Stadtlandfluss by Klangwart

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").

Founded in 1998 by DJ, musician and journalist Markus Detmer, Staubgold is an acknowledged and acclaimed brand for experimental and electronic music from around the world.

Its roster can boast internationally known names like Vivien Goldman, The Flying Lizards, Faust, To Rococo Rot, Kammerflimmer Kollektief, Ekkehard Ehlers and Rafael Toral.

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