September 21, 2024

Skylight Webzine

Online since 2000

Krautrock legend, Dieter Moebius reissues «Blotch» and «Nurton» out in March


Dieter Moebius — half of the legendary duo Cluster and the godfather of electronic krautrock — passed away in the summer of 2015. Bureau B is now rereleasing his last four solo albums. The series begins with “Blotch” from 1999, featuring loop-based tracks which delve stoically into experimental sonic atmospheres that playfully and sensuously hypnotize the listener. On the second album of his late solo work, “Nurton” (2006), Dieter Moebius searches for flaws and uses them as a creative impulse. As usual, he blithely ignores any mainstream expectations. Both reissues will be released on March 25, 2016.


“Blotch” is far removed from the ease that defines its predecessor “Tonspuren”. Overall, the tracks on this album feel like loop-based sketches, which stoically delve into experimental sonic atmospheres – seasoned with snippets of speech – that hypnotize the listener with the smallest of variations and embellishments. The surprising twelve-minute long track “Kohlzug” sticks out with a saxophone played in the No Wave style. It suggests a decelerated version of Ted Milton’s jazz-punk. Sonically, “Blotch” is clearly a product of its time: Dieter Moebius used an E-mu Orbit 9090 sound module and the then-current solo synth Korg Prophecy. This pioneering digital synthesizer was among the first to provide various algorithms and modes of synthesis to mimic the sounds of analog synthesizers in detail.

 

On “Nurton” Moebius demonstrates his true greatness: From a seemingly arbitrary initial loop, he almost imperceptibly creates a hypnotic experimental atmosphere: linear, without escalation, stoic, with clarity and to a hypnotic effect. In doing so, Moebius uses bolder and more experimental lead sounds than on his previous solo album “Blotch”, from seven years prior. The sonic impression is more diverse and feels reconciled with the sounds of digital synthesis. Only the last track of the album, fittingly titled “Das Letzte” (“the last”), provides a preview of the musical development that would characterize Moebius’ solo releases to follow.

 

Source: http://www.bureau-b.com
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