Klangwart!

Klangwart was the music duo of Timo Reuber and Markus Detmer from Germany, active in the late 1990's heyday of heady electronic music and easily-aquired import vinyl stateside. Back in 1998 I unassumingly picked up a copy of their self-released Koln/Olpe LP from the late, great Temple Records on Avenue B in Manhattan. It quickly became, and remains, one of the greatest ambient electronica efforts I've heard before or since. But what happened to Klangwart??? They put out one more record, the very low-key and cool 'Zwei' (whose beautiful white vinyl Side One I accidentally slashed with a boxcutter in my overexcitement when it arrived in the mail, adding an extra pop to the piece every time it came around on the turntable), but then they seemingly disappeared into the German aether. Or did they?

The other day I was poking around the internet and noticed a new Staubgold release with the Klangwart name, and I was like 'Whoa!'. So I looked around and YES, it's a new Klangwart record for real! I just got my hands on it.

Holy moley, it's called Stadtlandfluss and it's such a good record! Maybe their best one yet! It's broken up into 7 tracks, but one piece just blends into another, creating one long shimmering continuum of drone and collage that's been crafted with maximum precision and attention to detail.

Forced Exposure's still got it in stock on vinyl I think. I wish Klangwart would come to the USA and play in someone's living room. If you are reading this Klangwart, do consider it...

Happy Holidays and best wishes to all from your friends at The Grand Hotel. Looking forward to an adventurous and prolific 2009!
xo