Sparse minimal masterpiece
Peter James Dadamo | United States | 08/30/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"For this album, Tietchens has been picked up by Ritornell -Mille Plateaux's 'minimal' label."Alpha Merge" is a sparse work, but of great sonic depth. For example, "Drei Teilmengen" the second piece. In the words of brainwashed.com's Jon Whitney: "Every sound develops and becomes solid in the listener's mind. While there is a clear flow to the music, it simply doesn't go in one ear and out the other."Listen to the samples above but keep in mind the crummy computer speakers combined with audio compression will not give you the rich listening experience and depth your entertainment room or even a great pair of headphones could.To sample the other side of Tietchens, you'll need to dust off your record player and hit some of the auction sites on the web. His best pop records include the virtually impossible to find "Nachstucke," and the Hematic Sunsets "Musik Aus Dem Aroma Club.""
An exercise in quiet tension
DAC Crowell | 08/29/2000
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Asmus Tietchens is one of the veterans of the German e-music scene, having been around since back in the days of early Tangerine Dream, Cluster, et al. In later years, his work has vectored more into denser, more dissonant, and often abrasive territory. This new release on Mille Plateaux sees a little of all of this in action. The opening track is quite intriguing...quiet, yet with a sense of menace and tension. It reminded me, in fact, of some similar spots found in some of Morton Subotnick's work from the early/mid-1970s. Then into 'Drei Teilmenge', which is a long workout that centers around a complex of harmonic drones, along with various clicks, pops, and other sonic intrusions. This part of the disc, which actually takes up the bulk of the release, reminded me of a cross between Alvin Lucier and Pole...the clik-pop-tick arrhythms intruding over this drone that, when one moved around the room, would shift in terms of reinforced and cancelled pitches. In dead center, between the speakers, it was almost overwhelming yet very pure. In another room, though, it would resolve into a static chord. Very fascinating. The final track, though, was definitely something in the abrasive column...staticky scratches, dissonance predominating. Not for everyone, therefore, but a rather satisfying work that overall fits nicely in the electroacoustic/New Music camp. Definitely a recommendation for the adventurous of ear."
Track Listings (3) - Disc #1