zeitkratzer [electronics] Carsten Nicolai

zkr0004 zeitkratzer records, Barcode: 881390642427CD, 8-page-booklet, duration: 51:44
all music by Carsten Nicolai performed by zeitkratzer
distributed by Broken Silence [UK: Shellshock, US: Forced Exposure, F: Metamkine, JAP: Disk Union]

zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl
|| Frank Gratkowski < bass clarinet [2, 3/4] || Hayden Chisholm < bass clarinet [1] || Franz Hautzinger < trumpet || Melvyn Poore < tuba || Reinhold Friedl < piano || Maurice de Martin < percussion || Burkhard Schlothauer < violin || Anton Lukoszevieze < cello || Ulrich Phillipp < double bass || Marc Weiser < electronics || Ralf Meinz < sound ||

Carsten Nicolai < electronics [on 01]

01 recorded at Volksbühne Berlin, Germany, March 25, 2005, 02 recorded at Le Lieu Unique, Nantes, France, March 29, 2007, 03/04 recorded at L’Auditori de Barcelona, Digressions Festival Barcelona, Spain, February 26, 2007
recorded and mixed by Ralf Meinz, supported by Deutscher Musikrat

This CD documents the cooperation between zeitkratzer and Carsten Nicolai, started nearly a decade ago; a cooperation between an avantgarde ensemble and a non-academic electronic musician. The electronic music of Carsten Nicolai – sometimes being of even cristal clearness and quality – suddenly becomes sensual and physical through zeitkratzer’s amplified instrumental sounds. Inversely, zeitkratzer sounds different too: in „5 min“ the musicians play only electric sound generators: humming of plugs, the peeping of the synchronised zeitkratzer-clocks, white noise, TV cheeping at 10 kHz. „Synchron Bitwave“, the latest piece is the most sensual and warmest; no other sounds than a small third and its electric derivates, finally leading to high, dabbed string spiccati. While „c1“ transfers electronically conceived asymmetrical loops into a 19/16th rhythm. A strange undertow results, partly because of the pieces’ grounding with merging split sounds. Here, Carsten Nicolai virtually becomes metaphysical, perhaps even romantic…

Reviews

Mit Hilfe von Oszillatoren und Sinusgeneratoren entsteht ein driftendes und zugleich erhaben leuchtendes Miteinander aus Ambient-Drones und Störgeräuschen, das souverän einen Schwebezustand erzeugt. Nie völlig Wohlklang und nie völlig kühl distanziert, werfen die Aufnahmen die Frage auf, ob es so etwas wie eine Romantik der Maschinen oder gar so etwas wie ein elektronisches Idyll geben kann.
Textcard, D, 2/2009

Superbe.
Goutemes disques, F, 2/2009

… zum Immer-wieder-Hören!
Titel Magazin, D, 12/2008

this collaborative work between eleven man orchestra zeitkratzer and sound artist Carsten Nicolai expounds upon romanticist mores in a respectful yet radical manner.
Squidsear, US, 2/2009

5/5, maximale Punktzahl
I Muziek, I, 1/2009

This is one hell of a fine disc
Vital Weekly, Frans de Waard, 2/2009

sensual y cálida
RNE 03, Radio Nacional de España 01/2010