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Stadtlandfluss . Klangwart

 

staubgold 80
2008. cd . dl . lp

After an eight-year-long studio hiatus, "Stadtlandfluss" is the new album by the Cologne- and Berlin-based electronic duo Klangwart (Markus Detmer and Timo Reuber).

Since 1999, Klangwart have been experimenting at their concerts with a limited pool of sounds and loops (developed and compiled by Timo). From this, the two generate the concert piece "Stadtlandfluss" in real time, which they have been (re-)creating as a continuous experiment for many years.

Thus "Stadtlandfluss" is a "work in progress". Little of what's happening within the piece is determined. Dynamics range from "very quiet" (minimal, subtle, harmonious, finely honed) to "extremely loud" (harsh, raw, pure energy). The piece is in a state of permanent flux, it changes from performance to performance – depending on the acoustics of the place, the physical and mental state of Klangwart and the audience. No two concerts sound the same. With this piece, Klangwart allowed themselves the luxury of a long gestation.

In 2007, Markus and Timo decided to capture the piece in their Cologne-based Inkiek-Studio and release it on an album of the same title. Although the music is split into seven tracks, it is still one continuous piece.

A few notes on the titles of the tracks:

1. "Zwei Töne" ("Two Tones") – they meander and entwine; alone in space.

2. "IO" – meaning 1 and 0: a symbol for the binary code as the ultimate reduction of a manifestation of being – living in the industrial world.

3. "Radio" – Voices on air. A thousand truths flood billions.

4. "Hamanamah" – a technology mantra as a centre of calm. Energy is being accumulated and focussed.

5. "Telemann" – a multitude of violins condense into vibrant soundwaves. A voice soars and hovers briefly above the rapid pulse. Everything culminates in the big

6. "Strom" ("Stream"/"Electricity") – a wide current of pure electric energy, grim, rough and inexorable, all-consuming. It flows into the gentle certainty of your love -

7. "Mein Herz, mein Haus" ("My Heart, My Home").

Klangwart

The electronic duo Klangwart was founded in 1996 by Markus Detmer (15.03.1972) and Timo Reuber (31.10.1970) in Cologne.

Markus and Timo first met in Cologne as students of musicology in a seminar on electronic music in 1992. Spontaneous mutual sympathy due to a shared interest in all kinds of New Music, especially the minimal musics of Steve Reich and Terry Riley. Four years later, the idea of making music together is put into action. Starting point of their musical collaboration are intensive joint listening experiences. They discover the pioneering music of the "Krautrock" era while at the same time taking in the exciting developments and innovations within Cologne's electronic music scene of the 1990s, which centred around Thomas Brinkmann, Burnt Friedman, Mouse On Mars and Pluramon.

During their initial improvisations, Markus and Timo quickly found common musical ground. In the ensuing all night recording-sessions they developed their own musical language as well an idiosyncratic working method. They see themselves as "music workers" and "sound explorers". In a dream, the idea of the "Klangstelle" is born, with Markus and Timo as "sound station attendants", who "refuel" the curious listener with unusual sounds and acoustic environments.

In 1997 the mini-cd "Inkiek" was the first Klangwart-release on their own "Klangstelle" label. This was followed in 1998 by the electronic suites "immer weiter" and "Nirgendland" (issued as a limited tape editions only) and the first lp "Köln-Olpe". The latter was a musical discussion of migration between the poles of the rural and the urban living space. In 1999, the lp "Zwei" ("Two") followed, a study in sound based on only two sounds. It was divided into two parts: loud (dynamic, raw, fierce, aggressive) and quiet (calm, focussed, concentrated, well balanced).

Between 1997 and 2007, Klangwart performed over a hundred concerts all over the world (Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, Beijing) and established themselves as key players in the uncharted area between composed and improvised electronic music.

Since 1999, Klangwart have been experimenting at their concerts with a limited pool of sounds and loops. From this, the two generated the concert piece "Stadtlandfluss" in real time which they have been (re-)creating as a continuous experiment for many years and which they finally recorded for Staubgold in 2008 (staubgold 80 cd/dl/lp). After meeting at Mini Midi Festival in Beijing in 2008, Klangwart are currently performing "Stadtlandfluss" in collaboration with the Swiss artist Andy Guhl (ex-Voice Crack) adding a visual dimension to their extra sensorial musical experience.

In autumn 2009, Klangwart have finished recording a new album, "Sommer", which will be released on Staubgold in June 2010.

www.myspace.com/klangwart