Michael’s „Klanghorizonte“ (final list, Sept. 24th, 9.05 p.m.)

(in memory of Dr. Egon Werlich)

Nearly everybody has a story to tell with „field recordings“, that will always trigger the knowledge about some of the most adventurous sounds being „out there“. Some of those albums became famous, some very much stayed under the radar (very much like the spaces they had been exploring). Even the so-called well-known can easily turn into stranger things. By  chance, I once discovered an old album named „Trains in the Night“ beautifully capturing the sounds of old locomotives in England‘s vast hinterland, and the nature around. Listening to the compositions of artists like Jana Winderen or BJ Nilsen, is always a special experience. Is the howling of the wind real, or enhanced by electronics? How can someone „document“ sounds that cannot be be heard within our „normal“ range of perception? In a way the act of „cartographing“ distant areas includes sharpened senses, adequate tools – and inventiveness. When I was sinking, literally, into the „music“ of Jana‘s „arctic“ record, I couldn‘t help but remember, in moments passing by, old sci-fi movies and books, but from minute to minute I was more and more drawn into the sounds themselves and forgetting my sepia-tinged nostalgia. Where-am-I-music of a rare kind. Like all of the albums of this hour! (m.e.)

Ryuichi Sakamoto & Alva Noto.
Annette Peacock.
Daniel Lanois.
Lambchop.
Seefeel.
Laurie Anderson.
Jana Winderen.
Brian Eno.

„Listening to „Camille“ by Annette Peacock from „An Acrobat´s Heart as I´m writing to you, Michael. What a beautiful and original recording this is. Picturing Jan Erik clearly in front of me at this very moment. He was such a nice and gentle person that contributed to so many wonderful recordings. A gentleman with acute ears and a big heart, always welcoming musicians into his wonderful Rainbow studio. And the Cikada quartet sits just perfect for this piece. Like the sound of leafs falling off a tree.“ (Jan Bang)

„in early 2024 i heard a song on the radio on my way to get some gas. just a minimal single chord strummed banjo and a small group of voices. it seemed perfect in the moment as the moment became perfect in itself. i never found out who it was, sounded kinda like early country gospel? in a time of searching i discovered a type of gospel singing known as lined out singingwhich is said to have begun in the late 1800s in scotland. it migrated to appalachia and became an obscure root of american gospel, country.… a spontainious call and response type of accapella singing led by a clerk with a chorus of singers revealing the raw beauty and power of the human voice with it’s unique varieties it’s unadorned simplicity gave weight to the words as they were sung. i wanted to make a record that emulated this kind of music.“ (kurt wagner)

„We’d look out at the river, and if the music seemed to be naturally going with it, this was our editing device. Brian’s motto was: if it goes with the river, it goes on the record. So, for example, if the river was really choppy and active, and the music was going pah-bah-dah-dah – whoa, that looks so great! – or if it was smooth and there was some kind of ambient thing going on. We always tried to match – tried to feel – the naturalness of the river, and in this case the Hudson, and if it seemed to fit. It was a very infallible rule while recording „Bright Red“ in Manhattan, because it showed you when you were making it too difficult, not natural.“ (Laurie Anderson on Bright Red)

„‘Spring Bloom in the Marginal Ice Zone’ is recorded mostly in the Barents Sea and Arctic regions and the creatures you find there. The Bearded Seal´s hauling sound is recorded right there under the Sea-ice in the Barents Sea. I would say that already out in the field when pushing record the composition process has already started; you make choices when you place the microphone or hydrophones, or ultrasound detectors in a certain place and start listening long before you record anything. Ideas start to form at this early stage. Its all down to the choices you make; even if you choose to leave the recording gear out by itself in the field, where you place it is a compositional choice.“ (Jana Winderen, from my 2018 interview)

Eight albums, four from 2026, four older ones,
four songs, four instrumentals –
a nearly seamless sequence,
in regards to storytelling, dream logic –
and different horizons track by track.