hans-joachim roedelius “wenn der südwind weht” compact disc

• wenn der südwind weht (4:14)
  
• veilchenwurzeln (5:05)
  
• mein freund farouk (4:19)
  
• mutee (3:56)
  
• freudentanz (2:24)
  
• goldregen (1:05)
  
• auf leisen sohlen (3:52)
  
• saumpfad (8:33)
  
• sonnengeflecht (3:31)
  
• felix austria (4:20)

bureau b press release...

roedelius wenn der südwind weht release: feb 5th, 2010 cat no: bb41 • cd “where on earth does roedelius find such a beautiful array of notes?” wonders asmus tietchens in his sleeve notes for this reissue. not an unreasonable question. hans-joachim roedelius, a pioneer of ambient music, krautrock and, arguably, synthesizer pop, member of such seminal bands as cluster and harmonia, revels in alien worlds on this, his seventh solo record. “music to be listened to quietly”, as roedelius advised on the lp cover. indeed, listening at low volume enhances the sense of otherworldliness quite considerably. and yet, wenn der südwind weht (when the south wind is blowing) can hardly be termed “spacey” nor psychedelic in the slightest. electronic excesses are absent, aural exotica off-limits, bizarre cacophonies non-existent. the individual tracks are compact, lined up in quick succession like a string of pearls. wherein lies their fascination? from what distant place do they reach out to the listener? first of all, there is the roedelian “quietitude”. even when the music is turned up, it remains quiet in character, almost as if wrapped in cotton wool. the quiet nature of this music is inseparable from the serene and tranquil manner in which roedelius goes about creating his typical harmonies and melodies on an electric organ of decidedly limited sonic variability. roedelius leaves in the occasional blip and electric interference or tape hiss — nothing can distract him from the inspiration of the moment as it feeds his music. the contrast with the perfect, yet impersonal precision of minimalism could not be greater. improvisation is the driving force of roedelius’s music. without a trace of exhibitionism, the undisguised roedelius externalizes himself through his music with an honesty that could move one to tears. as a member of cluster and harmonia, such radicalism was never open to him. südwind is an undisputed highlight in the roedelius canon.

dieter moebius “tonspuren” long playing record

• contramino (2:25)
  
• hasenheide (2:36)
  
• rattenwiesel (3:14)
  
• transport (2:55)
  
• etwas (3:53)
  
  
• nervös (3:26)
  
• b 36 (4:21)
  
• furbo (4:43)
  
• sinister (4:04)
  
• immerhin (2:38)

bureau b press release...

moebius tonspuren release: jan 8th, 2009 cat no: bb40 • lp by 1969 at the latest, dieter moebius was synonymous with the avant-garde electronic music scene in germany. he and hans-joachim roedelius formed cluster, a seminal electronic / ambient duo, whilst moebius was also a member of the so-called krautrock supergroup harmonia (with michael rother and roedelius), as well as collaborating on various other projects with the likes of brian eno and mani neumeier from guru guru. somehow, it took moebius until 1983 to release his own solo debut album, tonspuren. tonspuren is an album of minimalisms, miniatures and stringent form, ten consistently concise and precise pieces. moebius develops tonal variations out of minimalistic, rhythmic, harmonic basic tracks, sometimes coming close to tangible melodies. yet this is exactly the point at which he purposely steers clear of electronic pop criteria. nevertheless, tonspuren is a pop album, its radically stripped down contents replenished with harmonious elements of prevalent popular music. echoes of cluster notwithstanding, the music of tonspuren is a separate entity altogether. moebius seems to be avoiding improvisation as the devil keeps his distance from holy water. each piece is thoughtfully composed, as moebius crafts his miniatures layer by layer. spontaneous inaccuracies have no place here, noise escapades are nipped in the bud. baroque, folklore and frivolity are not admitted into the studio when the red light is on. thanks to tonspuren, the keen listener now has the opportunity of direct comparison in his appraisal of the solo albums of dieter moebius, hans joachim roedelius and michael rother. what role did each of the harmonia triumvirate play in creating the style of the supergroup? tonspuren thus represents a vital piece of the harmonia puzzle.

dieter moebius “tonspuren” compact disc

• contramino (2:25)
  
• hasenheide (2:36)
  
• rattenwiesel (3:14)
  
• transport (2:55)
  
• etwas (3:53)
  
• nervös (3:26)
  
• b 36 (4:21)
  
• furbo (4:43)
  
• sinister (4:04)
  
• immerhin (2:38)

bureau b press release...

moebius tonspuren release: jan 8th, 2009 cat no: bb40 • cd by 1969 at the latest, dieter moebius was synonymous with the avant-garde electronic music scene in germany. he and hans-joachim roedelius formed cluster, a seminal electronic / ambient duo, whilst moebius was also a member of the so-called krautrock supergroup harmonia (with michael rother and roedelius), as well as collaborating on various other projects with the likes of brian eno and mani neumeier from guru guru. somehow, it took moebius until 1983 to release his own solo debut album, tonspuren. tonspuren is an album of minimalisms, miniatures and stringent form, ten consistently concise and precise pieces. moebius develops tonal variations out of minimalistic, rhythmic, harmonic basic tracks, sometimes coming close to tangible melodies. yet this is exactly the point at which he purposely steers clear of electronic pop criteria. nevertheless, tonspuren is a pop album, its radically stripped down contents replenished with harmonious elements of prevalent popular music. echoes of cluster notwithstanding, the music of tonspuren is a separate entity altogether. moebius seems to be avoiding improvisation as the devil keeps his distance from holy water. each piece is thoughtfully composed, as moebius crafts his miniatures layer by layer. spontaneous inaccuracies have no place here, noise escapades are nipped in the bud. baroque, folklore and frivolity are not admitted into the studio when the red light is on. thanks to tonspuren, the keen listener now has the opportunity of direct comparison in his appraisal of the solo albums of dieter moebius, hans joachim roedelius and michael rother. what role did each of the harmonia triumvirate play in creating the style of the supergroup? tonspuren thus represents a vital piece of the harmonia puzzle.

cluster “curiosum” compact disc

• oh odessa (3:04)
  
• proantipro (7:01)
  
• seltsame gegend (7:35)
  
• helle melange (3:37)
  
• tristan in der bar (2:55)
  
• charlic (4:28)
  
• ufer (8:16)

bureau b press release...

cluster curiosum release: december 4th, 2009 cat no: bb38 • cd with their sixth album as a duo, cluster drew a line under their music of the 1970s. curiosum was to mark a departure to pastures new. little did they know that this would be their last release for the next nine years. curiosum was launched in 1981 into an atmosphere of musical turbulence. electronic sounds had become commonplace in pop music and the voice of cluster could barely be heard through the noise of a new generation of music. curiosum is a decidedly tranquil, almost melancholy album – quiet being the operative word, as cluster slipped out of the limelight. it was recorded in rudimentary fashion in austria, now home to roedelius. this is cluster music at its most serene, a sense of profound humility running through the seven tracks of the lp. it says a lot about the state of mind of the two musicians, allied to the fact that this was the first time they chose to mix outside of conny plank’s studio where, in the past, the finishing touches had been applied. roedelius and moebius laid their cards on the table for all to see, offering up curiosum as an honest, unadorned selection of tracks, free of artifice and preconception. the album represented a return to the virtues of their early work (when cluster was written with a “k”), random and spontaneous. curiosum is nothing if not a curiosity, wholly resistant to the cacophonous zeitgeist of the early eighties, stripped down and keenly focussed. this is cluster’s swansong to the past.

hans-joachim roedelius “durch die wurste” long playing record

• am rockzipfel
  
• durch die wüste
  
  
• glaubersalz
  
• johanneslust
  
• mr. livingstone i suppose
  
• regenmacher

bureau b press release...

hans-joachim roedelius – durch die wüste release: august 14th 2009 lp • cat no bb28 having made records with other musicians for a good ten years, hans-joachim roedelius presented his first solo album, durch die wüste, in 1978. fans of electronica awaited the lp with particular anticipation, as the founding member of cluster had played a major role in the development of synthesizer music. they were in for a shock, however, as durch die wüste turned out to be anything but an electronic album; in the avant-garde landscape of popular music, the roedelius record was a beacon of innovation, with failure a distinct possibility. ultimately, roedelius would not fail with the lp, instead laying down a trail that more and more listeners would follow in the future. initial reaction was rather less auspicious, centering around the question: what did this music have to do with harmonia and cluster? anyone who has listened carefully to cluster’s 1974 effort zuckerzeit will have come to recognize the handwriting of roedelius on this and all subsequent cluster and harmonia albums. just how far roedelius would develop his own compositional technique and mode of playing would only become obvious when he was set free from the ensemble environment on durch die wüste. listeners at the time will have been baffled by just how little electronically generated sounds were a feature of the album. synthesizers and electronic effects did play a part, but roedelius integrated them so seamlessly into the arrangement that one barely noticed them. the rhythm machine was relegated to the status of metronome. in fact, roedelius’s decision to distance himself from electronic music, rigid in structure as it had become, and turn to a new form of musical expression is what really gave the album its experimental character. assisting roedelius were the brilliant sound engineer conny plank with his unmistakeable guitar style and dieter moebius who, in spite of everything, set a few significant markers with the synthesizer. durch die wüste is available on 180g vinyl.

riechmann “wunderbar” long playing record

• wunderbar
  
• abendlicht
  
• weltweit
  
  
• silberland
  
• himmelblau

bureau b press release...

riechmann – wunderbar release: july 24th 2009 vinyl bb27 the bureau b release of wolfgang riechmann’s wunderbar unearths an absolute gem of german electronic music. this album, however, is beautiful and tragic in equal measure, as wolfgang riechmann fell victim to a knife attack just three weeks before the lp went on sale. he was stabbed in the chest in a chance encounter with a drunk in düsseldorf’s altstadt, the perpetrator “letting off steam” after a dispute with the landlord of his local pub, as he later recounted in court. wolfgang riechmann’s career as a musician did go all the way back to 1969, which was roughly when when he met michael rother (neu!, harmonia) and wolfgang flür (kraftwerk), who would be his colleagues in the spirits of sound group. later on he played with phönix, before going on to record two albums with streetmark, who enjoyed great popularity at the time. from november 1977 onwards, he devoted his full attention to the wunderbar lp. on his first and, regrettably, last recordings as a solo artist, riechmann was in an eclectic mood. distant echoes of the so-called berlin school (tangerine dream, klaus schulze and the like) can be detected on wunderbar, as well as the clear influence of the so-called düsseldorf school (neu!, kraftwerk, la düsseldorf). not that riechmann was attempting to copy their styles in any way. whilst contemporary influences need not be denied, wunderbar hints at the direction he would take in terms of sound and composition, reflecting a powerful, independent musician’s personality, one which would have caused quite a stir, had it been given the chance to unfold. this unmistakably optimistic music is characterized by simple sequencer and drum patterns, with riechmann adding his own highly individual layers of harmony. and then there are the melodies: simple, sometimes to the point of being simplistic, but never naive. »wunderbar« is modern, electronic pop, in a league with kraftwerk and neu!. bureau b is set to release the album on cd and vinyl, both featuring rare photographs and liner notes by asmus tietchens, one of the original pioneers of electronic music.

riechmann “wunderbar” compact disc

• wunderbar (5:47)
  
• abendlicht (4:27)
  
• weltweit (7:08)
  
• silberland (7:47)
  
• himmelblau (8:48)
  
• traumzeit (1:14)

bureau b press release...

riechmann – wunderbar release: july 24th 2009 cd bb27 the bureau b release of wolfgang riechmann’s wunderbar unearths an absolute gem of german electronic music. this album, however, is beautiful and tragic in equal measure, as wolfgang riechmann fell victim to a knife attack just three weeks before the lp went on sale. he was stabbed in the chest in a chance encounter with a drunk in düsseldorf’s altstadt, the perpetrator “letting off steam” after a dispute with the landlord of his local pub, as he later recounted in court. wolfgang riechmann’s career as a musician did go all the way back to 1969, which was roughly when when he met michael rother (neu!, harmonia) and wolfgang flür (kraftwerk), who would be his colleagues in the spirits of sound group. later on he played with phönix, before going on to record two albums with streetmark, who enjoyed great popularity at the time. from november 1977 onwards, he devoted his full attention to the wunderbar lp. on his first and, regrettably, last recordings as a solo artist, riechmann was in an eclectic mood. distant echoes of the so-called berlin school (tangerine dream, klaus schulze and the like) can be detected on wunderbar, as well as the clear influence of the so-called düsseldorf school (neu!, kraftwerk, la düsseldorf). not that riechmann was attempting to copy their styles in any way. whilst contemporary influences need not be denied, wunderbar hints at the direction he would take in terms of sound and composition, reflecting a powerful, independent musician’s personality, one which would have caused quite a stir, had it been given the chance to unfold. this unmistakably optimistic music is characterized by simple sequencer and drum patterns, with riechmann adding his own highly individual layers of harmony. and then there are the melodies: simple, sometimes to the point of being simplistic, but never naive. »wunderbar« is modern, electronic pop, in a league with kraftwerk and neu!. bureau b is set to release the album on cd and vinyl, both featuring rare photographs and liner notes by asmus tietchens, one of the original pioneers of electronic music.

39 clocks “pain it dark” compact disc

• shake the hippie (3:39)
  
• dns (3:22)
  
• 78 soldier dead (5:22)
  
• out of sight (2:23)
  
• stupid art (4:08)
  
• test the beat (2:51)
  
• psycho beat (2:56)
  
• twisted & shouts (4:31)
  
• radical student mob in satin boots (2:42)
  
• 39 explosion heats (2:29)
  
• a look into you (6:59)
  
• i love a girl (3:35)

bureau b press release...

the 39 clocks – pain it dark release: august 7th 2009 cat no: bb25 • cd many a wild tale has enriched the history of the 39 clocks. for example, the time they went on stage with vacuum cleaners and circular saws instead of guitars, the lsd inside their heads having erased all memory of how to play their songs. or the time when they were expelled from the documenta because joseph beuys was aggravated by their music. then there was the angry member of the audience who attacked one of the band with a knife on stage. not forgetting the concert in a cavernous aircraft hangar where the amps were turned up so loud, that by the end of the show not a single spectator was left. “sounds” music magazine duly confirmed it as “concert of the month”. the great thing is, every one of these stories is true. the duo from hannover, christian henjes (alias c.h. 39) and jürgen gleue (alias j.g. 39), were pure statement in everything they did – the musicians and their music smelted into provocative union, cold and dark. the 39 clocks are one of the most magnificent bands germany has ever produced; pop scholar diedrich diederichsen described them as the best german band of the eighties. the clocks took shape in 1979 as they turned their backs on punk and invented “psycho beat”. they were the self-styled counterdraft to the burgeoning german new wave scene, the ndw. their music can be seen as a futuristic, definitively urban, german form of us sixties garage punk, deferred to the early eighties with a referential nod to the new york duo suicide – mono-tone psychedelia chord progressions, hypnotic rhythms (invariably emanating from the beatbox), deadpan voice, english lyrics delivered with the heaviest of german accents and dirty sound. the 39 clocks were always intent on pushing back the borders of experimentation: barely sufferable live improvisation, atonal meanderings, interference, lower than low-fi and a tinny beatbox tested the resilience of their listeners to the full. the success of the 1981 debut album “pain it dark” was, in spite of the labels unjustly stuck on the 39 clocks – from retro band to traitors – astounding. for more accurate appreciation of their place in music history, they had to look further afield, to england, usa, japan, even greece. geographical and mental shifts brought about the split of the underground enfants terribles before the eighties were gone. that, however, is not the end of the matter. the whole story has yet to be written. this cd reissue contains a previously unreleased bonus track (“i love a girl”). in the 12 page booklet alfred hilsberg reminisces on the eccentric band who would later appear on his “what’s so funny about” label, illustrated by a wealth of rare photos.

hans-joachim roedelius “jardin au fou” long playing record

• fou fou
  
• toujours
  
• rue fortune
  
• balsam
  
• café central
  
  
• le jardin
  
• gloria dolores
  
• étoiles
  
• schöne welt
  
• finale

bureau b press release...

roedelius: jardin au fou vinyl release date: march 27th 2009 cat no bb23lp one of the most remarkable albums of the so-called krautrock scene has to be jardin au fou by hans-joachim roedelius (cluster, harmonia), issued in 1979. all the more noteworthy as it bore no resemblance whatsoever to what was expected of avant-garde electronica and displayed none of the typical krautrock characteristics. rhythm machine, sequencer and abstract sounds are conspicuous by their absence. indeed, listeners were stunned by one of the most beautiful, charming, ethereal and peaceful albums in the history of german rock music. it was produced by peter baumann at his own paragon studios in 1978, a year after he left tangerine dream to concentrate on a solo career and production work. at the time, he was charged by the french label egg with delivering three productions from the german electro / avant-garde / krautrock cosmos. he thus recorded three long-playing records by konrad schnitzler, asmus tietchens and roedelius – the jardin au fou album. none other than asmus tietchens, friend and artistic companion to roedelius, has written the following in the liner notes for the reissue: jardin au fou (fools’ garden) is a thoroughly romantic album, bursting with joie de vivre and unadulterated joy. with the greatest of pleasure, roedelius cranks up a carousel of fairground organs, popping corks, waltzes and sweet melodies. musical ideas come thick and fast. if you listen carefully and immerse yourself in jardin au fou, you might hear traces of the baroque in this romantic music. roedelius concentrates on keyboards, in particular the acoustic grand piano. he played most of the tracks by hand exploiting his virtuosity to the full. the sweet disposition of the album as a whole borders on the naive, bearing none of the krautrock hallmarks one might expect. sweetness and light it may be, yet the music of roedelius is less naive than it first appears. it carries a certain, gentle gravitas borne of maturity, reflecting the ongoing quest of a musician for new paths and forms. jardin au fou confronts the listener with the unfiltered, open perspective on how roedelius sees things. today, some thirty years after it was created, this music has lost none of its shine.

blue phantom “distortions” compact disc

• diodo (3:49)
  
• metamorphosis (2:59)
  
• microchaos (2:43)
  
• compression (2:47)
  
• equilibrium (4:00)
  
• dipnoi (2:50)
  
• distillation (3:44)
  
• violence (3:08)
  
• equivalence (2:35)
  
• psycho-nebulous (4:53)
  
• uncle jim (2:46)

kismet press release...

zbigniew karkowski / anton lukoszevieze “nerve cell_0 for cello and computer” compact disc

• nerve cell_o (37:48)

sub rosa press release...

zbigniew karkowski nerve cell_0 (for cello and computer) features zbigniew karkowski computer anton lukoszevieze cello show me something new and i will begin all over again. - erik satie zbigniew karkowski zbigniew karkowski is one of the most influential electronic music composers working today. linking the worlds of modern composition and industrial music he is a pivotal figure in the development of advanced noise. constantly on the road, he is a frequent performer on the geographical fringes of experimental music culture as well as a mainstay on the established festival circuit. anton lukoszevieze cellist anton lukoszevieze is one of the most diverse performers of his generation and is notable for his performances of avant-garde, experimental and improvised music. he is unique in the uk through his use of the curved bow (bach-bogen), which he is using to develop new repertoire for the cello. anton is the subject of several films by the renowned artist-filmmaker jayne parker and he is also a member of zeitkratzer. in june 2009 he was awarded the 'millennium star' medal, for services to lithuanian culture, by the government of the republic of lithuania. this work is not music in a conventional sense, it does inhabit that world, but in a new way. the cello is treated fundamentally, as a resonating body, transmitting sounds elementally. the bow on a string, the flux of weight, pressure, speed and angularity releases a myriad of complex sound phenomena. the juxtaposition of multiple sounds on adjacent strings creates fluctuating and rhythmical beatings. the detuning of the instrument increases its pitch potential and basso profundity. in combination with computer electronics these elements are multiplied, extended and enriched. nerve cell-0 is a joyous, ecstatic, exhilarating and epic vista of sound. it defies categorisation. play it very loud.   - anton lukoszevieze

fennesz “aun • the beginning and the end of all things” compact disc

• kae (2:11)
  
• aware (4:48)
  
• haru (4:42)
  
• sekai (2:14)
  
• euclides (3:04)
  
• sasazuka (3:51)
  
• trace (5:49)
  
• mori (1:15)
  
• aun40 (5:06)
  
• nemuru (2:50)
  
• himitsu (2:46)
  
• aun80 (3:37)
  
• nympha (2:30)
  
• shinu (3:35)
  
• hikari (4:16)

ash international press release...

ash 9.5 - christian fennesz - aun - the beginning and the end of all thingsreleased: 2012 an original soundtrack [ost] cd jewel case - 28pp full colour - 15 tracks - 50 mins approx this cd is the soundtrack to the film aun, directed by edgar honetschläger. with stills from the film in the full colour 28 page booklet, the artwork is designed by philip marshall. intention: ‘aun – the beginning and the end of all things’ tells the story of mankind’s quest for the future, his desire to create the tomorrow, his fear of and loathing for the apocalypse. it spins the faustian theme twice and lays bare open the inexhaustible judeo / christian believe in progress, which by the 21st century has taken over the entire world and has succeeded in maneuvering the globe into a situation that can’t be solved by means of economics and science anymore. enlightenment’s merits have taken the west’s ability to sense what is not to be seen, what is only to be felt. beliefs are so much more than religion, than monotheistic concepts. souls and spirits exist not only in film. denial and neglect of eternal laws lead to extinction – of the individual and the entire human race. aun invents rituals as well as mythologies and worships the creator of it all – nature – by playfully laying out its dichotomy with human culture. the film equals mankind’s beauty with nature by announcing that ‘everything mankind creates in nature’. sadly the hubris ends and gives the audience the chance to heartily weep for the world. director's statement: ‘aun – the beginning and the end of all things’ follows the strings of thoughts the late claude lévi-strauss revealed in his anthropological essays throughout the 20th century, as well as those of japan’s unique shintoism who’s millions of gods inhibit and preserve nature. the film focuses on the dichotomy man / nature and envisions a future world where life will be nothing but sensual. it contains references to brazilian writer clarice lispector, italian anthropologist fosco maraini and the japanese writer yoko tawada. ‘aun – the beginning and the end of all things’ is a 100 min., 35mm feature drama written/directed by the austrian artist/filmmaker edgar honetschläger. it is a austrian / japanese co-production realized by edoko institute vienna and ribo ltd. tokyo in cooperation with kgp vienna. aun was supported by the austrian film institute, the vienna film fund, the orf (austrian tv), the province of upper austria, the city of tokyo, tochigi province, shizuoka province, yamanashi province.

decimus “decimus 11” long playing record

• decimus #11 (1)
  
  
• decimus #11 (2)

jürgen müller “science of the sea” compact disc

• beyond the tide (5:29)
  
• sea bed meditation (3:01)
  
• the elusive seahorse (2:16)
  
• sea green (2:53)
  
• waterworld (2:37)
  
• dream sequence for a jellyfish (1:46)
  
• marine technology (2:11)
  
• oxygen bubbles (1:40)
  
• coral fantasy (3:32)
  
• chasing submarines (2:54)
  
• vast worlds beneath (3:34)
  
• lonely voyage (4:08)

digitalis vinyl press release...

digiv019: jürgen müller "science of the sea" lp jürgen müller, b. 1948 in hamburg, germany. jürgen müller was a self-taught amateur musician who, while studying oceanic science at the university of kiel, purchased some electronic instruments and set up a mobile studio on his house boat, docked along the town of heikendorf, on the north sea. he held a life-long fascination with the ocean, the expansive and endless inner-space of the deep, where he felt many ecological miracles had yet to be discovered, and which kindled a love for the unknown. this love of all things nautical started early in his youth and eventually led him to study the oceanic sciences. for one week in 1979 jürgen took up with a film crew on a mission to document some sea-water toxicity testing that was being performed by a couple of notable biologists, only a few kilometers off the shore. this was to air as a special later to be viewed in universities. jürgen went to take notes for a course, but soon found himself instead moved by the surroundings more in an artistically inspired sense than a scientific one. he found the mystery and romance of the great seas to be quite moving, and then decided rather abruptly that he would make music to capture this feeling. utilizing only a handful of barely-remembered childhood piano lessons, jürgen set about creating his marine-influenced vignettes with some electronic instruments he had gathered through friends, as well as borrowing some new equipment from a local school’s music department. as a general music lover, earlier in the '70s he had taken note of several avant garde electronic composers who he felt simultaneously captured a purity of sound and sense of wonder that was lacking in other music. he dreamt of fusing this ideal with the synthetic recreations of nature. in a sense, one could say he stumbled onto an early “new age” aesthetic through pure ignorance and coincidence. mixing relaxing ambient tones and spooky otherworldly sounds, he came up with a unique approach. after filling several reels of home recordings he held ambitions of becoming a film composer. he decided to start his own publishing company, neue wissenschaft, and hoped to compose albums in order to sell as production music to various film companies for use in documentaries and television programs. as he was simultaneously hard at work on his studies to finish school, he had to work on his music in short intervals, and often had to put it aside altogether. as a result, it took several years for him to actually realize his sole full-length recording, science of the sea, the sessions for which began in late 1981, before finishing a year later. less than 100 copies were pressed, and few of them were even sent out to potential clients. most copies were eventually given to friends and family. jürgen’s musical gamble never quite paid off as he had hoped, and without any outside interest or connections in the music world, he soon abandoned any dreams of a musical existence and instead chose to further his oceanographic career. remastered from the original tapes by brad rose with help from norman chambers. cut to vinyl at d+m berlin and pressed in germany.

nazoranai “なぞらない” double long playing record set

• feel the ultimate joy towards the resolve of pillar being shattered within you again and again and again (23:47)
  
  
• not a joy to come closer but so-called a sacred insanity has finally appeared (9:48)
  
  
• getting a bit blurry brush up your cartel and devote it to something (21:57)
  
  
• not to leave everything to the light outside of you but to be aware of the prayer 'what do i want to do?' that exists inside of you, and let that go out of you as a light, or things might get worse, no? (16:35)

ideologic organ press release...

soma009/ nazoranai なぞらない 2lp release date 03.07.2012 feel the ultimate joy towards the resolve of pillar being shattered within you again and again and again not a joy to come closer but so-called a sacred insanity has finally appeared getting a bit blurry brush up your cartel and devote it to something not to leave everything to the light outside of you but to be aware of the prayer 'what do i want to do?' that exists inside of you, and let that go out of you as a light, or things might get worse, no? keiji haino (guitar, vocals & synth) stephen o’malley (bass guitar) oren ambarchi (battery) recorded by chris fullard at gâité lyrique, paris 8th november 2011. edited by oren ambarchi in sydney january 2012. mixed by joe talia & oren ambarchi at chinatown, melbourne 8th february 2012. mastered by joe talia at chinatown, melbourne 17th april 2012. vinyl cut by rashad becker at dubplates & mastering, berlin april 2012. artwork: lars teichmann bathing girls & nymphos (detail, 2010, photos by annette apel), fever (2010, photo by martino gerosa). oren ambarchi has been an active colleague, we have collaborated on a number of sunn o))) projects, and also sunn o))) related projects, film scores, tours, meals etcetera over the years. he brought us to australia for the first time in 2004 (see soma010 notes), we toured israel with attila csihar as gravetemple trio in 2006. oren introduced us to haino-san in 2006 when sunn o))) played fimav festival in victoriaville quebec (oren was in the ensemble on that tour), in a stinky locker room (the venue was a hockey rig). had no idea what to expect but a few hours later he was on stage with us. it was one of those "what now" moments you never imagine happening having been a fan/follower of haino's playing, concerts and recordings over the years. 5 years later somehow we ended up as this trio. haino, oren and i were all in holland for one reason or another and decided to try it. i played bass for the first time on stage with this group. maybe it shows but the idea was a power trio backing up haino-san, with a lot of amplification. we had the chance to repeat the trio twice again so far, and this recording comes from a concert in paris november 2011. it's hard to describe the lessons through realtime communication in music with such a master of form, but needless to say they were much different than what i was expecting and beyond! proof again that expectations lead to dead ends. was a most challenging experience in real-time music. i feel incredibly honored to be part of this trio. - stephen o'malley

nazoranai “なぞらない” compact disc

• feel the ultimate joy towards the resolve of pillar being shattered within you again and again and again (23:47)
  
• not a joy to come closer but so-called a sacred insanity has finally appeared (9:48)
  
• getting a bit blurry brush up your cartel and devote it to something (21:57)
  
• not to leave everything to the light outside of you but to be aware of the prayer 'what do i want to do?' that exists inside of you, and let that go out of you as a light, or things might get worse, no? (16:35)

ideologic organ press release...

soma009/ nazoranai なぞらない cd release date 03.07.2012 feel the ultimate joy towards the resolve of pillar being shattered within you again and again and again not a joy to come closer but so-called a sacred insanity has finally appeared getting a bit blurry brush up your cartel and devote it to something not to leave everything to the light outside of you but to be aware of the prayer 'what do i want to do?' that exists inside of you, and let that go out of you as a light, or things might get worse, no? keiji haino (guitar, vocals & synth) stephen o’malley (bass guitar) oren ambarchi (battery) recorded by chris fullard at gâité lyrique, paris 8th november 2011. edited by oren ambarchi in sydney january 2012. mixed by joe talia & oren ambarchi at chinatown, melbourne 8th february 2012. mastered by joe talia at chinatown, melbourne 17th april 2012. vinyl cut by rashad becker at dubplates & mastering, berlin april 2012. artwork: lars teichmann bathing girls & nymphos (detail, 2010, photos by annette apel), fever (2010, photo by martino gerosa). oren ambarchi has been an active colleague, we have collaborated on a number of sunn o))) projects, and also sunn o))) related projects, film scores, tours, meals etcetera over the years. he brought us to australia for the first time in 2004 (see soma010 notes), we toured israel with attila csihar as gravetemple trio in 2006. oren introduced us to haino-san in 2006 when sunn o))) played fimav festival in victoriaville quebec (oren was in the ensemble on that tour), in a stinky locker room (the venue was a hockey rig). had no idea what to expect but a few hours later he was on stage with us. it was one of those "what now" moments you never imagine happening having been a fan/follower of haino's playing, concerts and recordings over the years. 5 years later somehow we ended up as this trio. haino, oren and i were all in holland for one reason or another and decided to try it. i played bass for the first time on stage with this group. maybe it shows but the idea was a power trio backing up haino-san, with a lot of amplification. we had the chance to repeat the trio twice again so far, and this recording comes from a concert in paris november 2011. it's hard to describe the lessons through realtime communication in music with such a master of form, but needless to say they were much different than what i was expecting and beyond! proof again that expectations lead to dead ends. was a most challenging experience in real-time music. i feel incredibly honored to be part of this trio. - stephen o'malley

gary war “jared’s lot” long playing record

• thousand yard stare (3:58)
  
• advancements in disgust (2:41)
  
• superlifer (3:40)
  
• find our way (3:22)
  
  
• pleading for annihilation (4:33)
  
• care less (2:57)
  
• world after (3:24)
  
• muscle dysmorphia (3:09)

spectrum spools press release...

sp 020 / gary war jared's lot lp it's been nearly two years since we've heard new music from gary war and we are excited to announce the release of his inevitable breakthrough "jared's lot". through the years we have heard the developments from the d.i.y. psychedelia of "new raytheonport" to the more current electronic acid-prog tracks we heard from "horribles parade" and the most recent "police water" ep. "jared's lot" brings the years of laboring and hard work full circle, with every facet of the project dialed into perfection. these tight and intelligently arranged pieces are the most concise and mind-blowing set of songs presented yet and we're sure you'll have a hard time taking this off your turntable. the album kicks off with the incredibly anthemic "thousand yard stare", which asserts immediately that the album is very different than previous efforts, crafted with hind-sight in mind and glowing with ambition. we can hear the melancholy voice of a man lost in the cosmos with nothing to lose going for broke, it's all or nothing. tracks like "superlifer" and "pleading for annihilation" contain such a powerful energy and pack such a wallop that you won't possibly be able to stand still. there is a great juxtaposition however, with songs like "advancements in disgust" and "world after" experimenting with new styles of pop / rock structure and incorporation of odd rhythm and melody. gary has a masterful control of his machines, and you can tell that countless hours were spent making sure that the vision came direct and absolutely pure, from his mind to the record you will hold in your hands. even though we have a more synthetic based set of tracks, it's apparent that these transmissions are messages that are based in our reality, evoking a boundless range of emotions throughout. the hectic fidelity of gary war's previous recordings have morphed into a unique production style which rewards with it's rich tone and multi-layered tiers of sound and melody. we are witnessing a huge leap forward in both sound and vision, respectively. meanwhile, the alienated code hardly discernible to the listener and clever pop structure remains, and in top form, making this album a warmly received gift to the spectrum spools catalog. fear that man who has nothing to lose. mastered by james plotkin

gary war “jared’s lot” compact disc

• thousand yard stare (3:58)
  
• advancements in disgust (2:41)
  
• superlifer (3:40)
  
• find our way (3:22)
  
• pleading for annihilation (4:33)
  
• care less (2:57)
  
• world after (3:24)
  
• muscle dysmorphia (3:09)

spectrum spools press release...

sp 020 / gary war jared's lot cd it's been nearly two years since we've heard new music from gary war and we are excited to announce the release of his inevitable breakthrough "jared's lot". through the years we have heard the developments from the d.i.y. psychedelia of "new raytheonport" to the more current electronic acid-prog tracks we heard from "horribles parade" and the most recent "police water" ep. "jared's lot" brings the years of laboring and hard work full circle, with every facet of the project dialed into perfection. these tight and intelligently arranged pieces are the most concise and mind-blowing set of songs presented yet and we're sure you'll have a hard time taking this off your turntable. the album kicks off with the incredibly anthemic "thousand yard stare", which asserts immediately that the album is very different than previous efforts, crafted with hind-sight in mind and glowing with ambition. we can hear the melancholy voice of a man lost in the cosmos with nothing to lose going for broke, it's all or nothing. tracks like "superlifer" and "pleading for annihilation" contain such a powerful energy and pack such a wallop that you won't possibly be able to stand still. there is a great juxtaposition however, with songs like "advancements in disgust" and "world after" experimenting with new styles of pop / rock structure and incorporation of odd rhythm and melody. gary has a masterful control of his machines, and you can tell that countless hours were spent making sure that the vision came direct and absolutely pure, from his mind to the record you will hold in your hands. even though we have a more synthetic based set of tracks, it's apparent that these transmissions are messages that are based in our reality, evoking a boundless range of emotions throughout. the hectic fidelity of gary war's previous recordings have morphed into a unique production style which rewards with it's rich tone and multi-layered tiers of sound and melody. we are witnessing a huge leap forward in both sound and vision, respectively. meanwhile, the alienated code hardly discernible to the listener and clever pop structure remains, and in top form, making this album a warmly received gift to the spectrum spools catalog. fear that man who has nothing to lose. mastered by james plotkin

outer space “akashic record • events: 1986-1990” long playing record

• ellipse (10:33)
  
• 11:38 (5:04)
  
  
• the fifth column (8:11)
  
• october 27th, 1989 - bay village, ohio (4:48)
  
• february 8th, 1990 - ashland, ohio (5:34)

spectrum spools press release...

sp 019 /  outer space akashic record (events: 1986-1990) lp release date 10.07.2012 outer space is a rapidly evolving sound entity headed by john elliott and joined by a constantly rotating cast of midwestern u.s. electronic figures. "akashic record" sees the project grow in many different directions from the self-titled arbor album created throughout 2008 and 2009 while retaining similar aesthetics of synthesizer experimentation and it's esoteric relations. recorded over the course of a year with close engineering assistance and compositional contributions from andrew veres in home and studio situations, a fresh array of fidelities and ideas previously unexplored have been mined and documented. new contributions from the elusive philip whiteside (of wavehead) and drew mcdowall (past coil / current mirror eye member) expand, stretch and challenge previous working methods. in the tradition of many other past releases, jeff hatfield (of cleveland, ohio's fragments) makes his essential appearance as well. "akashic record" sees the project move on from the stripped down, primitive nature of the old into a more urgent, fractured and aggressive set of reality based compositions. the work was created based on the events of others in mind; those doomed to circumstances beyond predictability or imagination. cut at dubplates and mastering

motion sickness of time travel “s/t” double compact disc set

• the dream (24:32)
  
• the center (24:42)
  
  
• summer of the cat's eye (20:00)
  
• one perfect moment (21:38)

spectrum spools press release...

sp 016 /  motion sickness of time travel s/t cd release date 15.05.2012 in 2010 rachel evans released "seeping through the veil of the unconscious", an expansive, magic trick of a cassette which captivated an unsuspecting american cassette underground and made dedicated fans instantly. digitalis released fine editions of the "seeping..." as well as the acclaimed follow-up "luminaries and synastries" on lp which packed an equally potent punch. since then much anticipation has been created from her work with husband grant evans, including a split lp on aguirre records in late 2011 and various releases as duo quiet evenings evans has since been hard at work on an expansive, definitive 2xlp project, carefully arranging sounds to create immense, alchemical side-long tracks which push the boundaries of the project into new territory. these incredible new highs are documented in a clear, spacious fidelity where cerebral sounds gently flow and wash through the stereo field creating a beautiful deep listening situation. big changes in sound and scope are evident; a shift from the murky, mysterious haze of the older recordings into a highly addictive concentrate of airy tones and gem-like glow, each track forming a universal sky-map . there is, however, no loss of mystique. one of evans most charming elements is her ability to create a divine magnetism, and to capture this very magic unfiltered, raw and uncomprimised. very few have the capability to create this powerful energy and make is as accessible as evans does. this full-length definitive album is a high water mark in the motion sickness of time travel discography. an album masterfully crafted with ambition, crystal clear vision and dedicated focus. mastered for vinyl by lawrence english and cut for vinyl at dubplates and mastering. artwork by juli elin toro

thomas köner “novaya zemlya” compact disc

• novaya zemlya (1) (11:15)
  
• novaya zemlya (2) (12:46)
  
• novaya zemlya (3) (12:20)

touch press release...

to:85 | thomas koner - "novaya zemlya" cd - jewel case + booklet - 3 tracks - 36:36 mastered by denis blackham artwork & photography by jon wozencroft the artwork includes an essay by thierry charollais, "thomas köner's novaya zemlya: towards a metaphysical geography"... of course we find the unique koner-esque glowing drones that we know from his previous works. but we will also be touched by an unrevealed, barely perceptible sense of melody and harmony that köner gradually developed since kaamos (1998) and nuuk (2004). novaya zemlya (lit. new land), also known in dutch as nova zembla and in norwegian as gåselandet (lit. the goose land), is an archipelago in the arctic ocean in the north of russia and the extreme northeast of europe, the easternmost point of europe, lying at cape flissingsky on the northern island. thomas köner (b. 1965) is a pioneering multimedia artist whose main interest lies in combining visual and auditory experiences. over his long, much celebrated career, he has worked between installation works, sound art, minimal soundscapes, and as one half of porter ricks. he attended music college in dortmund and studied electronic music at the cem-studio in arnhem. until 1994 he worked in the film industry as editor and sound engineer. thomas has extended his concept of time and sound colour to images, resulting in video installations, photography and net art. his point of departure was composition of sound in which aspects of a performance and visual language were gradually integrated. at first in the collaboration with film artist jürgen reble and the live performance alchemie (1992). following this, he started to compose film soundtracks and music to accompany historic silent films for the louvre museum and the musée d'orsay, paris, who called him a major innovator in the contemporary music scene, as well as noted his collaborative practice which has led to his working with musicians, filmmakers and visual artists on installations and sound performances, and to his creation of six video works produced in two cycles, starting in 2003.

the accidents “demo color” c34 cassette

• depressant
  
• life in the hole
  
• xenia drank salt water
  
• normandy elementary nerve
  
• cold dirt and daylight
  
• seasonal recollection
  
  
• cryptic heater
  
• dream static memorian
  
• makes believe
  
• loose end

ekhein press release...

ek57-the accidents "demo color" c34 debut release from the mysterious cleveland, ohio unit, the accidents. not limiting themselves to any "genre", "demo color" has genuine variety within it's 11 tracks and manages to maintain a cohesive center. lush synthesizer and drum machine arrangements, heartfelt acoustic guitar and cassette work. with central themes of disaster and loss, particularly in america in the last century, there is a strong emotional core to this release not often heard in synthesizer based music at this moment in time. expressing something beyond the surface and incorporating an extremely human narrative somewhere it is often lacking.

the compass rose “the simulation district” c28 cassette

• natural industry
  
• liquid expanse
  
• men who can’t eject pt. 1
  
• morning greeting
  
• phantom of lights
  
  
• advertise
  
• men who can’t eject pt. 2
  
• yellow palisades
  
• the simulation district
  
• telepresence persons

ekhein press release...

ek56-the compass rose "the simulation district" c28 sophmore release by duo the compass rose. rumored to have taken nearly a year to complete following a move back to the states, jack gilbert and company have finally returned with a new album of data and voice. whereas the focus of the previous compass rose release "the plough horse" concerned the totality of all things, "the simulation district" seems to aim it's sights on what doesn't exist, what is invisible, and what is inevitable... plans for a debut lp in the works.

geoff mullen “alone and in a room” c35 cassette

• alone and in a room (1)
  
  
• alone and in a room (2)
  
• alone and in a room (3)

ekhein press release...

ek55-geoff mullen "alone and in a room" c35 a collection of live performances by providence, rhode island's geoff mullen. his first solo release for ekhein following a recent string of releases on the rel and draft labels. featuring sets at cafe fixe, zebulon, and the aviary as well as percussion sources by eli keszler (who features geoff on his recent "cold pin" lp on pan). blurring the lines between tape collage and live instrumentation, mullen is no stranger to improvisation in the live setting, performing in many groups and collaborations over the years (and just recently going on his first european tour). his talent for creating minimal, at times deeply chaotic tension, yet maintaining complete control is without a doubt on full display here.

matthewdavid “destin” c32 cassette

• destin (1)
  
  
• destin (2)

ekhein press release...

ek54-matthewdavid "destin" c32 a longform ambient work spanning two sides by los angeles artist and leaving records head, matthewdavid. on "destin", said to be inspired by memories of a childhood vacation, matthew has really honed in on the space of the sounds presented throughout the piece. shifting moment to moment with great subtly and a sharp ear for texture and use of pattern amongst the overall chaos of the piece. all sourced from extremely compressed cassette, the use of hiss and the quite jarring sounds of the actual tapes used to create this material play as much of a role as the melodies in the foreground. a truly unique take on modern ambient and cassette-based music.