BALDRUIN
Vergessene Träume
LP / IKU-052
"It’s said that German philosopher Immanuel Kant hardly ever left
his home town. Yet he managed to pull off some of the most influential
thinking to date. How did he manage to do that? Well, a daily routine
based on reasoning interrupted by long walks did the trick and – voilà! –
another “Critique” was done!
Johannes Schebler’s body of work
released under his Baldruin moniker may not exactly be as groundbreaking
as the old geezer’s from Königsberg, but it’s fair to point out that
his discipline is comparably versed and experienced when it comes to
making his music. During the years past he hardly ever left town,
avoided exhausting and time consuming nonsense such as touring and
instead stayed inside preparing and releasing over a dozen albums since
his first recordings back in 2009. He snuck out for a walk once in a
while – especially to have a cheap lunch or dinner downtown – but other
than that he kept himself busy watching Midnite Movies and messing
around with a myriad of musical instruments. (And yes, an occasional
painting was finished here and there, too!)
In short: Johannes
is quite a regular guy following a well-arranged, unhurried 24/7
routine. Given this almost boring day in, day out one might wonder how
he manages to piece together his colorful, imaginative and meticulously
manufactured sonic miniatures? Well, it’s obviously that kind of
untroubled artistic existence that leads to a mindset to create a
slightly unsettling music quite far from the artist’s own experience.
It’s not real, it’s phantasy. It’s art, it’s entertainment – and it’s
meant to be fun. Keep in mind: Listening to „Vergessene Träume“
(„Forgotten Dreams“) is like visiting a fairground’s Tunnel of Horror or
a field trip to an other-worldly theme park: Tracks like „Begegnung im
Labyrinth” („Encounter in the Maze“) or „Das Mysterium der Kreidefelsen“
(„The Enigma of the Chalk Cliffs“) hint at the playful and surreal
character of the music.
Music that is deeply informed by the
colorful works of composers like Franco Battiato and the iconic and
imaginative horror-movie soundtracks of Goblin („Susperia“) and the
likes. So, don’t mistake Baldruin’s fanciful, vaudevillian approach with
the omnipresent depressive and dystopian post-postmodern aesthetics.
Baldruin’s far from being a bleak bloke and such is his music: It’s the
brainchild of a rich, child-like imagination, a celebration of the
comical ‘n creepy yet life-affirming forces in life. Enjoy the ride!"
Edition of 250 copies.
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PINE SMOKE LODGE
Ex Libris
CS / IKASUS-056
Edition of 51 copies
6 € (+ shipping)
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