![]() Not unlike Richie Hawtin's later work, Henke utilizes subtractive theory to pull apart regular dancefloor structures into roomy, spacious reconstructions that echo endlessly, reminiscent of the introspective period of early-'90s Detroit techno. Short bursts of light break through the dark cracks that underscore the majority of Cinemascope, allowing the largely clipped and clicky beats to comprise the framework of the record. On Cinemascope, Monolake (aka Robert Henke) blends the stark sounds of the street with beat-conscious elements, creating a reserved late-night brew of intense minimalism. Styles: Minimal Techno, Ambient Techno, IDM The Kompakt catalog gets richer and richer. The influence of Harold Budd creeps in during the sixth track as a distant piano repeatedly plays a drifting melody, gauzy strings breezily ebb and flow. The third track features a persistent thump amidst puffy atmospherics and subtle layers of shimmering chimes only the most dedicated fan wouldn't mistake it for a prime Gas production. Despite the arid, paranoid feel of the beatless second and fourth tracks (as with the previous single-artist long-players on Kompakt, none of these seven lengthy tracks are titled), there's something remotely oceanic and lilting about them. Guentner also shows that he has several tricks up his sleeve, evading a common ill of many electronic producers by showcasing a few fully developed dimensions, rather than sticking with one gag and running it into the ground. Throughout the duration of In Moll, Guentner proves his worth as an excellent laptop ambient producer, going toe to toe with the likes of Wolfgang Voigt's finest output as Gas and All ( Voigt actually provided the artwork for the record). Following the Regensburg 12" issued in late 2000, two slots on the Pop Ambient 2001 compilation, and some work for Festplatten and Ware, Guentner embarks on the path set by Dettinger and Jonas Bering as the third producer to release a full-length LP on Cologne, Germany's Kompakt label. Truly stultifying in its sadness, its sullen synth tones and equally mournful atmospheric swabs convey the type of feeling that only comes with dealing with a crippling loss.Īdd Markus Guentner to your growing list of German producers to watch. In particular, the closing track could be the best thing here without being among the catchiest. And the disc isn't short of the equivalent of album tracks either. ![]() After several plays, one realizes that the disc plays out like a pop record three or four tracks stick out more than the remainder, much like the way radio-friendly singles can be more easily flagged on such a thing. These 11 untitled tracks average in four minutes of length, often boasting radiant washes of swoon-worthy laptop ambient. Lohmann's Because Before is a CD-only combination of two EPs released earlier in the year, and it shows that if there's any one producer who most exemplifies Kompakt's self-coined pop ambient pseudo-style, it's Lohmann. Later in the year, full-lengths from both producers hit the racks, maintaining Kompakt's rock-solid reputation and further plugging pigeonholes along the way. ![]() The ball began to roll with Pop Ambient 2001, a compilation that introduced Markus Guentner and Ulf Lohmann to those who hadn't kept up with the label's spate of 12" releases. Styles: Ambient Techno, Experimental AmbientĮxcepting the mostly dancefloor-friendly Total 3 compilation, 2001 witnessed Cologne's Kompakt label blitzing the bins with a number of ambient releases. ![]()
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