★Die Stadt
Quietude
Organum Electronics ‘Quietude’ is another intense aural experience. A dense work, consisting of buzzing washes of electronic sounds, reminiscent of the very first Organum recordings. In common with other recent works, the piece uses a carefully chosen set of sound sources, overlaid and structured to form a tapestry of shifting textures. Recorded in 2021 and edited by Alan Jones at RMS Studios South London, the CD comes in a 4-panel Digisleeve with graphic artwork by Jonathan Coleclough. UK-based…
Darcknes
Organum Electronics ‘Darcknes’ is the sibling album of ‘Quietude’ (DS128). It is a similarly dense work, consisting of buzzing washes of electronic sounds, reminiscent of the very first Organum recordings. In common with other recent works, the piece uses a carefully chosen set of sound sources, overlaid and structured to form a tapestry of shifting textures. Recorded in 2021 and edited by Alan Jones at RMS Studios South London, the CD comes in a 4-panel Digisleeve with graphic artwork by Jonath…
Allure
"If Emily Dickinson had ever been allowed to make a record, this is probably what it would have sounded like.....the point of contact between worlds" (Wire Magazine)
More Violence and Geography
Emblematic of the anxiety that the group manages to build, sound on sound, with meticulous cruelty, is the first album, More Violence And Geography (Complacency, 1988 - Die Stadt, 2002), contemporary to the cassette Fifteen (Complacency, 1988). Since 1983 Illusion Of Safety has been the ongoing project of Daniel Burke, working alone and with various collaborators. They have released over 20 CDs on labels such as Complacency, Die Stadt, Experimedia, Odd Size, Silent, Soleilmoon, Staalplaat, Tesco…
Here and Elsewhere
Leaving the rigid beats behind this time, Richard H. Kirk introduces a new alias through a new (for him) label. The first Orchestra Terrestrial release comes from Die Stadt and is packaged exquisitely with a fold-out CD case and six prints of digital artwork representing six of the eight songs here (three by Naked Art, three by Designers Republic). While Kirk has has contrasted his usual style by creating an atmospheric soundbath with lengthy delays heavily absent of drum machines and thumping b…
Monoposto
"17th and final part in the re-release series of all early Tietchens albums between 1980—1991. Originally released on Dom Elchklang in 1991. This new version incl. 3 Bonus tracks and is another joint release by German labels Die Stadt and aufabwegen. Jewel case with full color artwork and poster booklet also feat. the original front and back cover. First edition of 600 copies. “It was just before the end of the heroic times when CV Liquidsky and I decided to record a studio album together. Almos…
The Salt Garden III
** CD edition** The Salt Garden 3 is the final word, and the concluding instalment to the critically lauded The Salt Garden Trilogy. This third installment brings the series to a close on an unexpectedly uplifting note, as Clodagh Simonds' ensemble transform their signature haunting and meditative hymnals into joyous, light-filled ones. Much like its predecessor, however, The Salt Garden III has also been released in an expanded edition with some bonus remixes. In this case, however, the remix…
Watching The Burning Bride
Long-awaited double cd reissue of the two Asmus Tietchens/Burrows collaborations which sound still remarkably fresh today. Watching The Burning Bride was originally released on Terry Burrows' label Hamster in 1986, while the second collaboration came out on Disaster Area in 1998. As usual the booklet reproduces the original lp sleeves and a lengthy text by Terry Burrows on how the collaboration between the two artists came about is also included. The release includes two short bonus tracks.
Spat-Europa
"German experimental electronic composer Asmus Tietchens isn't exactly the first person most people think of when they discuss synth pop. In fact, even among hardcore electronic music fans, he's more known for his longstanding dedication to academic electronic music in the spirit of Stockhausen and Pierre Henry, and in fact holds a position at the University of Hamburg. However, having also worked with Tangerine Dream's Peter Baumann, Conny Plank, Cluster, and Thomas Köner, he's had more than a …
E
Continuing with the ongoing re-release series of all early Asmus Tietchens vinyl albums between 1980 and 1991, "E" was originally released on LP by Dom in 1988. This CD reissue includes both tracks from the bonus 7", "U", that came with the first pressing of the LP, plus two unreleased tracks from that period. As always the original cover artwork is reproduced as a fold out poster. The booklet includes editorial remarks on the release. Ltd x 600 copies.
Biotop
LP version. Comes on 180 gram vinyl. In retrospect, we might suspect that Asmus Tietchens was deliberately leading us up the garden path with the discordant pseudo-pop of his early musical productions. Four albums between 1981-1983 and a handful of individual pieces comprise the \"Zeitzeichen\" (time signal) phase which, in the words of their creator, was characterized by the implementation of \"rhythmic-harmonic set pieces and gaudy record sleeves.\" These albums do indeed feature elements…
Stupor Mundi
Part 14th in the ongoing re-release series of all early Asmus Tietchens Vinyl albums between 1980-1991. 'Stupor Mundi' (Discos Esplendor Geometrico EGD 018) was originally released in 1990. This re-release comes with another poster booklet and feat. 4 Bonus tracks of unreleased material from the same period. Joint release with Auf Abwegen. 600 copies. Asmus Tietchens about the album: 'The opener of the album cites: 'Gitarren spielen kann ich leider noch nicht...' ('Unfortunately I can't play any…
Marches funèbres
Tracks 1 & 2 originally released on Marches Funebres LP (Multimood, 1989). Track 3 is a bonus track. Released as a joint release by German labels Die Stadt and Aufabwegen. Limited to 600 copies.
Litia
Fifth part in the ongoing re-release series of all early vinyl albums by Tietchens on CD. This one from 1983 marks the end of his Sky 'phase' and was the last to feature his very own version of 'Synthesizer Pop Music' for some time (he'd only return to this music with the release of his Hematic Sunsets albums in the late 1990's). The CD also feat. the rare 'Rattenheu' 10 only release plus one unreleased archive track and comes in a transparent jewel-case with full colour poster booklet feat. a r…
Da sich die Machtgier
Compiling the results of what was originally intended to be a compositional collaboration between John Duncan and renowned sound artist Asmus Tietchens, Da Sich Die Machtgier… transcends its tumultuous creation to stand as a distinctive addition to the catalogue of both artists "Asmus Tietchens proposed that he and I work together years ago — many years ago. For a variety of reasons it didn't happen , and at this point I don't remember any of them. Finally we agreed to start: I asked him to send…
Operation of Spirit Communication
Features two unreleased tracks recorded in 2006 - in his installation The Complete Operations Of Spirit Communication, Carl Michael von Hausswolff takes up central themes of his previous work and adapts them for a display especially created for the series O.K Spektral
Edge Of Nothing
**Edition of 400** Edge Of Nothing was first released in a cassette edition of 5 (!) copies on David Jackman’s Aeroplane imprint, and then included on the legendary “The Elephant Table Album” DLP in 1983 (feat. Coil, Nurse With Wound, SPK, Lustmord etc). Both tracks presented here are the January 2003 mixes of the original material, which was derived from variously stimulating a cymbal with bows, knuckles, loops etc. An extremely dense piece of experimental noise where (allegedly) the B side is …
Verhalte Dich ruhig
Those readers familiar with the world of experimental music will know the name David Jackman, primarily from his work under the name Organum. As Organum, Jackman has created some of the finest, most haunting drone recordings of the last decade. This CD is a reissue of a 1996 cassette-only release that appeared in an edition of only 61 copies. Perhaps slightly similar to the sampling work of John Wall, here Jackman has taken found recordings of orchestras, and overlaid them to create two eerie co…
Flak
**Edition of 400** 'Flak' is an excellent 10" release offering two diverse pieces. Side A is a heavy, densely layered drone piece comprised of harsh, grating sounds all over the sound field, but sliding from start to finish with remarkable constancy. It's a truly beautiful noise, rather like some of David Jackman's earlier work as Organum. Side B is a field recording, untreated, unfiltered, recorded outdoors, with a great hiss that is very much present in the mix. This second track seems to comm…
Machine Guns
A 7" that lives up to its title by the enigmatic man from Organum. Just the sound of machine guns. Not very much manipulation. The two tracks were produced using original archive recordings of the Imperial War Museum in London as a sound source. Second edition of 200 copies on black vinyl