánsdóttir plucked some fluff off her red jumper and shook her head: 'elves don't speak -- they sing!' Elves' singing is normally inaudible to the human ear. Unlike music made by humans, it goes directly into the head of the listener. Hearing, therefore, is not an essential function in order to perceive it. An extremely fascinating thought for Wolfgang Müeller, who had already produced music with a hearing challenged friend in the early Eighties.
'In order to create an agreeable environment, where elves would feel comfortable, I must remain equally open to the musical, the non-musical and extra-musical,' says Wolfgang Müeller. And so, various musical styles, directions and currents are found running through on on his new CD, Mit Wittgenstein in Krisuvík. Elves and dwarves are behind all of those, inaudible and yet perceptible -- some friendly, the others wrathful; sometimes merry, serious at other times."
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CD
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A 021CD
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"The set for the new production of the ballet Der Krieger (Graz Opera House, Studiobühne) is on a serial image concept. Projected image panels act as a stage set that forms a subtle grid background for the one-man performance (choreography: Jörg Schlick). The symphony Diese Wildnis hat Kultur (1982) forms the musical base of the dance performance. One instrument is reserved for each of the four movements: Jörg Schlick: violin, flutes, violoncello and electric guitar; Andi Beit: synthesizer. 'Minimalist form was combined with Expressionist social comment' wrote Jack Anderson (New York Times, 21.05.1985) in his critique of the première. This reference to the field of tension between the minimalist vocabulary of forms or object gesture (performers) and the expressive portrayal of social conditions hits on a fundamental aspect of Schlick's work. The symphonic composition accompanies the performance like a 'synthetic heartbeat' that corresponds to the intensity of Beethoven's 'Eroica' in terms of its tonal character. The 'deflection of the needle', the electronic display of tonal intensity and pitch of the classical symphony, acted as the score for Jörg Schlick."
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CD
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A 020CD
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"The new release on Cologne based label A-Musik contains compositions by Marcus Schmickler that were performed and recorded over the last four years with many various musicians and ensembles. These recordings document Schmickler's interest in a confrontation with modern classical composers, they are a return of 'the living dead.' According to Schmickler, innovations are only possible by including the old. Schmickler has been known also for his different approaches with Pluramon, MIMEO, his collaborations with Thomas Brinkmann or the improviser Thomas Lehn. Param continues his series of releases on A-Musik although it presents itself less electronic and less bulky than Wabi Sabi or Sator Rotas. The original recordings of the compositions are newly edited for this release."
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LP
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A 012LP
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Vinyl only German release of an album previously issued on CD by the California-based Phthalo label (with a different title: Navy Warship). Phthalocyanine is Dimitri K. Fergadis, whose first single was released by Plug Research, and he represents the first American artist on the illustrious A-Musik label. "Musically, this stuff attains that 'somewhat improvised' feeling through off-kilter beat shapes & harmonically 'wrong' melody clusters unlike just about every other 'scene' currently in media recognition. And he's based in the US. Pretty unbelievable stuff, fully deserving of this official release. Hectic." -- Hrvatski.
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CD
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A 009CD
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Another beautiful and very happening release on the A-Musik label out of Cologne, packaged in a lovely digipak. "F.X. Randomiz is one of those you might have met musically but you won't be sure when. In 1992 there was the infamous Slow CD with Jan St. Werner (now Mouse On Mars) on that tiny Gefriem label. The Wire (issue 5/97) wrote: 'Slow...an unsung electronic masterpiece, an outstanding pre-Oval example of capsized sampling virtuosity.' Both musicians appear as Dü on the highly appreciated Mille Plateaux compilation In Memoriam Gilles Deleuze. Some may remember the My Bloody Valentine-inspired 7" by Four Square Logos (Randomiz/Suchy/Werner). Now it's time that his solo-album Goflex will show his talents to the wide public. Recent releases were remixes for Microstoria's Reprovisers CD and the Schlammpeitziger 10" (A-Musik) as well as the duoproject Holosud (12" on A-Musik). Goflex is a state of the art example of software-engineering of sound transformation and manipulation. A groovy, sometimes melodic album but radical treated sampled and synthesized sounds will catch your attention. Possibly it will satisfy groovers and headphone-listeners at once. A record for consumers and producers." Last copies.
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