conrad schnitzler “contempora” long playing record

conrad schnitzler “contempora” compact disc

bureau b press release...

conrad schnitzler contempora reissue. originally released in 1981 cd release: may 24, 2013 “contempora” is a sort of collection of sketches, reflecting schnitzler’s inexhaustible creative powers in condensed form. like light refracting through a multiple prism, shapes and colours constantly change, backgrounds shift through brightness and darkness. each track on the album could easily double or treble in length without relinquishing any of its magic or indeed becoming boring. schnitzler grants us the merest glimpses into his diverse soundscapes and sonic armouries. he opens one door ever so slightly, only to close it again and open another for just a few minutes. improvised sonic comets shimmer over schnitzler’s inimitable sequencer patterns, fleeting melodies fade away. everything happens at breathtaking speed, miniatures without frames or tangible borders. in the early eighties schnitzler worked primarily with the ems synthi a and korg ms 10 synthesizers, an analog sequencer and analog rhythm machine. all in all, this was neither a particularly complex nor exotic array of equipment for the period. many electronic artists used these inexpensive instruments, or something similar. nevertheless, schnitzler succeeded in setting himself apart from others in the fraternity, in both sonic and compositional terms. not so much gripped by the need to occupy a unique position, he was simply unable and unwilling to divert from his creative path. “contempora” again underlines schnitzler’s noble ethos. asmus tietchens (21 untitles pieces ranging from 0:47 to 7:07 minutes)

conrad schnitzler / gregor schnitzler “conrad & sohn” long playing record

• ouvertüre
  
• österreich
  
• tschak
  
• hammond
  
• agana wudiov
  
• what made you so no good heimat
  
• dahomey
  
• you know i need zv9
  
• hi fidelity
  
• china first on mars
  
  
• österreich (roughmix) dahomey (roughmix)
  
• agana wudiov (roughmix)
  
• you know i need (dub-version)

conrad schnitzler / gregor schnitzler “conrad & sohn” compact disc

• ouvertüre
  
• österreich
  
• tschak
  
• hammond
  
• agana wudiov
  
• what made you so no good heimat
  
• dahomey
  
• you know i need zv9
  
• hi fidelity
  
• china first on mars
  
  
• österreich (roughmix) dahomey (roughmix)
  
• agana wudiov (roughmix)
  
• you know i need (dub-version)

bureau b press release...

conrad schnitzler conrad & sohnreissue. originally released in 1981 cd release: may 24, 2013 conrad schnitzler is undoubtedly one of the founding fathers of german electronica. and his son, gregor schnitzler, matched the father’s extraordinary level of creative output. they appear to have settled any musical differences amicably. after all, how else could they have “shared” an lp released by conrad schnitzler himself? one half of “conrad & sohn” features music by conrad schnitzler, the other his son gregor. two mini albums on one disc, so to speak. an ideal opportunity to compare them. judging by the similarities in sound, gregor clearly had access to his father’s music equipment, but the way he uses electronics and his voice could not be more different. industrial (e.g. cabaret voltaire) influences are apparent. the dry minimalism of german new wave (ndw) also left its mark on him. a sense of the end of days in some places gives way to highly charged hysteria in others. for young, modern musicians in the frontline city of west berlin, a mix of depression and anger was the natural prerequisite for their uncomplicated, unsentimental and yet emotional music. and the “no future” claim had not yet lost its validity. gregor unequivocally took sides; he was with the young. conrad’s music on this album also shows some signs of contemporary influence. as a veteran of the avant-garde and an experienced performance artist, he adopted a different aesthetic stance to that of his son gregor. leaving the bleak, cryptic text of the first track aside, conrad speaks to the knowledgeable listener in a familiar musical language: sequencer shapes with no end and no beginning, then an uncommonly humorous miniature with a donald duck voice, followed by electronic particles travelling from anywhere to who knows where. total abstraction. father and son certainly offer up drastically opposing musical concepts to our ears. asmus tietchens (17 untitled pieces ranging from 1:32 to 5:34 minutes. seven tracks by conrad, ten by gregor – on vinyl only five by gregor)

der plan “japlan” long playing record

• ein moment sind zwei sekunden 2 der regen tropft
  
• tanzende kakteen
  
• fleißige ameisen
  
• sechs fingen an
  
• das insekt
  
• denn alles war nur ein trick
  
• schwarzwald
  
• schauet her
  
• buback
  
• gummitwist
  
• space bob
  
• sirius und alpha zentauri
  
• rapwalz
  
• alte pizza
  
• hey baby hop
  
• glitzer-gleiter
  
  
• junger mann
  
• gummitwist (instrumental)
  
• gorch fock
  
• elektro platinum saturn gott

bureau b press release...

der plan japlan reissue (originally released 1984) cd / vinyl (180g) release date: june 14, 2013 der plan were invited to tokyo in 1984 to play six concerts for seibu, a japanese department store chain. seibu were staging a “german week”. but how did they come to choose der plan, of all bands? why not an oktoberfest combo or the scorpions? moritz reichelt explains: “german new wave was really popular in japan. they knew more about it than people here at home. catalogues and magazines detailed every obscure record and depicted the covers. this particular department store chain was linked to ‘wave’, a record shop and distributor—and they really knew their stuff.” “japlan” documents the set list from these tokyo shows. featuring previously released songs from the “normalette surprise” album, the “die letzte rache” soundtrack and the double single “golden cheapos”, “japlan” also includes rare instrumentals produced for these very concerts ... and one of the most famous songs by der plan: “gummitwist”. der plan and japan—a good match, not only phonetically. reichelt: “japan had always been one of our strongest territories. our records were exported there from the very beginning. when i arrived, i understood why. japanese pop culture is really ‘planesque’ in a way. artificiality with a twinkle in the eye. we stepped inside our hotel in 1984 and switched on the television. the first thing we saw was an advert with three dinosaurs singing a song. pretty much like one of our shows.” the reissue is graced with new artwork due to the fact that the japanese simply adopted the cover of the existing “golden cheapos” ep. the relationship of form and content was thus absent and one significant change was made: the image of a faint square covering the exposed lower body of a lady in the hay was replaced by an opaque black square. a joke at the expense of the censors fell victim to actual censorship. this re-release could be said to correct an optical error in the band’s discography.

der plan “die letzte rache” long playing record

• die wüste
  
• sechs fingen an
  
• aufbruch
  
• am grab des sohnes
  
• im unterirdischen waserkanal
  
• denn alles war nur ein trick
  
• zur alten dschunke
  
• das denkmal des scheiterns
  
• es ist schön
  
• schön zu sein
  
• donnerwetter!
  
• oh oh oh
  
• der kommissar 1
  
• ich bin es
  
• junger mann
  
• früchte radio special
  
• des kerkers loch
  
• die unterirdische fabrik
  
• oder nicht?
  
• der kommissar 2
  
• der chor der gefangenen
  
• der assisitenten-song
  
• der chor der ausgebrochenen 23 schauet her!
  
• schönheit der macht
  
• die zerstörung der großen stadt 26 das zimmer der tochter
  
• showdown
  
• so wurden wir zu ihm gemein 29 das ende
  
• der todesmonolog
  
  
• der grottenolm
  
• miletti 1
  
• die grotte der olme
  
• arktischer dialog
  
• miletti 2
  
• am strand

bureau b press release...

der plan die letzte rache reissue (originally released 1983) cd / vinyl (180g) release date: june 14th, 2013 retrospectively, it makes perfect sense that der plan created a soundtrack. for one thing, visuals were almost as important to der plan as their music. and if every self-respecting pop band pays attention to wearing the right clothes at the right time (or the completely wrong ones at the right time) and designing pretty album covers, der plan went further—with scenery, masks and album covers designed by moritz r® they invented their own universe. indeed, the sounds of everyday life woven into der plan’s music contributed to the filmic quality of their sound. thus frank fenstermacher, moritz r® and pyrolator were not slow in responding to their old friend rainer kirberg’s request to work on his latest film “die letzte rache”. the director kirberg, born in 1954, studied film in düsseldorf. they all knew each other from shared lodgings, political meetings and the local hangout ratinger hof. as well as playing his part in the music, moritz r® also came up with the sets, whilst frank fenstermacher secured a minor role as the inspector’s sidekick. (rainer kirberg’s latest film, the highly acclaimed “das schlafende mädchen” hit the screens in january 2013.) but back to the music: “letzte rache” was a kind of revue with silent film qualities, so the soundtrack was a decisive factor. with the aid of the emulator 1, der plan succeeded in recording something which could also work as a diverting radio drama without moving images. in contrast to the two previous albums “geri reig” and “normalette surprise”, which defined the “plan sound” and virtually did without any musical quotations, echoes of jazz can be heard on “die letzte rache” and, of course, film music. andreas dorau weighs in with a bona fide pop hit in the guise of a “junger mann”. ah yes, the film itself, what is it actually about? following the aesthetic tradition of 1920s german expressionist cinema, “die letzte rache”—the last revenge—tells the hair-raising tale of a ruler who charges the “worldly” with the task of finding him a successor. the problem is: idiots abound. the worldly’s search is fruitless and—sometimes the most obvious solutions are the most practical—he decides to seize power himself. at the end of the day: the ruler’s empire in ruins, the worldly goes mad, the inspector in jail (arrested by his own assistant!), the ruler badly injured yet immortal, suffering terrible agonies.

a. k. klosowski / pyrolator “home taping is killing music” long playing record and compact disc set

• ouvertüre
  
• österreich
  
• tschak
  
• hammond
  
• agana wudiov
  
• what made you so no good heimat
  
• dahomey
  
• you know i need zv9
  
• hi fidelity
  
• china first on mars
  
  
• österreich (roughmix) dahomey (roughmix)
  
• agana wudiov (roughmix)
  
• you know i need (dub-version)

bureau b press release...

home taping is killing music von a. k. klosowski & pyrolator (1985) lp (180g) release date: march 29, 2013 it was in the mid-1980s when the unsuccessful blues guitarist arnd kai klosowski realised that the dj was the star of the show in the discotheque, not the music, nor musicians. he then asked himself: “what if it were possible to create something new, a mix of recorded and live music which could be switched on and off intermittently?“ klosowski built himself a mixing desk with eight inputs, plugged in microphones, called up a few people and they improvised their hearts out. “i don’t know what they played exactly. but i do know that it simply didn’t work“, klosowski recollects. and then he remembered the tape loop experiments he had worked on as a teenager. so he got back to inventing, tinkering and soldering. the first recordings made with this new, homemade tape loop device found their way to zickzack label boss alfred hilsberg, who decided to release an album. all he needed was a producer. at this point, pyrolator finally enters the scene, a musician (as a member of der plan, for example) producer and ata tak label operative. similarities in the working practices and musical leanings of pyrolator and klosowski are there for all to see, or rather to hear. both were interested in collage, obscure music and technical innovation. they went into the studio together and recorded “home-taping is killing music”. the original plan was to issue the album on hilsberg’s zickzack label, but it actually came out through ata tak. why was that? pyrolator: “we felt that the album was far better suited to ata tak, and so we came to an agreement with alfred that we could release the record.” klosowski adds another, not insignificant, detail to this explanation: “pyrolator had to invest more time and work than anticipated. he had imagined it all to be somewhat easier. i lacked experience in studio technology, so pyrolator had to bear the brunt of that. two worlds collided, that of a trained musician and my own. we overshot the studio budget by some distance.” the klosowski album produced by pyrolator thus became a joint klosowski / pyrolator album, with ata tak the logical label choice. “hometaping is killing music“ is a rough diamond from the pioneering era of sampling technology. true, the emulator 1 already existed and was used extensively, but the tape machine which klosowski designed and constructed could play considerably longer loops and samples than the e-mu systems product. and so it was that salsa trumpets and gregorian chants were heard side by side, railway noises aligned with cambodian music and gospel met bavarian yodelling. at no time did technology become an end in itself: it always served the melody, the beat, the element of surprise. in short, it was in the service of listening pleasure!

a. k. klosowski / pyrolator “home taping is killing music” compact disc

• overtüre (0:36)
  
• österreich (3:30)
  
• tschak (2:44)
  
• hammond (3:41)
  
• agana wudiov (3:37)
  
• what made you so no good (3:45)
  
• heimat (2:41)
  
• dahomey (5:07)
  
• you know, i need... (3:18)
  
• zv9 (3:52)
  
• hi fidelity (3:28)
  
• china first on mars (5:52)
  
• österreich (rough mix) (3:43)
  
• dahomey (rough mix) (6:19)
  
• agana wudiov (rough mix) (3:41)
  
• you know, i need... (dub-version) (5:28)

bureau b press release...

home taping is killing music von a. k. klosowski & pyrolator (1985) cd release date: march 29, 2013 it was in the mid-1980s when the unsuccessful blues guitarist arnd kai klosowski realised that the dj was the star of the show in the discotheque, not the music, nor musicians. he then asked himself: “what if it were possible to create something new, a mix of recorded and live music which could be switched on and off intermittently?“ klosowski built himself a mixing desk with eight inputs, plugged in microphones, called up a few people and they improvised their hearts out. “i don’t know what they played exactly. but i do know that it simply didn’t work“, klosowski recollects. and then he remembered the tape loop experiments he had worked on as a teenager. so he got back to inventing, tinkering and soldering. the first recordings made with this new, homemade tape loop device found their way to zickzack label boss alfred hilsberg, who decided to release an album. all he needed was a producer. at this point, pyrolator finally enters the scene, a musician (as a member of der plan, for example) producer and ata tak label operative. similarities in the working practices and musical leanings of pyrolator and klosowski are there for all to see, or rather to hear. both were interested in collage, obscure music and technical innovation. they went into the studio together and recorded “home-taping is killing music”. the original plan was to issue the album on hilsberg’s zickzack label, but it actually came out through ata tak. why was that? pyrolator: “we felt that the album was far better suited to ata tak, and so we came to an agreement with alfred that we could release the record.” klosowski adds another, not insignificant, detail to this explanation: “pyrolator had to invest more time and work than anticipated. he had imagined it all to be somewhat easier. i lacked experience in studio technology, so pyrolator had to bear the brunt of that. two worlds collided, that of a trained musician and my own. we overshot the studio budget by some distance.” the klosowski album produced by pyrolator thus became a joint klosowski / pyrolator album, with ata tak the logical label choice. “hometaping is killing music“ is a rough diamond from the pioneering era of sampling technology. true, the emulator 1 already existed and was used extensively, but the tape machine which klosowski designed and constructed could play considerably longer loops and samples than the e-mu systems product. and so it was that salsa trumpets and gregorian chants were heard side by side, railway noises aligned with cambodian music and gospel met bavarian yodelling. at no time did technology become an end in itself: it always served the melody, the beat, the element of surprise. in short, it was in the service of listening pleasure!

hans-joachim roedelius “offene türen” long playing record

• abenteuerliche begegnungen
  
• besucher im traum
  
• mit offenem visier
  
• von osten her
  
• der sieger
  
• auf der höhe
  
  
• allemande
  
• spiegelung
  
• husche
  
• stufe um stufe
  
• zeremoniell
  
• wende

bureau b press release...

roedelius offene türen reissue (originally released 1982) lp (180g) release date: april 12, 2013 “offene türen” is a purely electronic album. without losing himself in their infinite tonal possibilities, roedelius delights in playing a selection of synthesizers. he even deploys an analogue rhythm machine now and then to discreet effect. roedelius takes great care to steer well clear of any cosmic fog or depersonalised abstractions. nothing of the sort can be heard, as he focusses intensely and exclusively on the relationships of rhythm, harmony and melody. roedelius conjures up their delicate timbres on synthesizer with the greatest of ease. the seasoned electronic musician would have found similar results beyond the reach of his good old farfisa organ. “offene türen” is an album of electronic chamber music and only someone with as sunny a disposition as roedelius could be its composer and performer. indeed, the unfettered roedelius knew no artistic barriers in the early 1980s, following a turbulent period of personal upheaval amidst the musical revolution going on around him. he began to open up a brand new musical world, venturing forth with typical humility, as quietly and steadfastly as ever. “offene türen” marks a kind of threshold which roedelius crosses in the moment of its inception: one foot in the glorious 1970s, the other already reaching into the uncharted future of the 1980s. roedelius did not surrender his musical identity in the process, nor did he modify his inimitable artistic handwriting. both had attained a level of complexity that perhaps he himself would have found surprising in earlier days. those who have listened carefully to roedelius both before and after “offene türen” will appreciate the album’s significance. but even leaving such historical reminiscences aside, this music is incredibly vibrant and beautiful. listening to it now is as great a pleasure as it was at the time of its creation. clearly, roedelius has always been an absolute master of timelessness. - asmus tietchens

hans-joachim roedelius “offene türen” compact disc

• abenteuerliche begegnung (3:52)
  
• besucher im traum (4:03)
  
• mit offenem visier (3:31)
  
• von osten her (4:20)
  
• der sieger (2:11)
  
• auf der höhe (4:01)
  
• allemande (2:15)
  
• spiegelung (2:51)
  
• husche (2:43)
  
• stufe um stufe (3:08)
  
• zeremoniell (3:30)
  
• wende (4:11)

bureau b press release...

roedelius offene türen reissue (originally released 1982) cd release date: april 12, 2013 “offene türen” is a purely electronic album. without losing himself in their infinite tonal possibilities, roedelius delights in playing a selection of synthesizers. he even deploys an analogue rhythm machine now and then to discreet effect. roedelius takes great care to steer well clear of any cosmic fog or depersonalised abstractions. nothing of the sort can be heard, as he focusses intensely and exclusively on the relationships of rhythm, harmony and melody. roedelius conjures up their delicate timbres on synthesizer with the greatest of ease. the seasoned electronic musician would have found similar results beyond the reach of his good old farfisa organ. “offene türen” is an album of electronic chamber music and only someone with as sunny a disposition as roedelius could be its composer and performer. indeed, the unfettered roedelius knew no artistic barriers in the early 1980s, following a turbulent period of personal upheaval amidst the musical revolution going on around him. he began to open up a brand new musical world, venturing forth with typical humility, as quietly and steadfastly as ever. “offene türen” marks a kind of threshold which roedelius crosses in the moment of its inception: one foot in the glorious 1970s, the other already reaching into the uncharted future of the 1980s. roedelius did not surrender his musical identity in the process, nor did he modify his inimitable artistic handwriting. both had attained a level of complexity that perhaps he himself would have found surprising in earlier days. those who have listened carefully to roedelius both before and after “offene türen” will appreciate the album’s significance. but even leaving such historical reminiscences aside, this music is incredibly vibrant and beautiful. listening to it now is as great a pleasure as it was at the time of its creation. clearly, roedelius has always been an absolute master of timelessness. - asmus tietchens

roedelius “selbstportrait vol. iii • reise durch arcadien” long playing record

• sonntags
  
• geburtstag
  
• fieber
  
• hochzeit
  
• geradewohl
  
• erinnerung
  
  
• zuversicht
  
• stimmung

bureau b press release...

roedelius selbstportrait vol. iii / reise durch arcadien lp (180g vinyl) release date: march 22, 2013 label: bureau b cat no.: bb 126 the long overdue reissue of “selbstporträt iii / reise durch arcadien” closes a gap in the roedelius oeuvre which his followers have long since had their eyes on. those who found the self-portrait series irresistible had to endure a lengthy, impatient wait for the “journey through arcadia”. as on the other releases in this series, the pieces on “reise durch arcadien” are musical sketches, fleeting ideas and aphorisms of a musician whose exuberant imagination assumes tonal form in almost every moment of his life. created between 1973 and 1978 and recorded with decidedly modest technical equipment, this music reflects roedelius’ most intimate, wholly undisguised vision of humane music. almost casually, roedelius offers us as listeners direct access to his artistic riches. neither seeking to impose himself upon us, nor setting out to impress, he simply wishes to share with us something he could barely put into words. utterly detached from time, stylistically unique, these tracks could easily be contemporary creations. only the questionable recording quality (common to the majority of the self-portrait pieces) hints at a bygone age. this in no way diminishes the musical quality, however. on the contrary, it serves to emphasize the spontaneity and authenticity of the sketches. roedelius was not interested in creating smoothly polished, perfect electronic music productions. his artistry lies in capturing musical ideas which appear like flashes of lightning and developing them through improvisation. with this in mind, he always pressed record on his tape machine when he sat down at the keyboard, channelling his thoughts, feelings and moods into music. in such moments of inspiration, there was simply no space to consider sound quality, dynamics, tonal balance or special sound effects. music was born in roedelius, it flowed out of him in realtime, unfiltered, and was caught on tape by the assiduous recording device. - asmus tietchens

roedelius “selbstportrait vol. iii • reise durch arcadien” compact disc

• sonntags (3:41)
  
• geburtstag (1:44)
  
• fieber (5:58)
  
• hochzeit (3:04)
  
• geradewohl (3:50)
  
• erinnerung (3:22)
  
• zuversicht (10:54)
  
• stimmung (9:34)

bureau b press release...

roedelius selbstportrait vol. iii / reise durch arcadien cd release date: march 22, 2013 label: bureau b cat no.: bb 126 the long overdue reissue of “selbstporträt iii / reise durch arcadien” closes a gap in the roedelius oeuvre which his followers have long since had their eyes on. those who found the self-portrait series irresistible had to endure a lengthy, impatient wait for the “journey through arcadia”. as on the other releases in this series, the pieces on “reise durch arcadien” are musical sketches, fleeting ideas and aphorisms of a musician whose exuberant imagination assumes tonal form in almost every moment of his life. created between 1973 and 1978 and recorded with decidedly modest technical equipment, this music reflects roedelius’ most intimate, wholly undisguised vision of humane music. almost casually, roedelius offers us as listeners direct access to his artistic riches. neither seeking to impose himself upon us, nor setting out to impress, he simply wishes to share with us something he could barely put into words. utterly detached from time, stylistically unique, these tracks could easily be contemporary creations. only the questionable recording quality (common to the majority of the self-portrait pieces) hints at a bygone age. this in no way diminishes the musical quality, however. on the contrary, it serves to emphasize the spontaneity and authenticity of the sketches. roedelius was not interested in creating smoothly polished, perfect electronic music productions. his artistry lies in capturing musical ideas which appear like flashes of lightning and developing them through improvisation. with this in mind, he always pressed record on his tape machine when he sat down at the keyboard, channelling his thoughts, feelings and moods into music. in such moments of inspiration, there was simply no space to consider sound quality, dynamics, tonal balance or special sound effects. music was born in roedelius, it flowed out of him in realtime, unfiltered, and was caught on tape by the assiduous recording device. - asmus tietchens

conrad schnitzler “con 3” long playing record

• kohlen
  
• nächte in kreuzberg
  
• hongkong
  
• komm mit nach berlin
  
• wer sind wir denn
  
  
• coca
  
• seemannslied
  
• das tier
  
• tanze im regen

bureau b press release...

conrad schnitzler con 3 reissue (originally released in 1981 on sky 061) vinyl (180g) release date: october 19, 2012 this album saw schnitzler head further in the direction of pop music. like “consequenz”, “con 3” is a collaborative effort with wolfgang seidel, alias sequenza. “con 3” is a really odd mixture of numerous ingredients which schnitzler was capable of combining with dexterity and taste. his musical handwriting is immediately apparent in the foreground. effervescent electronic sequences can be heard on all nine pieces, coming from somewhere and appearing to go wherever – this is schnitzler alright, this is his musical utopia. then wolfgang seidel, formerly drummer with ton, steine, scherben: an ideal partner for schnitzler when it came to programming rhythm machines and sequencers for a minimalistic mesh. another ingredient in “con 3” is undoubtedly german new wave (neue deutsche welle, ndw). how could it not have touched schnitzler? he lived and worked in berlin! above all, his succinct, absurd-surrealist lyrics would have suited many a protagonist of ndw. in this respect, schnitzler revealed two hitherto hidden talents: his delivery of lyrics written by himself was both precise and incredibly assured. the fourth component of “con 3” is without question the character in the background, peter baumann. as producer and sound engineer, he was to schnitzler what conny plank had been for cluster and harmonia and many others. his gentle, discreet impulses, his immense know-how with regard to modern studio technology and his perennial enthusiasm could be detected in all of the productions he created in his paragon studio. years of working with tangerine dream honed his studio experience and his intuitive flair for electronic experiments. those like schnitzler who were able to work in the paragon studio were in exceptionally good hands. there could hardly be a more fertile alliance. “con 3” might have sounded rather disconcerting to schnitzler listeners at the time. he had long since nailed his colours to the mast of the art scene (fluxus, beuys, performance art etc.) and now dared to attempt a balancing act between the high artistic aspirations of the avant-garde and the more entertainment-driven nature of pop music. not for the first time, perhaps, but particularly emphatically on this album. many had tried their luck at this tour de force and failed, not least because they lacked the necessary credibility. not schnitzler. he remained true to himself, and hence retained his credibility, integrating his new experiences and information resources wisely and creatively into his idiosyncratic and unmistakable music. - asmus tietchens

conrad schnitzler “con 3” compact disc

• kohlen (3:40)
  
• nächte in kreuzberg (4:46)
  
• hongkong (5:25)
  
• komm mit nach berlin (3:07)
  
• wer sind wir denn (vocal gilli & gregor) (3:48)
  
• coca (4:37)
  
• seemannslied (3:28)
  
• das tier (3:56)
  
• tanze im regen (4:49)
  
• con 3.1 (3:59)
  
• con 3.2 (2:45)
  
• con 3.3 (3:37)
  
• con 3.4 (3:47)
  
• seemannslied (alternative mix) (5:58)
  
• wer sind wir denn (alternative mix) (5:44)

bureau b press release...

conrad schnitzler con 3 reissue (originally released in 1981 on sky 061) cd release date: october 19, 2012 this album saw schnitzler head further in the direction of pop music. like “consequenz”, “con 3” is a collaborative effort with wolfgang seidel, alias sequenza. “con 3” is a really odd mixture of numerous ingredients which schnitzler was capable of combining with dexterity and taste. his musical handwriting is immediately apparent in the foreground. effervescent electronic sequences can be heard on all nine pieces, coming from somewhere and appearing to go wherever – this is schnitzler alright, this is his musical utopia. then wolfgang seidel, formerly drummer with ton, steine, scherben: an ideal partner for schnitzler when it came to programming rhythm machines and sequencers for a minimalistic mesh. another ingredient in “con 3” is undoubtedly german new wave (neue deutsche welle, ndw). how could it not have touched schnitzler? he lived and worked in berlin! above all, his succinct, absurd-surrealist lyrics would have suited many a protagonist of ndw. in this respect, schnitzler revealed two hitherto hidden talents: his delivery of lyrics written by himself was both precise and incredibly assured. the fourth component of “con 3” is without question the character in the background, peter baumann. as producer and sound engineer, he was to schnitzler what conny plank had been for cluster and harmonia and many others. his gentle, discreet impulses, his immense know-how with regard to modern studio technology and his perennial enthusiasm could be detected in all of the productions he created in his paragon studio. years of working with tangerine dream honed his studio experience and his intuitive flair for electronic experiments. those like schnitzler who were able to work in the paragon studio were in exceptionally good hands. there could hardly be a more fertile alliance. “con 3” might have sounded rather disconcerting to schnitzler listeners at the time. he had long since nailed his colours to the mast of the art scene (fluxus, beuys, performance art etc.) and now dared to attempt a balancing act between the high artistic aspirations of the avant-garde and the more entertainment-driven nature of pop music. not for the first time, perhaps, but particularly emphatically on this album. many had tried their luck at this tour de force and failed, not least because they lacked the necessary credibility. not schnitzler. he remained true to himself, and hence retained his credibility, integrating his new experiences and information resources wisely and creatively into his idiosyncratic and unmistakable music. - asmus tietchens

conrad schnitzler “consequenz” long playing record

• fata morgana
  
• weiter
  
• tape5
  
• bilgenratte
  
• afghanistan
  
• lügen haben kurze beine
  
  
• nächte in kreuzberg
  
• humpf
  
• ms-477
  
• pendel
  
• wer geht da?
  
• copacabana

bureau b press release...

conrad schnitzler consequenz reissue (opriginally released in 1980 on ks 1004) vinyl (180g) release date: october 19, 2012 commercial schnitzler? how quickly, how prematurely are opinions and judgements bandied about when an artist suddenly changes the form of his work. schnitzler fell under such a cloud when, after 1978 his songs, for a time at least, did not exceed the catchy compactness of pop songs, whilst their harmonies and rhythms seemed to be drifting towards pop. produced by peter baumann (tangerine dream) the “con” (1978) album and the “auf dem schwarzen kanal” 12 inch ep (1980) ushered in this phase, and the private release of the "consequenz" album, also in 1980 – as the title suggests – was the logical consequence. "consequenz" is schnitzler’s first collaboration with another musician since the days of kluster long before. in wolfgang seidel, a.k.a. wolf sequenza, he found someone who not only understood the “schnitzler" principle but was able to expand on it with his own input. seidel, like schnitzler, had started early with the development of an alternative language of music, away from the mainstream. schnitzler actually went a step further: with the best educational intentions, he supplied a schematic drawing to go with "consequenz", illustrating in detail how his music “functions”, which instruments and equipment he used and how the various elements are interconnected. it is rare for an electronic artist to lay his cards quite so openly on the table, thus prompting the demystification of this new music. "consequenz" conveys twelve remarkably short pieces. remarkable in the sense that schnitzler’s early solo works (e.g. “rot” and “blau”) were characterized by unending sequences. not only are the tracks even shorter than on “con” (1978), their form has also shifted. electronic drums can be heard, along with an electric guitar in places; schnitzler and seidel sculpt rhythmic-harmonic structures with an analogue sequencer, blended with harmonies to create a somewhat unwieldy form of pop music. little musical motifs are played without really becoming melodies capable of underpinning bona fide songs. the influence of the german new wave (ndw) may also be detected, but not enough to determine the style of "consequenz". the dozen tracks on the album remain firmly rooted in schnitzler's sonic universe, each an individual facet of his infinitely shimmering aural cascades. and, naturally, “consequenz” is electronic pop music, lacking only the commercial added value which was of little interest to schnitzler anyway – he didn’t give a damn. asmus tietchens

conrad schnitzler “consequenz” compact disc

• fata morgana (5:14)
  
• weiter (4:20)
  
• tape 5 (3:37)
  
• bilgenratte (2:34)
  
• afghanistan (5:31)
  
• lugen haben kurze beine (3:34)
  
• nachte in kreuzberg (3:48)
  
• humpf (2:52)
  
• m5-477 (4:39)
  
• pendel (4:17)
  
• wer geht da? (3:47)
  
• copacabana (5:17)
  
  
• bonus 1 (10:03)
  
• bonus 2 (8:25)

bureau b press release...

conrad schnitzler consequenz reissue (originally released in 1980 on ks 1004) cd release date: october 19, 2012 commercial schnitzler? how quickly, how prematurely are opinions and judgements bandied about when an artist suddenly changes the form of his work. schnitzler fell under such a cloud when, after 1978 his songs, for a time at least, did not exceed the catchy compactness of pop songs, whilst their harmonies and rhythms seemed to be drifting towards pop. produced by peter baumann (tangerine dream) the “con” (1978) album and the “auf dem schwarzen kanal” 12 inch ep (1980) ushered in this phase, and the private release of the "consequenz" album, also in 1980 – as the title suggests – was the logical consequence. "consequenz" is schnitzler’s first collaboration with another musician since the days of kluster long before. in wolfgang seidel, a.k.a. wolf sequenza, he found someone who not only understood the “schnitzler" principle but was able to expand on it with his own input. seidel, like schnitzler, had started early with the development of an alternative language of music, away from the mainstream. schnitzler actually went a step further: with the best educational intentions, he supplied a schematic drawing to go with "consequenz", illustrating in detail how his music “functions”, which instruments and equipment he used and how the various elements are interconnected. it is rare for an electronic artist to lay his cards quite so openly on the table, thus prompting the demystification of this new music. "consequenz" conveys twelve remarkably short pieces. remarkable in the sense that schnitzler’s early solo works (e.g. “rot” and “blau”) were characterized by unending sequences. not only are the tracks even shorter than on “con” (1978), their form has also shifted. electronic drums can be heard, along with an electric guitar in places; schnitzler and seidel sculpt rhythmic-harmonic structures with an analogue sequencer, blended with harmonies to create a somewhat unwieldy form of pop music. little musical motifs are played without really becoming melodies capable of underpinning bona fide songs. the influence of the german new wave (ndw) may also be detected, but not enough to determine the style of "consequenz". the dozen tracks on the album remain firmly rooted in schnitzler's sonic universe, each an individual facet of his infinitely shimmering aural cascades. and, naturally, “consequenz” is electronic pop music, lacking only the commercial added value which was of little interest to schnitzler anyway – he didn’t give a damn. asmus tietchens

dieter moebius / conrad plank “en route” long playing record

• automatic (5:17)
  
• don’t point the bone (5:03)
  
• drum! (2:39)
  
• echaos (3:26)
  
• muffler a (4:45)
  
• pick the rubber (4:33)
  
  
• the truth? (3:28)
  
• prehistoric (2:37)
  
• die wirren (3:26)
  
• muffler b (2:25)
  
• don’t point the bone (remix) (5:10)
  
• automatic (remix) (4:22)
  
• prehistoric (remix) (5:39)

bureau b press release...

moebius & plank en route reissue (recorded in 1986, originally released in 1995) lp release date: september 28, 2012 “en route” was created in 1986, when the era of analogue synths and rhythm machines seemed to be drawing to a close. drum computers, samplers and digital instruments such as the synclavier and fairlight cms would shape the immediate future of electronic music. naturally, these wonderful machines formed a part of plank’s arsenal and were used extensively by him and moebius. the duo explored the new devices with their inimitable, cheerful sense of abandon, but were wise enough not to rely on them entirely. analogue instruments resurface time and again, such as trumpet (!), guitar and other sonic sources which are less easy to identify. nor had moebius packed his analogue synthesizers away in mothballs. rhythmic throughout, the music is wholly free of the darkness which characterized the fashionable industrial or new wave scenes of the period. a tendency to descend into enraptured sonic abstraction is similarly absent. the pieces almost sound as if they are the product of real-time improvisation – airy and self-evident, ballast-free of and without unnecessary embellishment. moebius and plank must have had so much fun during the recording sessions! “en route“ is hip electronic music, yet it steers well clear of the mainstream. the fact that three tracks were remixed for a commission by dave stewart (eurythmics) did nothing to change that. stewart was planning a film project (which never came to fruition) and hired producer manu guiot, who reshaped the tracks together with dieter moebius shortly before release in conny's studio. moebius and plank were en route, “on the way" so to speak. a damned fine way at that. sadly, “en route” was to be the last in a sequence of five albums they recorded and released together. conceived in 1983, “ludwig’s law” was the fourth album in chronological terms but only appeared in 1998, three years after “en route”. debilitated by severe illness, plank was no longer able to mix the recordings himself. his studio colleague bruno gebhard took on the task, together with moebius. shortly afterwards, in 1987, conny plank died. the common path of the two friends was now at an end. but “en route” was certainly not intended to mark the conclusion of their lengthy collaboration. for how much of the future, how much optimism were implicit in the certitude of being en route? - asmus tietchens

dieter moebius / conrad plank “en route” compact disc

• automatic (5:17)
  
• don’t point the bone (5:03)
  
• drum! (4:47)
  
• echaos (3:26)
  
• muffler a (4:45)
  
• pick the rubber (4:33)
  
• the truth? (3:28)
  
• prehistoric (2:37)
  
• die wirren (3:26)
  
• muffler b (2:25)
  
• don’t panic the bone (remix) (5:10)
  
• automatic (remix) (4:22)
  
• prehistoric (remix) (5:39)

bureau b press release...

moebius & plank en route reissue (recorded in 1986, originally released in 1995) cd release date: september 28, 2012 “en route” was created in 1986, when the era of analogue synths and rhythm machines seemed to be drawing to a close. drum computers, samplers and digital instruments such as the synclavier and fairlight cms would shape the immediate future of electronic music. naturally, these wonderful machines formed a part of plank’s arsenal and were used extensively by him and moebius. the duo explored the new devices with their inimitable, cheerful sense of abandon, but were wise enough not to rely on them entirely. analogue instruments resurface time and again, such as trumpet (!), guitar and other sonic sources which are less easy to identify. nor had moebius packed his analogue synthesizers away in mothballs. rhythmic throughout, the music is wholly free of the darkness which characterized the fashionable industrial or new wave scenes of the period. a tendency to descend into enraptured sonic abstraction is similarly absent. the pieces almost sound as if they are the product of real-time improvisation – airy and self-evident, ballast-free of and without unnecessary embellishment. moebius and plank must have had so much fun during the recording sessions! “en route“ is hip electronic music, yet it steers well clear of the mainstream. the fact that three tracks were remixed for a commission by dave stewart (eurythmics) did nothing to change that. stewart was planning a film project (which never came to fruition) and hired producer manu guiot, who reshaped the tracks together with dieter moebius shortly before release in conny's studio. moebius and plank were en route, “on the way" so to speak. a damned fine way at that. sadly, “en route” was to be the last in a sequence of five albums they recorded and released together. conceived in 1983, “ludwig’s law” was the fourth album in chronological terms but only appeared in 1998, three years after “en route”. debilitated by severe illness, plank was no longer able to mix the recordings himself. his studio colleague bruno gebhard took on the task, together with moebius. shortly afterwards, in 1987, conny plank died. the common path of the two friends was now at an end. but “en route” was certainly not intended to mark the conclusion of their lengthy collaboration. for how much of the future, how much optimism were implicit in the certitude of being en route? - asmus tietchens

kluster “schwarz (eruption)” long playing record

• eruption 1 (31:04)
  
  
• eruption 2 (25:30)

bureau b press release...

kluster schwarz (eruption) reissue (originally released in 1971) lp (180g vinyl) release date: november 16, 2012 the official konrad schnitzler discography lists “eruption”, released in 1971 under the title “schwarz” (catalogue number ks 1001), as the first schnitzler album. in actual fact, “eruption” is the third and final lp by the group kluster, following “klopfzeichen” and “zwei osterei”. the line- up printed on the labels leaves no room for doubt. unlike the two previous albums, “eruption” was not issued by the schwann verlag, but by the band on its own, hence the task of financing the record fell to the participants. roedelius and moebius, however, were either unable or unwilling to get involved in this risky business. without further ado, schnitzler decided to cover the cost of pressing up 200 lps which he would bring out under his own name. this historical “error" has now been corrected: “eruption” is a kluster album. seen alongside “klopfzeichen” and “zwei osterei”, “eruption” is a different beast altogether. the total absence of lyrics, to begin with; the music is music, nothing more. the listener revels in a pure symphony of sound, its dramatic artistry holding his attention until the very end. and that is the second major difference to the first two lps. whereas their furious intensity sounded almost brutally improvised, “eruption” appears clearly structured throughout, musical freedoms notwithstanding. kluster take their time in developing spontaneous ideas here, they get loud and then, for lengthier periods, go quiet, suggesting at times a sense of absolute emptiness, followed by outbreaks of dark anger. the possibilities opened up by live electronics were thrillingly exploited to the limit. and yet there is undeniably a method in the music. in the course of their many live concerts, kluster had learned to use instruments and electronics constructively, reaching the zenith of their musical powers of expression on “eruption”. kluster disbanded after “eruption”. the album is a revealing document of a band striving to stretch the musical spectrum during the early 1970s, and indeed how capable they were of doing so. moebius and roedelius went on working together as cluster, and conrad schnitzler (now with a c) began developing his own vision of electronic music, a project he continued assiduously until his death (2011). still, all three had their roots in kluster – incredibly powerful roots. and kluster have never ceased to be hugely fertile ground. may their creative inspiration never run dry.

kluster “schwarz (eruption)” compact disc

• eruption 1 (31:04)
  
  
• eruption 2 (25:30)

bureau b press release...

kluster schwarz (eruption) reissue (originally released in 1971) cd release date: november 16, 2012 the official konrad schnitzler discography lists “eruption”, released in 1971 under the title “schwarz” (catalogue number ks 1001), as the first schnitzler album. in actual fact, “eruption” is the third and final lp by the group kluster, following “klopfzeichen” and “zwei osterei”. the line- up printed on the labels leaves no room for doubt. unlike the two previous albums, “eruption” was not issued by the schwann verlag, but by the band on its own, hence the task of financing the record fell to the participants. roedelius and moebius, however, were either unable or unwilling to get involved in this risky business. without further ado, schnitzler decided to cover the cost of pressing up 200 lps which he would bring out under his own name. this historical “error" has now been corrected: “eruption” is a kluster album. seen alongside “klopfzeichen” and “zwei osterei”, “eruption” is a different beast altogether. the total absence of lyrics, to begin with; the music is music, nothing more. the listener revels in a pure symphony of sound, its dramatic artistry holding his attention until the very end. and that is the second major difference to the first two lps. whereas their furious intensity sounded almost brutally improvised, “eruption” appears clearly structured throughout, musical freedoms notwithstanding. kluster take their time in developing spontaneous ideas here, they get loud and then, for lengthier periods, go quiet, suggesting at times a sense of absolute emptiness, followed by outbreaks of dark anger. the possibilities opened up by live electronics were thrillingly exploited to the limit. and yet there is undeniably a method in the music. in the course of their many live concerts, kluster had learned to use instruments and electronics constructively, reaching the zenith of their musical powers of expression on “eruption”. kluster disbanded after “eruption”. the album is a revealing document of a band striving to stretch the musical spectrum during the early 1970s, and indeed how capable they were of doing so. moebius and roedelius went on working together as cluster, and conrad schnitzler (now with a c) began developing his own vision of electronic music, a project he continued assiduously until his death (2011). still, all three had their roots in kluster – incredibly powerful roots. and kluster have never ceased to be hugely fertile ground. may their creative inspiration never run dry.

kluster “zwei osterei” long playing record

• electric music und texte (22:31)
  
  
• electric music (kluster 4) (22:17)

bureau b press release...

kluster zwei osterei reissue (originally released in 1971) lp (180g vinyl) release date: june 29, 2012 zwei osterei is the second half of a recording session which took place on a single day in november 1970. klopfzeichen is the first part. yet the uncompromising zwei osterei surpasses the earlier klopfzeichen album by some distance in terms of its harsh noisiness and near brutal sonic attacks. everything that was left of the revolutionary verve of the late 1960s seems to have been distilled into this music with a burning glass: aesthetic destruction to liberate the mind and ears for utopian designs; the definitive coalescence of art and pop into something completely new; unbridled musical freedom, coupled with a love of noise. zwei osterei is all of this. how unsettling kluster’s music must have been for the professional avant-garde of the period (music journalists, critics etc.). kluster turned pretty much everything associated with so-called progressive pop music on its head. no song structure, no rhythm, little more than muffled pulsation. no heroic poses, no transfigured gestures on stage. this attitude, or rather anti-attitude is particularly in evidence on track two of zwei osterei. still no electronic instruments, just guitar, drums and non-musical sonic sources as kluster unleash a sound spectacle which anticipates the industrial artists who emerged some years later. conny plank played a pivotal role as sound engineer with the relatively limited studio equipment available to him. his meticulous reading of the band’s intentions let to the creation of pure, electroacoustic music – loud, violent, real-time improvisation. shrill feedback, tape echo loops and layers of sonic cascades dominate this section of the album. this was no longer psychedelic, nor “progressive”. it was more like sonic warfare, waged against all musical categories and conventions. many a listener posed the rather helpless question “what is that supposed to be?”... art? music? a happening? according to statements made by the band, none of the above. it was simply kluster. a lofty, nigh exclusive claim which “zwei osterei” fulfills one hundred per cent. translated, the statement is nothing more nor less than a challenge to ignore the accumulated theory of art and music, with all the risks and side effects this entails. back in 1970, kluster could not have known that they were setting in motion a process which would endure until the present day. but they no doubt hoped as much. kluster are history, the klopfzeichen and zwei osterei lps their legacy. and above all, an idea of artistic freedom has remained, worlds away from commerce and public servility. even if the concept of “utopia” has lost something of its former allure, kluster can at least be a catalyst for those who may wish to entertain the idea once again.

kluster “zwei osterei” compact disc

• electric music und texte (22:31)
  
• electric music (kluster 4) (22:17)

bureau b press release...

kluster zwei osterei reissue (originally released in 1971) cd release date: june 29, 2012 zwei osterei is the second half of a recording session which took place on a single day in november 1970. klopfzeichen is the first part. yet the uncompromising zwei osterei surpasses the earlier klopfzeichen album by some distance in terms of its harsh noisiness and near brutal sonic attacks. everything that was left of the revolutionary verve of the late 1960s seems to have been distilled into this music with a burning glass: aesthetic destruction to liberate the mind and ears for utopian designs; the definitive coalescence of art and pop into something completely new; unbridled musical freedom, coupled with a love of noise. zwei osterei is all of this. how unsettling kluster’s music must have been for the professional avant-garde of the period (music journalists, critics etc.). kluster turned pretty much everything associated with so-called progressive pop music on its head. no song structure, no rhythm, little more than muffled pulsation. no heroic poses, no transfigured gestures on stage. this attitude, or rather anti-attitude is particularly in evidence on track two of zwei osterei. still no electronic instruments, just guitar, drums and non-musical sonic sources as kluster unleash a sound spectacle which anticipates the industrial artists who emerged some years later. conny plank played a pivotal role as sound engineer with the relatively limited studio equipment available to him. his meticulous reading of the band’s intentions let to the creation of pure, electroacoustic music – loud, violent, real-time improvisation. shrill feedback, tape echo loops and layers of sonic cascades dominate this section of the album. this was no longer psychedelic, nor “progressive”. it was more like sonic warfare, waged against all musical categories and conventions. many a listener posed the rather helpless question “what is that supposed to be?”... art? music? a happening? according to statements made by the band, none of the above. it was simply kluster. a lofty, nigh exclusive claim which “zwei osterei” fulfills one hundred per cent. translated, the statement is nothing more nor less than a challenge to ignore the accumulated theory of art and music, with all the risks and side effects this entails. back in 1970, kluster could not have known that they were setting in motion a process which would endure until the present day. but they no doubt hoped as much. kluster are history, the klopfzeichen and zwei osterei lps their legacy. and above all, an idea of artistic freedom has remained, worlds away from commerce and public servility. even if the concept of “utopia” has lost something of its former allure, kluster can at least be a catalyst for those who may wish to entertain the idea once again.

kluster “klopfzeichen” long playing record

• kluster 1 (electric music und texte) (23:33)
  
  
• kluster 2 (electric music) (21:38)

bureau b press release...

kluster klopfzeichen reissue (originally released in 1970) lp (180g vinyl) release date: june 29, 2012 imagine finding a message in a bottle, forty years after it was dispatched. that is what it feels like when you listen to klopfzeichen for the first time, mysterious, hard to decipher, a relic of a time long since passed. the handwriting is archaic, barely legible, the complex contents only falling into place when examined through the light of historical context. klopfzeichen is an incredibly important release for the time in which it appeared (1971), an extraordinarily significant document. more than anything, the three messengers konrad schnitzler, hans-joachim roedelius and dieter moebius formulated a radical claim with klopfzeichen: anarchic, unlimited freedom of art and music. kluster’s music may have aged, but their message has not. that the recording session happened at all is, curiously enough, down to a church musician, a man one would then have described as extremely progressive. oskar gottlieb blarr not only made it possible for these musical enfants terribles to work in düsseldorf’s rhenus studio, he also orchestrated the release of klopfzeichen shortly afterwards through the schwann verlag, a publisher closely associated with the church, on their own record label, ams studio (subtitled “werkraum für neue kirchenmusik” / workspace for new church music!). this “ecclesiastical” affinity is probably the reason for the strongly committed political and religious texts spoken over the music on the a side. kluster lyrics they are not, and they sound a little strange today. true to their understanding of artistic freedom (joseph beuys was undoubtedly an influence), kluster improvised with all sources of sound they could lay their hands on: guitar, bass, cello, flute, drums and various other pieces of equipment not usually intended for musical use. none of them could profess to be an expert on any of the instruments. they were brilliant dilettantes, a decade before the concept („geniale dilettanten“) was invented. electronics? no sign of them. the budget did not stretch to synthesizers or anything of that ilk. that said, a certain conny plank was on board as sound engineer for the early recordings. he added an apocalyptic character to kluster’s lindwormish, menacing and chaotic music. roedelius and moebius still refer to him as the “éminence grise”. klopfzeichen was the most radical album of the early german pop music avant-garde by a country mile. its sounds and noises had nothing in common with the sequencer-generated electronic music emerging from berlin or düsseldorf. kluster music was angstmusik, the music of fear. “klopfzeichen”, knocking on the wall, is how the imprisoned call for attention or communicate with one another. kluster certainly wanted to break free with their own klopfzeichen. and they succeeded in liberating not only themselves, but generations of musicians to come.

kluster “klopfzeichen” compact disc

• kluster 1 (electric music und texte) (23:33)
  
• kluster 2 (electric music) (21:38)

bureau b press release...

kluster klopfzeichen reissue (originally released in 1970) cd release date: june 29, 2012 imagine finding a message in a bottle, forty years after it was dispatched. that is what it feels like when you listen to klopfzeichen for the first time, mysterious, hard to decipher, a relic of a time long since passed. the handwriting is archaic, barely legible, the complex contents only falling into place when examined through the light of historical context. klopfzeichen is an incredibly important release for the time in which it appeared (1971), an extraordinarily significant document. more than anything, the three messengers konrad schnitzler, hans-joachim roedelius and dieter moebius formulated a radical claim with klopfzeichen: anarchic, unlimited freedom of art and music. kluster’s music may have aged, but their message has not. that the recording session happened at all is, curiously enough, down to a church musician, a man one would then have described as extremely progressive. oskar gottlieb blarr not only made it possible for these musical enfants terribles to work in düsseldorf’s rhenus studio, he also orchestrated the release of klopfzeichen shortly afterwards through the schwann verlag, a publisher closely associated with the church, on their own record label, ams studio (subtitled “werkraum für neue kirchenmusik” / workspace for new church music!). this “ecclesiastical” affinity is probably the reason for the strongly committed political and religious texts spoken over the music on the a side. kluster lyrics they are not, and they sound a little strange today. true to their understanding of artistic freedom (joseph beuys was undoubtedly an influence), kluster improvised with all sources of sound they could lay their hands on: guitar, bass, cello, flute, drums and various other pieces of equipment not usually intended for musical use. none of them could profess to be an expert on any of the instruments. they were brilliant dilettantes, a decade before the concept („geniale dilettanten“) was invented. electronics? no sign of them. the budget did not stretch to synthesizers or anything of that ilk. that said, a certain conny plank was on board as sound engineer for the early recordings. he added an apocalyptic character to kluster’s lindwormish, menacing and chaotic music. roedelius and moebius still refer to him as the “éminence grise”. klopfzeichen was the most radical album of the early german pop music avant-garde by a country mile. its sounds and noises had nothing in common with the sequencer-generated electronic music emerging from berlin or düsseldorf. kluster music was angstmusik, the music of fear. “klopfzeichen”, knocking on the wall, is how the imprisoned call for attention or communicate with one another. kluster certainly wanted to break free with their own klopfzeichen. and they succeeded in liberating not only themselves, but generations of musicians to come.

dieter moebius / asmus tietchens “moebius + tietchens” long playing record and compact disc set

• cremon
  
• kattrepel
  
• vincent
  
• thorax
  
• yes, yes
  
• fontenay
  
  
• lange reihe
  
• raboisen
  
• im windkanal
  
• grimm
  
• herrlichkeit
  
• plan
  
• mach auf!
  
  
• cremon (2:23)
  
• kattrepel (9:56)
  
• vincent (3:43)
  
• thorax (3:56)
  
• yes, yes (5:41)
  
• fontenay (2:57)
  
• lange reihe (10:32)
  
• raboisen (3:39)
  
• im windkanal (2:41)
  
• grimm (4:22)
  
• herrlichkeit (2:17)
  
• plan (4:02)
  
• mach auf! (2:33)

bureau b press release...

moebius + tietchens lp (180g vinyl) plus cd release date: june 29th, 2012 with this album, dieter moebius and asmus tietchens fulfill a promise that they made 35 years ago. that is, in 1976, when the five musicians of liliental completed the recordings for their eponymous album (released 1978) and again scattered to the winds, moebius called out to tietchens from the already moving car: "we have to make a record together sometime." at least that is the report of an ear-witness. whether or not it's true ... in any case, both decided in 2011 to record the album which is now to be released. moebius (cluster, harmonia), since the early years of cluster, has neither lost his curiosity nor his eagerness for experimentation. on the contrary: he has downright cultivated them. tietchens is not only a true aficionado of the cluster's music and friend of the duo, but has also released countless albums of electronic music and musique concrète since the 1980's – like cluster, initially on sky records – then later only in the field of industrial and abstract music. their album may come from out of the blue, but the large amount of overlap in the music of both artists made it a forgone conclusion to finally make good on the aforementioned promise. thirteen pieces carries the album. these are thirteen ideas that could hardly be heterogeneous – no two pieces are similar. moebius and tietchens show us what they are capable of together. from the rough sketch to densely gripping rhythms, one can clearly hear just what these two old masters of electronic music have in their arsenals. this is not a result of the routine that comes with so many years of experience, nor a thin portion of tired old recipes for success. other than for a few faint echoes of a bygone era (perhaps as a sentimental reminder), “moebius+tietchens“ is an album that could only emerge from the here and now. it is contemporary, new music. unfortunately, this time there was no ear-witness as moebius and tietchens said goodbye after finishing these recordings. so we do not know if they made a new agreement similar to the one from 35 years ago. let's hope so.

dieter moebius / asmus tietchens “moebius + tietchens” compact disc

• cremon (2:23)
  
• kattrepel (9:56)
  
• vincent (3:43)
  
• thorax (3:56)
  
• yes, yes (5:41)
  
• fontenay (2:57)
  
• lange reihe (10:32)
  
• raboisen (3:39)
  
• im windkanal (2:41)
  
• grimm (4:22)
  
• herrlichkeit (2:17)
  
• plan (4:02)
  
• mach auf! (2:33)

bureau b press release...

moebius + tietchens cd release date: june 29th, 2012 with this album, dieter moebius and asmus tietchens fulfill a promise that they made 35 years ago. that is, in 1976, when the five musicians of liliental completed the recordings for their eponymous album (released 1978) and again scattered to the winds, moebius called out to tietchens from the already moving car: "we have to make a record together sometime." at least that is the report of an ear-witness. whether or not it's true ... in any case, both decided in 2011 to record the album which is now to be released. moebius (cluster, harmonia), since the early years of cluster, has neither lost his curiosity nor his eagerness for experimentation. on the contrary: he has downright cultivated them. tietchens is not only a true aficionado of the cluster's music and friend of the duo, but has also released countless albums of electronic music and musique concrète since the 1980's – like cluster, initially on sky records – then later only in the field of industrial and abstract music. their album may come from out of the blue, but the large amount of overlap in the music of both artists made it a forgone conclusion to finally make good on the aforementioned promise. thirteen pieces carries the album. these are thirteen ideas that could hardly be heterogeneous – no two pieces are similar. moebius and tietchens show us what they are capable of together. from the rough sketch to densely gripping rhythms, one can clearly hear just what these two old masters of electronic music have in their arsenals. this is not a result of the routine that comes with so many years of experience, nor a thin portion of tired old recipes for success. other than for a few faint echoes of a bygone era (perhaps as a sentimental reminder), “moebius+tietchens“ is an album that could only emerge from the here and now. it is contemporary, new music. unfortunately, this time there was no ear-witness as moebius and tietchens said goodbye after finishing these recordings. so we do not know if they made a new agreement similar to the one from 35 years ago. let's hope so.

der plan “normalette surprise • 23 elektronische schlager” long playing record

• leb doch
  
• renate
  
• meine freunde
  
• sie hat mich verlassen
  
• pausen-sassa
  
• wenn der sonne ist verblüht
  
• kleine schlager-revue
  
• frl. nicol
  
• ich bin ein komputer
  
• robot-bolero
  
• generäle essen gerne erdbeereis
  
• das insekt
  
  
• wat's dat?
  
• 4 stapfen im schnee
  
• zurück in die atomsphäre

bureau b press release...

der plan normalette surprise reissue (originally released in 1981) lp (180g vinyl) release date: july 27, 2012 1980 the zeitgeist played into the right hands. and who held the aces? in our game, moritz r, frank fenstermacher and pyrolator = der plan. tired of convention and full of enthusiasm, they encountered an audience who felt just the same. and with record companies too ponderous to sign up der plan, the wonderful ata tak label was born of necessity. “normalette surprise” is the second album by der plan, released in 1981, a good year after their “geri reig” debut. it is immediately recognisable as a plan album, yet “normalette surprise” does contain a few, well, surprises. the first number, “leb doch”, is a brilliant pop song. one can say many (good) things about “geri reig”, but it does not contain any pop songs. “leb doch” is built on a captivatingly taut rhythm, subcooled vocals and german lyrics. hang on a minute, taut rhythm, subcooled vocals, german lyrics? yes exactly, der plan drew up the blueprint for what would soon become known as “neue deutsche welle”—the german new wave. although blueprint sounds a little too benign. it was more like a big bang. moreover, there was something new about it. or rather something old. bizarrely, der plan were introduced by their american artist friends, including the controversial elocutionist boyd rice, into the amazing world of the german schlager. a colourful universe of the absurd awaited exploration. “kleine schlager-revue” and "sie hat mich verlassen" are the clearest indications of this newfound passion on “normalette surprise”. hence “normalette surprise” presents the full range of attributes which would define der plan and the ata tak label: electronics and schlager, noise and pop. and der plan's protagonists succeeded — unlike so many — in their mission of creating something original, something of their own.

der plan “normalette surprise • 23 elektronische schlager” compact disc

• leb doch
  
• renate
  
• meine freunde
  
• sie hat mich verlassen
  
• pausen-sassa
  
• wenn der sonne ist verblüht
  
• kleine schlager-revue
  
• frl. nicol
  
• ich bin ein komputer
  
• robot-bolero
  
• generäle essen gerne erdbeereis 12. das insekt
  
• wat's dat?
  
• 4 stapfen im schnee
  
• zurück in die atomsphäre
  
  
• da vorne steht ne ampel
  
• rot grün tod
  
• einfachheit
  
• brot
  
• klarheit
  
• liebe
  
• tod 19. 8 1/2 b
  
• der regen tropft
  
• es ist das glück
  
• film noir 1979
  
• rosarote schweinchen

bureau b press release...

der plan normalette surprise reissue (originally released in 1981) cd release date: july 27, 2012 1980 the zeitgeist played into the right hands. and who held the aces? in our game, moritz r, frank fenstermacher and pyrolator = der plan. tired of convention and full of enthusiasm, they encountered an audience who felt just the same. and with record companies too ponderous to sign up der plan, the wonderful ata tak label was born of necessity. “normalette surprise” is the second album by der plan, released in 1981, a good year after their “geri reig” debut. it is immediately recognisable as a plan album, yet “normalette surprise” does contain a few, well, surprises. the first number, “leb doch”, is a brilliant pop song. one can say many (good) things about “geri reig”, but it does not contain any pop songs. “leb doch” is built on a captivatingly taut rhythm, subcooled vocals and german lyrics. hang on a minute, taut rhythm, subcooled vocals, german lyrics? yes exactly, der plan drew up the blueprint for what would soon become known as “neue deutsche welle”—the german new wave. although blueprint sounds a little too benign. it was more like a big bang. moreover, there was something new about it. or rather something old. bizarrely, der plan were introduced by their american artist friends, including the controversial elocutionist boyd rice, into the amazing world of the german schlager. a colourful universe of the absurd awaited exploration. “kleine schlager-revue” and "sie hat mich verlassen" are the clearest indications of this newfound passion on “normalette surprise”. hence “normalette surprise” presents the full range of attributes which would define der plan and the ata tak label: electronics and schlager, noise and pop. and der plan's protagonists succeeded — unlike so many — in their mission of creating something original, something of their own.

der plan “geri reig” long playing record

• adrenalin lässt das blut kochen
  
• geri regi
  
• persisches cowboy golf
  
• gefährliche clowns
  
• kleine grabesstille
  
• der weltaufstandsplan
  
• hans und gabi
  
  
• commerce extérieur mondial sentimentale
  
• was ich von mir denke
  
• san josé car muzak
  
• erste begegnung mit dem tod
  
• ch bin schizophren
  
• nessie
  
• gefährliche clowns (manisch-idiotisch)
  
• die welt ist schlecht

bureau b press release...

der plan geri reig reissue (originally released 1980) lp (180g vinyl) release date: july 27, 2012 “geri reig” is der plan’s debut album, but not their first release. an ep, recorded with the aid of an electric memo dictation preceded “geri reig”. but the band is not very keen on reissuing this early work. why did they call themselves “der plan” actually? “a concept which has something to do with the capacity of people to think and shape their future” as plan member moritz reichelt, alias moritz r, once explained. der plan at that time comprised moritz reichelt, frank fenster-macher, robert görl and chrislo haas. their music was menacing, fragmented noise rock, still with guitar and drums, but far removed from the typical (rock) music of the period. when görl and haas departed (to form daf), guitars and drums also disappeared from der plan. new on the team: kurt dahlke alias pyrolator. this was the line-up which recorded “geri reig” in reichelt’s düsseldorf office with a two-channel tape machine. “geri reig” is a punk album in the truest and best sense. new, threatening and, at the same time, humorous. whilst other bands of the era stamped with the seal of “punk” played a faster and harder version of 1950s rock and roll or 1960s garage rock, der plan, like a handful of contemporaries such as the residents or throbbing gristle, not only rejected traditional song structures but jettisoned the whole instrument list. that’s punk for you! allied to a deep aversion to rock music and the cliché that goes with it, was the wish to create something of their own. and “geri reig” is certainly idiosyncratic: fragments and songs, raspy and fragile, melodies and interference, ambient sounds up front in the mix. fine in theory and – rare though it may be – excellent in practice. and it just gets better: the album was well received. moritz r: “as if everyone had been waiting for it.” – “the world is a bad place”? („die welt ist schlecht?“, cf. track 15). not always!

der plan “geri reig” compact disc

• adrenalin lässt das blut kochen
  
• geri reig
  
• persisches cowboy golf
  
• gefährliche clowns
  
• kleine grabesstille
  
• der weltaufstandsplan
  
• hans und gabi
  
• commerce extérieur mondial sentimentale
  
• was ich von mir denke
  
• san josé car muzak
  
• erste begegnung mit dem tod
  
• ch bin schizophren
  
• nessie
  
• gefährliche clowns (manisch-idiotisch)
  
• die welt ist schlecht
  
  
• es piept
  
• fürstenwall
  
• intermezzo
  
• dark porn
  
• heinz, komm zum feuer
  
• money honey

bureau b press release...

der plan geri reig reissue (originally released 1980) cd release date: july 27, 2012 “geri reig” is der plan’s debut album, but not their first release. an ep, recorded with the aid of an electric memo dictation preceded “geri reig”. but the band is not very keen on reissuing this early work. why did they call themselves “der plan” actually? “a concept which has something to do with the capacity of people to think and shape their future” as plan member moritz reichelt, alias moritz r, once explained. der plan at that time comprised moritz reichelt, frank fenster-macher, robert görl and chrislo haas. their music was menacing, fragmented noise rock, still with guitar and drums, but far removed from the typical (rock) music of the period. when görl and haas departed (to form daf), guitars and drums also disappeared from der plan. new on the team: kurt dahlke alias pyrolator. this was the line-up which recorded “geri reig” in reichelt’s düsseldorf office with a two-channel tape machine. “geri reig” is a punk album in the truest and best sense. new, threatening and, at the same time, humorous. whilst other bands of the era stamped with the seal of “punk” played a faster and harder version of 1950s rock and roll or 1960s garage rock, der plan, like a handful of contemporaries such as the residents or throbbing gristle, not only rejected traditional song structures but jettisoned the whole instrument list. that’s punk for you! allied to a deep aversion to rock music and the cliché that goes with it, was the wish to create something of their own. and “geri reig” is certainly idiosyncratic: fragments and songs, raspy and fragile, melodies and interference, ambient sounds up front in the mix. fine in theory and – rare though it may be – excellent in practice. and it just gets better: the album was well received. moritz r: “as if everyone had been waiting for it.” – “the world is a bad place”? („die welt ist schlecht?“, cf. track 15). not always!

conrad schnitzler “(blau)” long playing record

• die rebellen haben sich in den bergen versteckt
  
  
• jupiter

bureau b press release...

conrad schnitzler (blau) lp (180g vinyl) release date: june 15th, 2012 on the red album rot, conrad schnitzler laid down the direction his musical artistry would take. his second solo, the blue album blau, originally released in 1974, offered confirmation of his intent. maybe the "red" and "blue" tracks were recorded in the same session. the structure, sound and timbre of both lps are so similar as to suggest that this was the case (an unverified assumption nevertheless!). far more important than this historical pedantry is the fact that schnitzler included two brand-new compositions on blau which followed on seamlessly from the previous album. quite simply, he had found his way, a course from which he would not stray as long as he lived. the so-called berlin school (berliner schule) -- with conrad schnitzler one of their number -- had developed its own style of minimalist music. clearly distinct from anglo-american pop music, and no less removed from the minimalist art music of steve reich or philip glass, the focus here was on electronics and elementary rhythmics. the berlin musicians showed no great interest in instrumental or vocal virtuosity, nor were they in thrall to exuberant interleaving of rhythm. with the aid of synthesizers and studio technology, they were bent on breaking into territory hitherto considered the province of a privileged elite, clouded in mystery and secrecy, resonating with uncharted sounds and noise. blau is an archetypal example of this very phenomenon. courage, the pioneering spirit and artistic brilliance can be detected in each part of the album's two infinite sequences. inspired by joseph beuys, schnitzler propagated those very tones beyond the musical realm, detached from tradition, the only tones capable of catalyzing the utterly stagnant pop music and new music scene of the day, injecting them with fresh impulses. questions of harmony, melody and strict form were well and truly rejected by schnitzler. his aural crystals shine like pearls on a string. schnitzler uses his ropes of pearls to weave new, fantastic patterns which constantly shift like kaleidoscopes to reveal unexpected facets; they are sign-posts to spatial and temporal infinity. schnitzler's style was really too idiosyncratic ever to set a precedent, but he was, and still is, one of the most significant inspirations for pop music in more recent times.