zeitkratzer plays songs from Kraftwerk 2 & 1

CD zkr0026 zeitkratzer records, LP: Karlrecords KR069, EAN: 4250137232584 (CD), Released July 19th 2019
Mixed by Klaus Dobbrich (Volksbühne Berlin), Mastered & cut by Mike Grinser at D&M, Berlin
Live: july 6th at Roskilde Festival, Denmark
Promotion: dense promotion / Ed Benndorf ed@dense.de

zeitkratzer directed by Reinhold Friedl
Frank Gratkowski flute, clarinets | Hayden Chisholm flute, saxophone | Hild Sofie Tajford french horn | Hilary Jeffery trombone | Reinhold Friedl harmonium, piano | Didier Aschour guitar | Maurice de Martin drums | Lisa Marie Landgraf violin | Biliana Voutchkova violin | Elisabeth Coudoux violoncello | Ulrich Phillipp doublebass

2nd volume of „modern composition supergroup“ (The Wire), zeitkratzer's reinterpretations of early compositions by electronic pioneers Kraftwerk: In more than two decades zeitkratzer has created an astonishing broad catalogue from the obligatory 20th century avant-garde composers like Cage or Stockhausen to the unexpected electronic artists such as Carsten Nicolai, Terre Thaemlitz or underground experimentalists like Throbbing Gristle and Kiji Haino – but hardly anyone was prepared for the ensemble’s choice of early Kraftwerk pieces! When volume1 was released in 2017, zeitkratzer founder and director Reinhold Friedl announced that there'll be a volume 2 of course – and here it is!

From the opening drony horns of „Harmonika“ to the subtle guitar of the album closer „Wellenlänge“, the 4 tracks own all the interpretatory and aesthetic acerbity the ensemble is known and praised for. The first album made it immediately into “The Wire office ambience” playlist and to the
“Best of Bandcamp Contemporary Classical Releases”: “zeitkratzer ’s interpretations are bouncy, horn-driven motorik grooves, static explorations of pointillistic overtones, breathy Zen-like meditations, and rollicking rhythms.” The Spanish Rockdelux concluded: “Keep close and be happy to get more!” Sonic Seducer attested zeitkratzer to “uncover unexpected potential. It’s a blessing that the next KRAFTWERK is already announced!” And here it is! Now you can listen to all the music of the first two Kraftwerk albums “as gloriously played as one could ever desire” (Vital Weekly).

Recorded live at Hellerau - European Centre for the Arts, Dresden in January 2019, „zeitkratzer performs songs from the albums Kraftwerk 2 and Kraftwerk“ delivers the compositions that were still missing to complete zeitkratzer's stunning take on the early, hybrid kraut-esque electronic avantgarde albums Kraftwerk and Kraftwerk 2. Mission accomplished! A must-have. As German radio SWR agreed: “zeitkratzer is serious music turned from stiff to joy!”