Engelram
Efdemin's ambition (a utopian recreation of "the entirety of the sounds of the universe") could have easily been overwhelming. But simplicity and clarity solve the impossible. It's a beautiful trip.
bakey27
Merging sound art, drone, techno, Efdemin has crafted a thoughtful journey through some beautiful ideas. You are being guided through this experience, and you will reemerge cleansed.
Favorite track: Oh, Lovely Appearance of Death.
Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
Purchasable with gift card
€8EUR
Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album
1. Oh, Lovely Appearance of Death 2. Good Winds 3. New Atlantis 4. At The Strangers House 5. A Land Unknown 6. Temple 7. Black Sun 8. The Sound House
Includes unlimited streaming of New Atlantis
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 4 days
Purchasable with gift card
€15EUR
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
A1. Oh, Lovely Appearance of Death A2. Good Winds B. New Atlantis C1. At The Strangers House C2. A Land Unknown C3. Temple D1. Black Sun D2. The Sound House
Includes unlimited streaming of New Atlantis
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
ships out within 4 days
Purchasable with gift card
€22EUR
Record/Vinyl + Digital Album
The bundle includes the 2x12'' LP New Atlantis by Efdemin, 2x12'' LP Monophonie by Phillip Sollmann and the 12'' EP Panama / Suez by Oren Ambarchi, Phillip Sollmann and Konrad Sprenger.
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New Atlantis | Efdemin | OSTGUTLP31
Over eight tracks, New Atlantis oscillates between fast, kaleidoscopic techno, multilayered drones and acoustic instrumentation, fusing for the first time Sollmann’s deep dancefloor productions as Efdemin with his sound art and experimental music projects. The latter include 2017’s Harry Partch- inspired Monophonie performance and 2018’s Panama / Suez EP with Oren Ambarchi and Konrad Sprenger.
Long drawn to utopian musical traditions, Sollmann took inspiration for New Atlantis from Francis Bacon’s unfinished 17th century novel of the same name, which describes a fictional island devoted to social progress through the synthesis of art, science, technology and fashion. In the story, Bacon imagines futuristic ‘sound houses’, which contain musical instruments capable of recreating the entirety of the sounds of the universe; a 400-year-old prophesy of today’s digital sonic reality.
Through Sollmann’s lens, Bacon’s vision ebbs and flows over 50 minutes in varying speeds and colors, emerging as a tapestry of different utopian musical traditions – through billowing synth lines, early Detroit techno, resonant wooden percussion, trance, droning organs, dulcimer, electric guitars, hurdy-gurdy, just intonation, poetry, hymns and murmuring voices.
Tracklist:
A1. Oh, Lovely Appearance of Death A2. Good Winds
B. New Atlantis
C1. At The Strangers House C2. A Land Unknown C3. Temple
D1. Black Sun D2. The Sound House
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Monophonie | Phillip Sollmann | A-TON LP10
Due to Bandcamp restrictions only Untitled will be available for immediate download. The download-code for Untitled II is included in the vinyl.
Following 2019’s ‘New Atlantis’ LP under his experimental techno alias Efdemin, Phillip Sollmann’s ‘Monophonie’ is a project dedicated to uniting different strands of utopian music. His approach: combining and recontextualizing rare historical instruments of sonic research of Hermann von Helmholtz (19th century) with the self-designed, microtonal instruments of Harry Partch and metal sound sculptures of Harry Bertoia.
The result is a psychedelic investigation into just intonation – alternative tuning systems that create unique sets of harmonics not found in conventional scales. ‘Monophonie’ recasts these sounds into new rhythmic environments where epic kosmische, polyrhythms, acoustic techno and microtonal glow are interwoven into a rare music.
Over nine tracks, the album explores multiple forms of minimalism, from unwavering repetition to paired-down chords and sparse sonic environments. But it also seeks to expand the sound spectrum of Partch’s custom built organs and melodic percussion instruments as well as Bertoia’s sonambient singing metal rods into an atmospheric otherworldliness.
‘Monophonie’ was first composed in 2016 and premiered at Berlin’s Volksbühne theatre in 2017, before it went on to the renowned Ruhrtriennale and Kampnagel in Hamburg. It was performed by one of Germany’s premier neue musik collectives Ensemble Musikfabrik together with Sollmann himself on von Helmholtz’s original double siren, with set design by Michael Kleine and wardrobe by Peter Kisur of Honeysuckle Company.
Tracklist:
A1. Chance A2. Rara A3. Micro
B. Motor
C1. Stutter C2. Tape C3. Plain
D1. U / O D2. Mono
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Panama / Suez | Oren Ambarchi, Konrad Sprenger, Phillip Sollmann | A-TON EP 01
A-TON is proud to announce Panama / Suez, the first EP by trio Oren Ambarchi, Konrad Sprenger and Phillip Sollmann (aka Efdemin). The three multi-instrumentalists collaborated with the goal of creating subtly shifting musical passageways: sonic routes that run between continents of musical category.
The results are two variations of kraut-y, groove-based post-techno that unfurl through mutating polyrhythms and chiming, ethereal guitar play – a rare moment of guitar and techno in deep embrace.
With a potential to sustain energy on experimental dancefloors, Panama / Suez lives from Ambarchi, Sprenger and Sollmann’s diverse input while reflecting a common penchant for both pop and the hypnotic.
Tracklist:
A. Panama (Original)
B. Suez (Version)
Includes unlimited streaming of New Atlantis
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
...more
Over eight tracks, New Atlantis oscillates between fast, kaleidoscopic techno, multilayered drones and acoustic instrumentation, fusing for the first time Sollmann’s deep dancefloor productions as Efdemin with his sound art and experimental music projects. The latter include 2017’s Harry Partch- inspired Monophonie performance and 2018’s Panama / Suez EP with Oren Ambarchi and Konrad Sprenger.
Long drawn to utopian musical traditions, Sollmann took inspiration for New Atlantis from Francis Bacon’s unfinished 17th century novel of the same name, which describes a fictional island devoted to social progress through the synthesis of art, science, technology and fashion. In the story, Bacon imagines futuristic ‘sound houses’, which contain musical instruments capable of recreating the entirety of the sounds of the universe; a 400-year-old prophesy of today’s digital sonic reality.
Through Sollmann’s lens, Bacon’s vision ebbs and flows over 50 minutes in varying speeds and colors, emerging as a tapestry of different utopian musical traditions – through billowing synth lines, early Detroit techno, resonant wooden percussion, trance, droning organs, dulcimer, electric guitars, hurdy-gurdy, just intonation, poetry, hymns and murmuring voices.
credits
released February 15, 2019
all tracks written and produced by Phillip Sollmann except 1. written by Phillip Sollmann and William T. Wiley
Guest appearances:
“Oh, Lovely Appearance Of Death”: William T. Wiley (Vocals | from Vision # 4 – Word of Mouth, Crown Point Press, 1980)
“New Atlantis”: Nika Son (Synthesizer), Joachim Schütz (Guitar), Konrad Sprenger (Motor Controlled Guitar)
“At The Stranger’s House”: John Gürtler (Saxophone)
“The Sound House”: Andrew Wass (Vocals), Tomas Svensson (Sing-Drum)
Published by Copyright Control
Mastering by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin
Artwork: Max Stocklosa | Layout: Yusuf Etiman
Release page: ostgut.de/ton/record/234
Upcoming dates, discography, bio, pictures, more: ostgut.de/booking/artist/efdemin
Sixteen Oceans a big gift to the fans of There is Love in You: a collection of vignettes as glowing, pop and full of well-chosen samples as its older sibling. I am sure Four Tet will continue exploring some wilder techno lands, but this trip back home is a soothing lollypop. Engelram
