Günter Schlienz – Know Your New Age (Album – Zoharum)
Genre/Influences: Experimental, cinematographic.
Format: Digital, CD, vinyl.
Background/Info: German artist Günter Schlienz has released an impressive number of productions since 2010. Most of his works were released on cassette and a few on vinyl. This opus is his third album released by Zoharum. The vinyl edit has been released by Zuckerzeit Tonträger (as a collaboration between Cosmic Winnetou and Zoharum).
Content: I got the impression this album features 2 parts. The first tracks reveal a perfect twist between pure dark-ambient and –cinematographic music. The tracks have been achieved with a strong arsenal of electronic noises and astral bleeps. It has a retro-touch, which naturally comes from the artist’s passion for modular synthesizers. The last tracks of the work are more into minimalism. The sphere is more inhibited and revealing a kind of sadness created by the use of less sounds.
+ + + : Even if I think I recognize two chapters in this album, it also sounds pretty compact. There’s a natural progression from the ambient/astral debut cuts to the intimate final tracks. It feels dreamy, relaxing and yet also mysterious. The minimalism of “The Prophet – Part Two” is really beautiful and artistic. A similar sensation emerges from the next cut (cf. “More Beautiful”) so the best part of the work is definitely the second one.
– – – : Some passages sound a little bit monotonous and that’s probably because this kind of music is suited as a part of a greater artistic performance featuring visuals or even theatre, ballet etc.
Conclusion: Sadness can also be deeply artistic, when transposed into a beautiful sonic adaptation. That’s precisely what I feel when listening to this opus.
Best songs: “The Prophet – Part Two”, “More Beautiful”.
Rate: (7).
Artist: www.guenterschlienz.de
Label: www.zoharum.com / www.facebook.com/zoharum
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