Kölner Brett . To Rococo Rot
staubgold 22
2001. cd . dl . lp
This full-length album features 12 exclusive tracks recorded by the trio of Robert Lippok, Ronald Lippok and Stefan Schneider.
"Kölner Brett" is the name of a building, designed by Cologne architects b&k+ in 2000, that blends living and working in each of its single units. On the occasion of Archilab, an architectural exhibition held at Orleans in May 2001, b&k+ and Staubgold present a musical translation of the "Kölner Brett", composed by To Rococo Rot.
The music of To Rococo Rot reflects the architectural grid (twelve equally sized modules giving structure and shape to the building as a whole) as well as the possible individual living and working conditions of the dweller, respectively.
“Following the full-length collaboration between To Rococo Rot and I-Sound, Berlin’s finest return with this gloriously understated album of pure and refined electronic compositions. A concept album in the loosest sense of the word, ‘Kölner Brett’ is the name of a Cologne housing project that combines living and working spaces for which To Rococo Rot were asked to supply a ‘musical translation’.
Each of the 12 tracks on offer corresponds to the 12 space modules contained within the buildings. But make no mistake, this isn’t an academic release, the glory of tracks like the 5th installment here bring to mind To Rococo Rot at their finest, with Veiculo-era 3-way pieces, the electronic pulses of Robert, the refined and modulated rhythms of Ronald and the subtle bass reverberations of Stefan – all pieced together to create a soothing and remarkably fresh sub-acoustic wall of calm. The classically-based underlay of many of the tracks also recollects Robert Lippok’s astonishing ‘Open, Close Open’ release for Raster Noton.” (Boomkat)
To Rococo Rot
To Rococo Rot is a Berlin-based trio who combine electronic and acoustic elements to create instrumental post-rock and electronic music. The group is composed of bass guitarist Stefan Schneider (ex-member of Düsseldorf-based group, Kreidler) and brothers Robert (guitar, electronics) and Ronald Lippok (drums, effects). Ronald Lippok has also gained praise for his work in Tarwater. The band's name is a palindrome, as it can be spelled the same both forwards and backwards.
The group's first album, To Rococo Rot, was released in 1996 in the form of an untitled picture disc. It was subsequently reissued on CD by Kitty Yo. The more widely distributed Veiculo, released by City Slang, appeared the following year. In 1997, the group also recorded an album's worth of material with the producer David Moufang, followed by The Amateur View in 1999, Music Is a Hungry Ghost in 2001 and Hotel Morgen in 2004. Their latest full-length album, Speculation, was released in 2010.