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
About Günter Schlienz
Günter Schlienz is a German ambient producer known for his work with modular synthesizers. Active since 2010, he has released a long string of cassette, vinyl and digital editions on labels including SicSic, Constellation Tatsu, Cosmic Winnetou and Makrame Records. “Autumn” appeared on Zoharum in 2016, and “Know Your New Age” is his following album for the label, with a vinyl edition released through Zuckerzeit Tonträger.
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