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Search Result for Label BUREAU B
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LP+CD
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BB 132LP
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LP version on 180 gram vinyl. Comes with a CD of the album. "Not long after Hans-Joachim Roedelius (Cluster, Harmonia) and Stefan Schneider (To Rococo Rot, Kreidler, Mapstation) had released their first album Stunden, accompanied by a few live shows in 2011, Eric Satie and Brian Eno were quoted as the great inspiration for their musical collaboration. Fine references no doubt, one having invented musique d'ameublement, and the other having refined it into ambient music 80 years later. Yet Tiden does not sit easily in either camp. This is neither tasteful decor (à la Satie), nor is it electronic-auditory space-filler (à la Eno), gazing towards infinity. The short duration of the 13 pieces is enough to discount either genre. Better to consider these as concentrated, inspired études, carefully thought through and in no way random or sketchy. With cheerful gravitas, the two artists create absolute music -- music which desires only to be itself, without ulterior effects and with the declared intent of involving the listener in his emotional, inventive game. Perhaps Franz Schubert's moments musicaux would be a more suitable citation. The lightness and atmospheric intimacy of this music reveal Roedelius (grand piano, synthesizer) and the decades younger Schneider (Elektronik) as musicians who understand how to listen to one another and improvise on each other's ideas immediately. The result is a lively, relentless interplay of great composure, more surprising than any tide could be, as precise calendars exist for tidal flows. Roedelius can already look back on an adventuresome career in music. Schneider has also prospered through exciting decades in contemporary pop. This is the second time their paths have crossed. Tiden keeps the promise which their first album made -- genial contemporary music from two artists who are as one in heart and soul. And when Roedelius steps on the pedal of his grand piano, well, it squeaks a little." --Asmus Tietchens
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CD
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BB 129CD
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Retrospectively, it makes perfect sense that Der Plan created a soundtrack. For one thing, visuals were almost as important to Der Plan as their music. And if every self-respecting pop band pays attention to wearing the right clothes at the right time (or the completely wrong ones at the right time) and designing pretty album covers, Der Plan went further -- with scenery, masks and album covers designed by Moritz R® they invented their own universe. Indeed, the sounds of everyday life woven into Der Plan's music contributed to the filmic quality of their sound. Thus Frank Fenstermacher, Moritz R® and Pyrolator were not slow in responding to their old friend Rainer Kirberg's request to work on his latest film Die letzte Rache. The director Kirberg, born in 1954, studied film in Düsseldorf. They all knew each other from shared lodgings, political meetings and the local hangout Ratinger Hof. As well as playing his part in the music, Moritz R® also came up with the sets, while Frank Fenstermacher secured a minor role as the inspector's sidekick. But back to the music: Letzte Rache (1983) was a kind of revue with silent film qualities, so the soundtrack was a decisive factor. With the aid of the Emulator 1, Der Plan succeeded in recording something which could also work as a diverting radio drama without moving images. In contrast to the two previous albums Geri Reig and Normalette Surprise (BB 105CD/LP), which defined the Plan sound and virtually did without any musical quotations, echoes of jazz can be heard on Die letzte Rache and, of course, film music. Andreas Dorau weighs in with a bona fide pop hit in the guise of a "Junger Mann." Ah yes, the film itself, what is it actually about? Following the aesthetic tradition of 1920s German Expressionist cinema, Die letzte Rache -- "the last revenge" -- tells the hair-raising tale of a ruler who charges "the worldly" with the task of finding him a successor. The problem is: idiots abound. The worldly's search is fruitless and -- sometimes the most obvious solutions are the most practical -- he decides to seize power himself. At the end of the day: the ruler's empire in ruins, the Worldly goes mad, the inspector goes to jail (arrested by his own assistant!), and the ruler is badly injured yet immortal, suffering terrible agonies. Bonus tracks include the six pieces from the film Der Grottenolm.
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LP
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BB 130LP
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LP version on 180 gram vinyl. Der Plan were invited to Tokyo in 1984 to play six concerts for Seibu, a Japanese department store chain. Seibu were staging a "German Week." But how did they come to choose Der Plan, of all bands? Why not an Oktoberfest combo or the Scorpions? Moritz Reichelt explains: "German New Wave was really popular in Japan. They knew more about it than people here at home. Catalogs and magazines detailed every obscure record and depicted the covers. This particular department store chain was linked to Wave, a record shop and distributor -- and they really knew their stuff." JaPlan documents the set list from these Tokyo shows. Featuring previously-released songs from the Normalette Surprise (BB 105CD/LP) album, the Die letzte Rache soundtrack, and the double single Golden Cheapos, JaPlan also includes rare instrumentals produced for these very concerts, and one of the most famous songs by Der Plan: "Gummitwist." Der Plan and Japan -- a good match, not only phonetically. Reichelt: "Japan had always been one of our strongest territories. Our records were exported there from the very beginning. When I arrived, I understood why. Japanese pop culture is really 'planesque' in a way. Artificiality with a twinkle in the eye. We stepped inside our hotel in 1984 and switched on the television. The first thing we saw was an advert with three dinosaurs singing a song. Pretty much like one of our shows." The reissue is graced with new artwork due to the fact that the Japanese simply adopted the cover of the existing Golden Cheapos EP. The relationship of form and content was thus absent and one significant change was made: the image of a faint square covering the exposed lower body of a lady in the hay was replaced by an opaque black square. A joke at the expense of the censors fell victim to actual censorship. This re-release could be said to correct an optical error in the band's discography. Includes four bonus tracks.
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LP
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BB 129LP
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LP version. 180 gram vinyl. Retrospectively, it makes perfect sense that Der Plan created a soundtrack. For one thing, visuals were almost as important to Der Plan as their music. And if every self-respecting pop band pays attention to wearing the right clothes at the right time (or the completely wrong ones at the right time) and designing pretty album covers, Der Plan went further -- with scenery, masks and album covers designed by Moritz R® they invented their own universe. Indeed, the sounds of everyday life woven into Der Plan's music contributed to the filmic quality of their sound. Thus Frank Fenstermacher, Moritz R® and Pyrolator were not slow in responding to their old friend Rainer Kirberg's request to work on his latest film Die letzte Rache. The director Kirberg, born in 1954, studied film in Düsseldorf. They all knew each other from shared lodgings, political meetings and the local hangout Ratinger Hof. As well as playing his part in the music, Moritz R® also came up with the sets, while Frank Fenstermacher secured a minor role as the inspector's sidekick. But back to the music: Letzte Rache (1983) was a kind of revue with silent film qualities, so the soundtrack was a decisive factor. With the aid of the Emulator 1, Der Plan succeeded in recording something which could also work as a diverting radio drama without moving images. In contrast to the two previous albums Geri Reig and Normalette Surprise (BB 105CD/LP), which defined the Plan sound and virtually did without any musical quotations, echoes of jazz can be heard on Die letzte Rache and, of course, film music. Andreas Dorau weighs in with a bona fide pop hit in the guise of a "Junger Mann." Ah yes, the film itself, what is it actually about? Following the aesthetic tradition of 1920s German Expressionist cinema, Die letzte Rache -- "the last revenge" -- tells the hair-raising tale of a ruler who charges "the worldly" with the task of finding him a successor. The problem is: idiots abound. The worldly's search is fruitless and -- sometimes the most obvious solutions are the most practical -- he decides to seize power himself. At the end of the day: the ruler's empire in ruins, the Worldly goes mad, the inspector goes to jail (arrested by his own assistant!), and the ruler is badly injured yet immortal, suffering terrible agonies. Bonus tracks include the six pieces from the film Der Grottenolm.
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CD
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BB 130CD
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Der Plan were invited to Tokyo in 1984 to play six concerts for Seibu, a Japanese department store chain. Seibu were staging a "German Week." But how did they come to choose Der Plan, of all bands? Why not an Oktoberfest combo or the Scorpions? Moritz Reichelt explains: "German New Wave was really popular in Japan. They knew more about it than people here at home. Catalogs and magazines detailed every obscure record and depicted the covers. This particular department store chain was linked to Wave, a record shop and distributor -- and they really knew their stuff." JaPlan documents the set list from these Tokyo shows. Featuring previously-released songs from the Normalette Surprise (BB 105CD/LP) album, the Die letzte Rache soundtrack, and the double single Golden Cheapos, JaPlan also includes rare instrumentals produced for these very concerts, and one of the most famous songs by Der Plan: "Gummitwist." Der Plan and Japan -- a good match, not only phonetically. Reichelt: "Japan had always been one of our strongest territories. Our records were exported there from the very beginning. When I arrived, I understood why. Japanese pop culture is really 'planesque' in a way. Artificiality with a twinkle in the eye. We stepped inside our hotel in 1984 and switched on the television. The first thing we saw was an advert with three dinosaurs singing a song. Pretty much like one of our shows." The reissue is graced with new artwork due to the fact that the Japanese simply adopted the cover of the existing Golden Cheapos EP. The relationship of form and content was thus absent and one significant change was made: the image of a faint square covering the exposed lower body of a lady in the hay was replaced by an opaque black square. A joke at the expense of the censors fell victim to actual censorship. This re-release could be said to correct an optical error in the band's discography. Includes four bonus tracks.
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CD
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BB 133CD
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"Conrad Schnitzler is undoubtedly one of the founding fathers of German electronica. And his son, Gregor Schnitzler, matched the father's extraordinary level of creative output. They appear to have settled any musical differences amicably. After all, how else could they have 'shared' an LP released by Conrad Schnitzler himself? One half of Conrad & Sohn features music by Conrad Schnitzler, the other, his son Gregor. Two mini-albums on one disc, so to speak. An ideal opportunity to compare them. Judging by the similarities in sound, Gregor clearly had access to his father's music equipment, but the way he uses electronics and his voice could not be more different. Industrial (e.g. Cabaret Voltaire) influences are apparent. The dry minimalism of German new wave (NDW) also left its mark on him. A sense of the end of days in some places gives way to highly-charged hysteria in others. For young, modern musicians in the frontline city of West Berlin, a mix of depression and anger was the natural prerequisite for their uncomplicated, unsentimental and yet emotional music. And the "No Future" claim had not yet lost its validity. Gregor unequivocally took sides; he was with the young. Conrad's music on this album also shows some signs of contemporary influence. As a veteran of the avant-garde and an experienced performance artist, he adopted a different aesthetic stance to that of his son, Gregor. Leaving the bleak, cryptic text of the first track aside, Conrad speaks to the knowledgeable listener in a familiar musical language: sequencer shapes with no end and no beginning, then an uncommonly humorous miniature with a Donald Duck voice, followed by electronic particles travelling from anywhere to who-knows-where. Total abstraction. Father and son certainly offer up drastically opposing musical concepts to our ears." --Asmus Tietchens
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LP
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BB 133LP
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LP version on 180 gram vinyl.
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CD
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BB 134CD
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"Contempora (1981) is a sort of collection of sketches, reflecting Conrad Schnitzler's inexhaustible creative powers in condensed form. Like light refracting through a multiple prism, shapes and colors constantly change, backgrounds shift through brightness and darkness. Each track on the album could easily double or triple in length without relinquishing any of its magic or indeed becoming boring. Schnitzler grants us the merest glimpses into his diverse soundscapes and sonic armories. He opens one door ever so slightly, only to close it again and open another for just a few minutes. Improvised sonic comets shimmer over Schnitzler's inimitable sequencer patterns, fleeting melodies fade away. Everything happens at breathtaking speed, miniatures without frames or tangible borders. In the early '80s Schnitzler worked primarily with the EMS Synthi A and Korg MS 10 synthesizers, an analog sequencer and analog rhythm machine. All in all, this was neither a particularly complex nor exotic array of equipment for the period. Many electronic artists used these inexpensive instruments, or something similar. Nevertheless, Schnitzler succeeded in setting himself apart from others in the fraternity, in both sonic and compositional terms. Not so much gripped by the need to occupy a unique position, he was simply unable and unwilling to divert from his creative path. Contempora again underlines Schnitzler's noble ethos." --Asmus Tietchens
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LP
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BB 134LP
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LP version on 180 gram vinyl.
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CD
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BB 128CD
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Home Taping Is Killing Music is the first and only LP by Pyrolator (Ata Tak label operative and member of Der Plan) and tape loop tinkerer Arnd Kai Klosowski. The result: whimsical, raw sound experiments from the early days of sampling technology. Originally released in 1985 on Ata Tak/WR 30. It was in the mid-1980s when the unsuccessful blues guitarist Arnd Kai Klosowski realized that the DJ was the star of the show in the discotheque: not the music and not the musicians. He then asked himself: "What if it were possible to create something new, a mix of recorded and live music which could be switched on and off intermittently?" Klosowski built himself a mixing desk with eight inputs, plugged-in microphones, called up a few people and they improvised their hearts out. "I don't know what they played, exactly. But I do know that it simply didn't work," Klosowski recollects. And then he remembered the tape loop experiments he had worked on as a teenager. So he got back to inventing, tinkering, and soldering. The first recordings made with this new, homemade tape loop device found their way to ZickZack label boss Alfred Hilsberg, who decided to release an album. All he needed was a producer. At this point, Pyrolator finally enters the scene, a musician (as a member of Der Plan, for example), producer, and Ata Tak label operative. Similarities in the working practices and musical leanings of Pyrolator and Klosowski are there for all to see, or rather to hear. Both were interested in collage, obscure music, and technical innovation. They went into the studio together and recorded Home Taping Is Killing Music. The original plan was to issue the album on Hilsberg's ZickZack label, but it actually came out through Ata Tak. Why was that? Pyrolator: "We felt that the album was far better suited to Ata Tak, and so we came to an agreement with Alfred that we could release the record." Klosowski adds another significant detail to this explanation: "Pyrolator had to invest more time and work than anticipated. He had imagined it all to be somewhat easier. I lacked experience in studio technology, so Pyrolator had to bear the brunt of that. Two worlds collided, that of a trained musician and my own. We overshot the studio budget by some distance." The Klosowski album produced by Pyrolator thus became a joint Klosowski/Pyrolator album, with Ata Tak the logical label choice. Home Taping Is Killing Music is a rough diamond from the pioneering era of sampling technology. True, the Emulator 1 already existed and was used extensively, but the tape machine which Klosowski designed and constructed could play considerably longer loops and samples than the E-MU Systems product. And so it was that salsa trumpets and Gregorian chants were heard side-by-side, railway noises aligned with Cambodian music and gospel met Bavarian yodeling. At no time did technology become an end in itself: it always served the melody, the beat, the element of surprise. In short, it was in the service of listening pleasure.
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