A review of the CD has just appeared in Vital Weekly. The offer above still stands. Contact me at
blackroserecordings@yahoo.co.uk if interested.
ASMUS TIETCHENS - SCHATTEN OHNE LICHT (CD by Black Rose Recordings)
The previous CD by Asmus Tietchens for Black Rose Recordings was 'Fast Ohne Titel, Korrosion' (Vital Weekly 907), which was quite a diversion from his usual quiet music. For 'Schatten Ohne Licht' (shadows without light), there is no such diversion, and Tietchens stays firmly in his silent world. Next to the usual E.M. Cioran quote, the information tells us that Tietchens takes inspiration from the works of Ulrich Horstmann and that the theme for this release is about "a return to a mineral world without any organic species, and there inhabitable for human beings". Also no ray of sunshine in this thinking, but considering the sorry state of the world, one could say it's not the worst idea. With this information in the back of my mind, I started this release and saw images of an empty world; no life at all, just rocks, caves, and minerals; is there a sea? Can it exist without life in it? My knowledge of the natural world is pretty limited, so I don't know. But Tietchens' music here sounds like stale wind over barren land. Wind rustling... well, not leaves and branches, probably, but there is a strong feeling of desolation within this music. As always, I have no idea what kind of sounds Tietchens uses in his music, as the level of processing is quite high, but it works very well. There is a bit of industrial droning in 'Anthroposaurus', which is not something I heard this strong in his other recent releases. In other pieces, this is less evident, so this new release is not a most radical break. It is, however, an excellent release, on par with almost all of Tietchens' releases, but safe to say, as a fanboy, I am probably quite biased. Towards the end of the final piece, 'Kolosse', the volume increases considerable and ends with silence; I believe that is quite a sign, but for what? (FdW)
