Kalamine Records offers a new release from French composer Philippe Simon, whose work I’ve had the pleasure of hearing before. His album sits somewhere between the Berlin School (think early-period Tangerine Dream) and post-Industrial cassette releases from the 1980s. The sound is clean, yet there’s a deep grittiness to it. This is great late-night listening Continue Reading
Berlin School
Denis Frajerman, Marc Sarrazy, Loïc Schild – Paysages du Temps
Composer Denis Frajerman was once part of one of France’s most experimental troupes, Palo Alto. I wondered for years what happened to them, and today I see that Denis is active, making long-form music that combines Neu!, Klaus Schulze, Pink Floyd, and his own aesthetic.
OBUKHOVAUDIO – Sphärenlicht
Even down to the cover art (which looked like it would have been a fine one for a 1970’s period Klaus Schulze), it seems Obukhovaudio (a.k.a. Alexander Obukhov) has a knack for making an album that encapsulates the genre of electronic music, the Berlin School, that he loves dearly. Fine Continue Reading
Zan Hoffman & Hubert Heathertoes – Synchronicity
Our dear friend Hubert Heathertoes collaborates with longtime partner Zan Hoffman on a release which pairs oddly satisfying spoken word with music that could rightfully be described as Berlin-School electronics. My only complaint about the tracks is its brevity. One minute and thirty-six seconds was just barely enough to whet Continue Reading
Lisa Bella Donna – Afterimages
Lisa Bella Donna is a composer and performer whose release, Afterimages, is a rich tapestry of moogs, loops, drone and a tip of the cap to the Berlin School made famous by Tangerine Dream. A touch lo-fi, but I enjoy the overall effect.
Tears of the Sun – This Ever Expanding Ghost Mind
“Last American Poet” Shane Beck collaborates with the Dutch electronic music project Phrozenlight as Tears of the Sun, an album of spoken work and Berlin School electronics.
Cousin Silas & Michael Brückner – Passages and Spheres
Our friend Cousin Silas and his cohort Michael Brückner offer a relaxed ambient two-disc album album which floats between fusion and the Berlin School.
The End Of Eternity – All In
The End of Eternity offer an Italian take on the Berlin School genre. A very engaging album!
Cousin Silas and Various Artists – The Four Elements – Air (Volume 1)
Cousin Silas and his merry band of collaborators continue to impress with massive compilations of ambient music. He, and all bands associated with him, are worth a deep listen.
Wolfgang Gsell – Soundscapes of the Rain
German composer Wolfgang Gsell passed away in 2017 at the age of 61, but he left an amazing body of work that could be favorably compared to electronic music from Germany, especially the Berlin School which produced acts like Klaus Schulze and Tangerine Dream. He was also a collaborator with Continue Reading