FM Einheit – Exhibition Of A Dream (Album – Cold Spring Records)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, Abstract, Industrial, Jazz, Cinematographic.
Format: Digital, 2CD.
Background/Info: FM Einheit is an artist who needs no further introduction, but who will always be linked to Einstürzende Neubauten. He released multiple albums under his own name and this double CD is a reissue of “Exhibition Of A Dream” released in 2018 by Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation on vinyl. The work has something conceptual as the idea consisted to transpose dreams from musicians, artists and filmmakers into music.
Content: The most famous names and contributors from the list are Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Lee Ranaldo (Sonic Youth), Susan Stenger (Band Of Susans) and filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Most of the guests are using their voice in a half spoken – half sung way, but some passages are also deeply sensual. Sound-wise FM Einheit realized a work, which is hard to define, but mainly characterized by its diversity and eclecticism. Some songs are pretty Jazz-driven and even a bit into Lounge while others became darker, abstract and driven by down-tempo. But there’s also an interesting experiment bringing Jazz and Industrial music together.
+ + + : Interpreting dreams remains a fascinating exercise and often a favorite practice of psycho-analysts. FM Einheit transformed himself into the sonic reincarnation of Frëud and realized one of his most surprising works. I didn’t exactly expect him experimenting with Jazz and especially the mix of Jazz and Industrial on “Dream, 17 February 2017”. The opening piece “Memory” featuring Apichatpong Weerasethakul is somewhat different, but still very Jazzy as well. “Le Baiser Du Supion” featuring Emilie Pitoiset is another efficient song, mixing elements of Cinematic-, Lounge- and Jazz music. In a different style and even a bit trance-like “The Dungeon” is great to discover as well. The last track “Creation Re/Created” featuring the one and only Genesis Breyer P-Orridge has something emotional because of the tragic loss of the Throbbing Gristle and Psychic TV front man. The way FM Einheit holds on Industrial and experimental influences while mixing them with other sources of inspiration are truly fascinating.
– – – : Even if this album is accessible it however remains hard to seize. You also feel this music is rather made to accompany a visual performance instead of listening to it from your lazy chair.
Conclusion: The concept is not new, but remains original while the content is totally surprising if you know it has been composed by FM Einheit.
Best songs: “Creation Re/Created”, “Un Sognio Tessuto In Tapeto”, “The Dungeon”, “FFW”, “Le Baiser Du Supion”.
Rate: (7½).
Artist: www.fmeinheit.org / www.facebook.com/FM-EINHEIT-266076520078649
Label: www.coldspring.co.uk / www.facebook.com/coldspringhq
About FM Einheit
FM Einheit, born Frank-Martin Strauß on 18 December 1958 in Dortmund, Germany, is a self-taught percussionist who began his career in the punk scene, joining the Hamburg band Abwärts in 1979. In the early 1980s he joined Einstürzende Neubauten as percussionist, becoming central to the band’s sound through custom-built metal instruments and its confrontational live shows. He left Einstürzende Neubauten in the mid-1990s during the recording of “Ende Neu.”
After Neubauten, Einheit formed the band Gry with Danish vocalist Gry Bagøien, releasing “The Touch of E!” (1998) and “Public Recording” (2000), and has collaborated with KMFDM, Goethes Erben, Diamanda Galás and Mona Mur. In 2018 he released the double-disc project “Exhibition Of A Dream” through the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, transposing dreams from musicians, artists and filmmakers – among them Genesis Breyer P-Orridge, Lee Ranaldo and Susan Stenger – into music. The work was reissued on 2CD by Cold Spring Records in 2021.
Support Side-Line
More people read Side-Line than ever, and there is still no paywall and no advertising. Readers pay for it instead - from $5 a month.
Why we ask
Advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations we have not put up a paywall, and we refuse to add annoying advertising, so we need to ask for your help. Side-Line’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, and we do it to push the artists we like, who are equally fighting to survive.
Handled by PayPal.
I have been working for over 30 years with Side-line as the main reviewer. My taste is eclectic, uncoventional and I prefer to look for the pearls, even if the bands are completely unknown, thus staying loyal to the Side-Line philosophy of nurturing new talents.
