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Ghost music that has its roots in the fringes of perception and in the restless pieces of memories. Klimek is Meissner's platform for the exploration of sensations that originate in the experience of homelessness.
In the beginning there is a Middle Eastern Road Movie Soundtrack: sounds between Cairo and Beirut. Then, slowly, the gaze widens and focuses on the "forgotten places at the edge to the globalized world." Stranger than kindness. |
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ALL MUSIC
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Following the elaborate sonic tribute that was the Dedications album, Klimek's return to a full-length effort with Movies Is Magic found the Berlinbased Sebastian Meissner creating perhaps his more elaborate, entrancing release to that point in his career. Beginning with the appropriately titled "Abyss of Anxiety (Unfolding the Magic)," with a looped combination of distorted string samples that sound like they're unraveling over a bottomless pit, Klimek finds a key inspiration in not merely the combination of sonic sources but the way they seem to bleed into each other. The sense of crumbling edges persists throughout Movies Is Magic, a sense of a decaying tape soundtrack with calmer tones and rhythms as a subtle bed, where often the impact is of stark moods (the slow brass moans and squeals on "Greed, Mutation, Betrayal"). The variety of styles throughout prompts any number of fascinating comparisons without sounding like knockoffs -- if the military drums on "True Enemies and False Friends" suggests In the Nursery, for instance, it couldn't be confused with a track by that band in turn. Elsewhere, the cleaner stabs of synth on "Exploding Unbearable Desires," seemingly beamed in from a strange art rock record circa 1982, add a further shimmering unreality to the swell then fall of the whooshing tones and echoed melodica -- as if Vangelis had scored a version of Neuromancer instead of Blade Runner. The sense of classic dub echo and crawl -- but not necessarily threat -- crops up as well in songs like "Pathetic and Dangerous," while "For Whom the Bell Tolls" may not be a Metallica cover but is a striking penultimate song for a remarkable album, one of 2009's most unexpectedly adventurous releases." [Ned Raggett] |
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RESIDENT ADVISOR
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Cinema is the ultimate pervert art," claims Slavoj Žižek, the Slovenian philosopher whose work inspired Klimek's new celluloidobsessed full-length, "it doesn't give you what you desire, it tells you how to desire." Through its tricks and techniques, cinema creates new, unforeseen fantasies, or in other words, as the album title says here, Movies Is Magic. Sebastian Meissner's first album under the Klimek guise since 2007's Dedications, Movies explores the ability of ambient music to participate in the cinematic production of fantasy. Across ten tracks Meissner dissects the body of film music, laying bare its pulpy organs, taking pains to rearrange them into new uncanny forms. The resulting imaginary soundtracks revel in suspense, menace and drama, all those effects that can take an object on the screen and render it mysterious and sublime. All manner of classic film music tropes appear here abstracted into a haunting dreamscape, in which lush layers of sampled instruments move over one another in airy, dynamic interplay. Fluid cascades of woodwinds, brass and strings contain snatches of sound unmoored from melody hanging in space, languid and sensual, before vanishing into silence. Orchestral phrases ebb and flow, calling out to one another across an ethereal space. The prominent use of harmonica on several tunes most explicitly recalls classic Ennio Morricone soundtracks. "Exposed to Life in its Brutal Meaninglessness" and "Exploding Unbearable Desires" both waft across a reddened, arid mesa, evoking a kind of metaphysical spaghetti western, rich in the Texan desolation that backdrops films like No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood. The track titles make up a catalog of dark emotions: confusion, betrayal, lament, anxiety. The tunes they name, however, are as calming as they are unsettling. Take for example, "Greed, Mutation, Betrayal." While a heavy voice intones "I'm a coward, put your knife in me," flamenco horns stretch a single note into a trembling force waiting to explode. Such an atmosphere can work to relieve tension in the listener just as much as it can produce it. Therein lies the compelling force of film music that Klimek so artfully releases from its formal constraints—its ability to cast the listener into deep emotional uncertainty, and at times into ecstatic concisions of pleasure and pain, serenity and horror. Not content to rest on his laurels, Meissner has taken a confident step forward in a new direction. My one minor gripe about the album: The truncation of "True Enemies and False Friends," which lacks the aching horn section on the lengthier "Yesteryears Suite" version included on Kompakt's Pop Ambient 2009. Movies doesn't suffer from this abridgement however, remaining a rewarding, fully-realized contribution to ambient composition." |
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LEBENSLÜGEN / LOHNARBEIT
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Oha, das ist groß, sozusagen Cinemascope, um im Jargon von "Movies is magic", dem soeben erschienenen Album von Klimek zu bleiben. Sebastian Meissner bearbeitet ja ganz unterschiedliche ästhetische Schnittstellen, sei es als Autokontrast, Bizz Circuits, Random Inc. oder Autopoiesis (zusammen mit Ekkehard Ehlers), Klimek ist mir allerdings das liebste seiner Projekte. Dedications (2007) war ein großer Wurf, ich wurde vom Freund zum Fan, lag und hörte, wanderte und hörte, fuhr Zug und hörte, und: machte mir Gedanken über Referenz und die Begleitumstände. Ich dachte, es ginge um ein Spiel: um eine Verbindung von U- und E-Musik (For James Hall & Curt Kirkwood), um die Spannung zwischen privaten und öffentlichen Familienbildern (For Zofia Klimek & Gregory Crewdson), um den Unterschied zwischen Fläche und Beat (For William Basinski & Snoop Dogg) oder um Differenzen im Kunst-machen (For Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan). Ich dachte: vielleicht sind diese Oppositionen nur Platzhalter. Ablenkungsmanöver. Wirkungsmächtige ebensolche, klar. Denn Ikonen sind immer phantasmagorisch aufgeladen, stehen nicht nur für sich selbst, sondern transportieren immer auch Ideale und Phantasien einer Kultur, zeichnen sich auch dadurch aus, dass sie zwar relativ spezielle Assoziationsfelder eröffnen, meist jedoch in ihrer Bedeutung nicht rigide abgrenzbar sind. Stars, Sternen und Gestrirnen - darüber sind sich Kulturwissenschaftler und Astrologen einig - haftet immer etwas unscharfes, verschwommenes an, und zwar in dem Sinne, dass sie nie nur eine ganz spezielle und festgelegte Bedeutung transportieren, sondern immer einen gewissen Deutungs(spiel)raum eröffnen. Vielleicht, so dachte ich, geht um ein Spiel mit Phantasmen, mit unscharfen Zuweisungen. Darum, Dinge zum schwingen zu bringen. Ich denke das noch immer. Jetzt also Kino. Da waren wir ja schon fast, im letzten Stück von Dedications (Spielberg, El-Hassan). Und der Trailer verspricht episches (Abyss Of Anxiety (Unfolding The Magic)): Die Eröffnung eines Raumes, der doch keiner ist, keiner sein will: Im Kino ist der Kinosaal nicht existent, zumindest nicht als wahrnehmbarer Ort (es sei denn der Film taugt nicht oder die Nebensitzer stören). Auch Filmmusik nimmt gerne einen Platz zwischen den Welten ein. Anwesend und abwesend zugleich. Immer dann am stäksten, wenn nicht als Musik wahrgenommen. Das ist hier freilich anders. Hier ist die Musik Grund. Vordergrund und Hintergrund zugleich. Und auch hier gibt es Bilder, auch dann, wenn man das Klischee des Kopfkinos vermeiden möchte. "Exposed to Life in it's brutal meaninglessness" oder "For whom the bell tolls". Erinnerungsbilder. Sehnsuchtsaufnahmen. Movies never made. Groß. Platte des Jahres, vielleicht (Slayer nicht vergessen)" |
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BOOMKAT
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Lifting its title from a Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks song from their 1995 album, Orange Crate Art, the new Klimek album engages with that age-old idea of creating soundtracks for films that don't exist. The actual track titles themselves reveal inspiration has been taken from famed film theorist and philosopher Slavoj Zizek, with feelgood names like 'Exposed to Life In Its Brutal Meaninglessness' littered ambiguously throughout the sequence. The musical content seems largely detached from whatever suggestions these titles actually prompt, instead playing against the pre-conceptions of what we expect from film soundtracks - often by integrating sliced up field recordings and location sound with digitally dissected orchestral figures. The customary levels of depth and sonic richness you'd expect from a Sebastian Meissner production are abundant throughout Movies Is Magic, although there's a knowingly 'meta' approach to its cinematic soundscaping that makes you very aware of its processes; this isn't so much a suite of film music as it is an electroacoustic project about film music in general. Meissner strives to evoke images with acousmatic sound rather than accompany existing ones, and in this pursuit he proves highly successful, immersing the listener in a sound world that's populated by menacingly veiled environmental details and the dangerous faux-romanticism of orchestral syrup." |
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CYCLIG DEFROST
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "The work of Sebastian Meissner has increasingly veered from the subtly ambient into the lushly cinematic, so this examination of sound and film is hardly a surprise. Aside from the Kompakt-friendly work produced as Klimek, he’s also released processed field recordings of Jerusalem under the name Random Inc, glitchy machine rhythms as Bizz Circuits and abstract locked grooves with Ekkehard Ehlers as Autopoesies, and it’s these latter guises that seem most relevant here. Movies is Magic is his most detailed and absorbing work to date, and one of the finest releases of the year. Crucially, Meissner is not concerned here with merely re-contextualising film samples; rather, as the title implies, Movies is Magicexplores the manipulative power of sound in film, Meissner performing similar feats on his listeners. Familiar sensations are evoked through the employment of sound/music vaguely associated with stock genres and settings, yet divorced from image or, more significantly, context, having your emotions callously shoved about like this is particularly unnerving. Referential samples show up – the rattly ‘western’ spurs of ‘Pathetic and Dangerous’, for example, and the portentous clanging bell on ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ – but these are rare, Meissner preferring to focus on melody, built largely from strings, warped into murky, richly nuanced drones. There’s also an Eisensteinian knack for montage, with frequent shifts in tone that are dramatic but never abrupt. ‘Exploding Unbearable Desires’ starts out in bucolic John Ford country, windswept harmonica drifting over a barren expanse, but imperceptibly we find ourselves in outer space, with the cold tones and cosmic pulses of science fiction. ‘Greed, Mutation, Betrayal’ uses sparring trumpets similarly to his opener ‘True Enemies and False Friends’ for Pop Ambient 2009, yet here they dissolve into a bizarre John Carpenter electro jam, with mumbled noir narration recalling ‘Lost Highway’. Indeed, David Lynch is the most obvious referent throughout, arguably the director to most fully exploit the manipulative potential of sound in film, much of Movies is Magic thick with Lynchian sound-design menace. Meissner’s music is richer, however, and the mood more ambivalent. ‘Sound of Confusion’ mysteriously evokes the poignancy of parting in a Melville detective drama, muddy strings rolled into flickering waves of sadness, while opener ‘Abyss of Anxiety’ seems to capture all the dreams and fears that the silver screen purports to offer: vast swathes of sound collapsing into a gorgeous sunburnt haze, atop of which Disney’s Tinkerbell sprinkles trails of pixie-dust. For all of the convincing conceptual grit, Movies is Magic is ceaselessly beautiful, as intoxicating as the cinema itself, an incredible trip into dark and dizzying imagined worlds." [Joshua Meggitt] |
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DATA BLOEM
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Like an orchestra restructured in the digital domain, the remnants at the core of each piece on Movies is Magic lend themselves less to conservatory comparisons than filmic ones. Ambiences reside inside, but are never left untouched or undeveloped, subverting expectations and leaving trails of themselves long after each song ends. Large, picturesque settings produce emotionally compelling mini-narratives, while warm, open progressions balance with the multi-layered shadows that are expected from a Klimek album. A careful percussive phrase, the occasional menacing horn, a tentatively sustained tone, or renching vocal murmur arrange these pieces between intersecting musical camps, while rustling backgrounds creep up to remind one where they stand. The material is the product of a variety of allegiances and alliances: from soundtracks to the range of electro-acoustic and electronic sensibilities that produce such works as these, the multiples of moods and directions all further the frame of the project and the Klimek sound." |
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NORMAN RECORDS
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Sebastian Meissner is Klimek and he makes wonderful ambient music that leans somewhat towards the darkside and has lush modern classical flourishes. At times I'm reminded of early Murcof. There's some real drama and feeling coming through the strings. I even get distant dub and even jazz elements coming through. I looked at his page on Discogs and there was a picture of him looking well hard with a sling shot and another of him with a massive dog that looks like a wolf. So I'm going to say nice things about his CD in case he shoots me up with his weapon and then covers me in dog food and sets his dog on me. This is the greatest record of all time. Seriously though this is really good stuff and if you liked 'Dedications' then 'Movies In Magic' is well worth investigation. Out on Anticipate." |
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THE SILENT BALLET
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Borrowing a cheeky title from a 1995 Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks release, Sebastian Meissner (aka Klimek) has released an album that concerns itself with the fascinating world of film music in all its guises. This isn’t a soundtrack, but rather a cinematic exploration of the uses and power of music when put with pictures. Meissner has set himself a daunting task: to create cinematic sounds to a film that doesn’t exist. This slight disadvantage holds no fear, and by fusing traditional approaches with thoroughly modern techniques, Movies is Magic takes the listener on an emotional rollercoaster that only the finest films can match. Perhaps it was hasty to suggest that having no film to match the music to would be a disadvantage. Over the ten tracks of Movies is Magic, Klimek weaves such an eclectic collage of tones and imagery that it would be impossible to imagine any movie that would be able to match such a diverse plot. Invoking desolate westerns and terrifying thrillers, and inspiring hopeful beauty and insightful reflection, the freedom of not having a template with which to match the sound is very much to the album’s benefit. It also means there is no association or fixed reference for the listener, leaving one free to conjure up whatever fascinating imagery the music is bound to evoke. Often described as an “ambient pioneer,” Klimek’s music has perhaps now become too focused and complex to be truly described as ambient. Since shifting from the legendary Kompakt label to Anticipate, Meissner has broadened his musical palate to incorporate more styles and approaches. Here there is a truly orchestral feel that lends the music that traditional, grandiose cinematic sensation. Strings and brass are used often, sometimes processed and sometimes accompanied with modern electronics, heightening the sense of the traditional meeting the modern. Dedications, his first release on Anticipate, was an album that drew inspiration from Meissner’s heroes from all walks of life. In many ways, Movies is Magic feels like a continuation of “For Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan,” Dedications’ dramatic closing piece. Movies is Magic builds on the ideas laid out on that track and also takes inspiration from the film theorist Slavoj Zizek. The track titles are the most obvious evidence of Zizek’s influence, each piece christened with descriptive and suggestive names (“Exploding Unbearable Desires,” “Greed, Mutation, Betrayal”). One would reasonably assume that these names would be in sync with the mood and theme of its composition, however this is not always the case. “Sound of Confusion,” for example, suggests an intoxicating and disorientating experience, but turns out to be perhaps the most reflective and meditative piece, all gentle strings and light drones. Elsewhere, however, the titles are bang on the money. “Greed, Mutation, Betrayal” is a pretty twisted and unsettling name for a song, and the music itself only confirms this analysis. Kicking off with a dark, menacing beat that reverberates in the background, it is soon joined by mocking off-kilter trumpet sounds that burst through and take centre stage. If the intention is to unsettle the listener, then Klimek succeeds with ease. Electronic beeps enter, along with a truly disturbing vocal component. At first it is difficult to make out what is being said; a deep, dark, European voice mutters something sinister. When the actual words are uncovered the listener will wish he'd remained ignorant — “I’m a coward, put your knife in me.” What that means and why this character is goading the listener into stabbing him is unknown, but it certainly disturbed me to my very core. Each of the ten compositions on display wields a similar power, which is that they evoke emotion and mood with startling power. Luckily none are quite so mentally crippling as “Greed…,” but we are treated to brooding confidence in the jazz-flavored “Pathetic and Dangerous,” whimsy and terror in equal measure on “Exploding Unbearable Desires,” and solemnity and sorrow on the beautiful album closer “Tears of Happiness (dismissed into mundanity).” As I mentioned at the outset, this album is something of a rollercoaster ride. What Meissner does well is to balance the wave of emotions; just when we've settled into something calming, the mood will turn and proceed to unsettle the audience. Once thoroughly unsettled, we are then considerately soothed again, only to be further provoked. It may be an exhausting experience, but the journey is well worth it. It is important to recognize that great music needs to be able to stand for itself when separated from its concept. If a piece of music can only exist when considered in relation to the ideas behind it, it ceases to become music and is itself a mere concept. It is fascinating to know and (try) to understand what the artist is thinking behind their work (Meissner even provides an essay to aid the listener is this quest), but at the end of the day music is a personal experience. Strip away the concept and Movies is Magic remains an enthralling listen. Such is the emotional depth and variety of mood, the album could be about almost anything and it would still make that personal connection to the listener. This is thought provoking music, music that doesn’t require the listener to have a strong understanding of the theories of Zizek to enjoy." [Matt Fernell] |
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AKNOWLEDGED CLASSIC
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "The opening track to Kompakt's Pop Ambient 2009 compilation, available here, appears in abridged form on Klimek's masterful new record, "Movies Is Magic." The album cut lacks the gorgeous, elegaic horns that intone here as if from across a great expanse, like the sound of distant vikings blowing into hollow tusks. As you might gather, "Movies is Magic" is suffused with all manner of soundtracky scraps, which Klimek has with great agility and sophistication allowed to breathe, ebb and flow like cosmic Morricone. "Movies is Magic" has been awarded the Pleasant Cubicle award for Best New Work Music by A/C/K/C/L" |
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LAUT.DE
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Dem Frankfurter Produzenten Sebastian Meissner, alias Klimek, eine Nähe zum Film zu attestieren, ist alles andere als eine Überraschung. Seit seinen ersten Releases hat er in seinen Tracks immer wieder Bezugspunkte zu den visuellen Künsten gesucht und herausgearbeitet. Mit "Movies Is Magic" geht er dieser Leidenschaft für Bilder einmal mehr nach. Mit den zehn Ambient-Tracks seines neuen Albums stößt Klimek den Zuhörern die Tür zu seinen eigenen Bildwelten auf. Das nervöse Flimmern der Streichersätze von "Abyss Of Anxiety" eröffnet das inzwischen vierte Album, das Meissner unter seinem Alias Klimek veröffentlicht. Die ersten beiden Longplayer "Milk & Honey" und "Music To Fall Asleep" aus den Jahren 2004 und 2006 sind auf Kompakt erschienen. Mit seinem dritten Album "Dedications" wechselte er im Jahr darauf zum New Yorker Label Anticipate Recordings. Auf dem weithin unbekannten Imprint erscheint jetzt mit "Movies Is Magic" auch der neue Longplayer des Frankfurter Produzenten. In seinen Stücken greift Klimek ein ums andere Mal auf 'Found'-Sounds zurück. Diese Umweltgeräusche integriert er in seine Tracks und gibt diesen dadurch eine natürliche Tiefe, die den bildhaften Charakter des Albums noch intensivieren. Dieses atmosphärische Klangdesign, das sich deutlich hörbar in der Tradition der Musique Concrète bewegt, ist eine der großen Stärken von Meissner. Sehr filigran geht er dabei zu Werke, vermeidet es aber, den beabsichtigten Effekt zu überziehen und behält dabei stets das Gesamtkonzept der Tracks im Auge. Deren Grundstruktur ist das Loop. "Movies Is Magic" kann man auch als handwerklich sehr geschickt vorgetragenes Spiel mit den Möglichkeiten von Loops begreifen. Tracks wie "Greed, Mutation, Betrayel" führen es in all seiner Vielschichtigkeit vor und zeigen, wieviel Spannung und Abwechslung sich durch die variantenreichen Wiederholung derselben Grundmuster erzeugen lassen. Soundästhetiker dürften an solchen Tracks ihre Freude haben. Für sie ist "Movies Is Magic" ein Album, das mit Ideen ganz und gar nicht geizt. Freunde von Soundtracks kommen hier ebenfallls voll auf ihre Kosten, auch wenn man sich manchmal wünscht, Klimek hätte auf einer DVD gleich noch die passenden Bilder zu seiner Musik mitgeliefert." |
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PLAYGROUND MAG
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Sebastian Meissner no engaña y va de cara: “Movies Is Magic” lo tiene todo que ver con la música para cine. Es un concepto tan antiguo como el “Music For Films” de Brian Eno, que no era música escrita para películas, sino pensando en la idea de que pudiera ser algún día utilizada en ellas. Es lo que hemos conocido durante años como “bandas sonoras imaginarias”, música que piensa en el cine para ser únicamente música pero con una plástica, un humor y una evocación que sólo se consigue de la fusión de sonido e imagen. La imagen aquí, por supuesto, se la tiene que imaginar uno/a en la cabezas, mientras que del sonido se encarga con la eficacia de siempre el alemán Klimek, que no baja la guardia y a cada nuevo disco consigue que su ambient suene más avanzado y depurado: le ha venido muy bien irse de Kompakt, donde los discos de ambient solían ser más dulzones y sin riesgo, chill out de calidad pero de algodón. Desde que fichó por Anticipate –sello del asombroso Ezekiel Honig, catedrático del post-glitch aplicado a un ambient preñado de misterio y vanguardia–, el hombre ha dejado de lado la bombona de oxígeno y se ha dedicado a contaminar su propio aire. Lo que era antes ambient para tirarse en el sofá y dormirse, ahora es para tirarse en el mismo mueble y toser, angustiarse, llorar y dormir, también, pero sin garantía de sueño dulce. Explica Klimek que “Movies Is Magic” pretende razonar el soundtrack: “su propósito, su significado, sus usos”. Para él, es el subrayado de una experiencia, una acentuación, un querer remarcarla. Cuando vemos películas en las que la música juega un papel principal, casi siendo tan crucial como el buen enfoque de la lente o una actuación extraordinaria por parte de los protagonistas, la primera descarga eléctrica nos llega a la piel creando una emoción: te conmueve, te asusta, te hace reír. El álbum, pues, expone pasajes de sonido puro y en bruto, almidinado con cuerdas, breves pinchazos de percusión o notas de piano sintetizado, para conseguir todos esos efectos, uno tras otro. ¿Un ejercicio tramposo? En cierto modo sí, porque Klimek sabe cómo manipular los resortes del arrebatamiento y en todo momento consigue crear una reacción sin que sea posible por parte del oyente escapar al movimiento de los hilos del titiritero –a menos, claro está, que el susodicho tenga el corazón de piedra y menos sensibilidad que un poste de telégrafo–. Los títulos de cada pieza hay que leerlos, pues, en consonancia con lo que transmiten. “Pathetic And Dangerous”, tomemos por caso: sonido de cadenas que se arrastran, notas ampliadas con eco y fondo de tormenta a punto de rugir; ayuda a imaginar un personaje rebajado, humillado, a punto de ser descabezado en la guillotina (por ejemplo), y de ahí la sensación de pena y peligro. Klimek, por tanto, la clava: no sólo sabe crear la sensación sino que acierta a la hora de explicarla con palabras (lo antes dicho por él: propósito, significado, uso). O escuchemos “A Lament”, que es doliente como una Pasión, y que sigue la línea antes explorada por el propio Klimek en “Dedications” (Anticipate, 2007), aquel disco que le acercó al ambient con intención neoclásica al estilo de Ekkehard Ehlers: turbiedad, ponzoña de corazón, pornografía del alma (lo que nos gusta). Hay más ejemplos logrados: “For Whom The Bells Toll”, que anuncia la llegada de la muerte, o “Abyss Of Anxiety (Unfolding The Magic)”, extraordinario comienzo del que se sale boqueando por la ventana pidiendo aire, o “Tears Of Happiness (Dismissed Into Mundanity)”, un final aplastante, condensación de la doble idea de hundimiento y felicidad que flota por todo el álbum y que certifica el envidiable estado de forma de Klimek. Para conseguir este limbo de encantamiento que un poco más y concluye en infarto, hay que ser bueno. Demasiado, incluso. [Javier Blánquez] |
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TEXTURA
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "The good news first: no shuddering guitars! The potential corner that Sebastian Meissner was threatening to paint himself into with the first two Klimek albums (Milk & Honey and Music to Fall Asleep, both on Kompakt) has all but been effaced by his two Anticipate releases, 2007's Dedications and now Movies is Magic (the grammatically-challenged title actually comes from a song title on Orange Crate Art, the 1995 album by Brian Wilson and Van Dyke Parks). Long gone are the ambient meditations of those initial releases, and in their place are mini-soundtracks of immense instrumental scope. Swathes of orchestral elements re-combine in the digital domain, the ghostly elements severed from their film-based origins and reconfigured in the service of new electro-acoustic narratives. If there's a prevailing mood, it's one of oppressive despair and dread — no one will mistake these five-minute pieces for bucolic reveries; instead, many of them feel like sonic exercises in film noir distilled into five-minute form. A swelling orchestral mass of strings, horns, and percussion coaxes into being film noir melodrama in “Abyss of Anxiety (Unfolding the Magic),” and noir-like too is “Greed, Mutation, Betrayal,” whose combination of stalker voice-over (“put your knife in me” is one charming tidbit) and muted trumpets exudes a diseased bite reminiscent of Barry Adamson's own filmic constructions. At the beginning of “Exploding Unbearable Desires,” the clouds part on a tranquil morning, the mood so serene one imagines the music as an accompaniment to Murnau's Sunrise, before the skies darken and the storm advances. “A Lament” reads more like a cryptic tour through a newly uncovered torture chamber than a lament in any traditional sense of the word (the stringdrenched “Sound of Confusion” comes closer to realizing that emotion in sound). Prodded into motion by tambourine rattles and martial drumming, “Pathetic and Dangerous” crawls like an army battalion of soldiers and tanks bracing themselves for the ambush that's sure to come, while “Exposed to Life in its Brutal” similarly trudges like some wounded monstrosity, its acoustic bass accents and gong strikes punctuated by triangle tinkles. “For Whom the Bells Toll” conveys some hint of the Spanish Civil War setting of Hemingway's novel (even if its title slightly differs from Klimek's), after which “Tears of Happiness (Dismissed into Mundanity)” lifts the black veil for five minutes of rain-soaked melancholy. In hindsight, it appears that Dedications' final track, “For Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan,” already was hinting at the direction its follow-up would take. And the bad news? Well, there really isn't any, unless one counts the general absence of uplift as a negative. Probably the best thing about the release is that, much like its predecessor, Movies is Magic opens up the future possibilities of Meissner's Klimek project rather than limits it." |
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SOUND OF MUSIC
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Forne Kompakt- och Mille Plateaux -artisten Klimek (Sebastian Meissner) stämmer med sitt nya album Movies Is Magic upp en hyllningskör till filmen, och då framförallt filmmusiken med stark betoning på två utav genrens stora läromästare. Meissner, som gått från klarhet till klarhet genom att blanda ut sina laptopknaster och ambienta ljudlandskap med mer levande instrumentala inslag, ämnar här anspela på etablerade föreställningar kring vad begreppet filmmusik innefattar. Det är ett på många vis ambitiöst, om än redan genomfört, anslag. Samtidigt finns här en förhållandevis outforskad metanivå i och med att Meissner utnyttjar en vedertagen estetik i syfte både förvränga och utforska filmmusikens inneboende struktur. Det handlar om att skala av en inom genren immanent överdådighet av uppvridna emotionella uttryck och istället fokusera på en mer atmosfärisk, spatial om man så vill, kärna. Meissner närmar sig denna kärna genom att i olika spår ta fasta på specifika element ur filmmusikens estetik och låta dessa förvrängas och liksom ätas upp av elektroakustiska effekter och ljudmattor. Dessa specifika element kan härstamma ur alltifrån expressiva stråkpartier till nautiskt instrumentala ljudmiljöer. De två kanske tydligaste referenserna är Vangelis och Ennio Morricone – båda med ett utstuderat och i många fall briljant förhållningssätt till rumsliga, kulturella och narrativa stämningar. Ett illustrerande exempel är spåret "True Enemies and False Friends" som på karaktäristiskt Morricone-manér inleds med behärskade marschtrummor, ödesladdade stråkar och monotona pianotoner för att sedan loopas och byggas ut med stilmässigt homogena effekter och fonetiska cut-ups. Resultatet i övrigt är tämligen brokigt och kvalitetsmässigt ojämnt om än stundtals fascinerande. Det finns även ett antal riktigt vackra avsnitt där dramatiskt laddade instrumentala partier bryts ned till monotona men stämningsfulla upprepningar, spräckligt ärglagda med ett mischmasch av effekter och fältinspelningar. Dock intar Meissners kompositioner stundtals en naiv, nästan spekulativ, utstyrsel. Det är som om den visuella dimension som spelar en helt avgörande roll i filmens tonsättning här helt förbises. Det är en lek med ett uttryck som på många vis reducerar uttryckets själva innebörd snarare än att utforska det. Att vissa stycken därtill präglas av vissa kvalitetsmässiga brister, med torftiga effekter och syntljud som på ett missgynnsamt vis skär sig med mer genomarbetade instrumentala inslag, bidrar därmed till produktionens relativt aningslösa framtoning. Movies Is Magics konceptuella utformning präglar således Meissners kompositioner i två huvudsakliga avseenden: Den är dels grunden till ett kreativt värde där filmmusikens laddade estetik kan manipuleras och accentueras i ett nytt sken, men utgör samtidigt projektets svagaste punkt i och med att den på ett stundtals smärtsamt vis illustrerar Meissners naiva förtjusning inför ett i flera avseenden komplext musikaliskt uttryck. Movies Is Magic hade kunnat belysa filmmusikens mångbottnade natur på ett både kreativt och värdefullt vis, men bottnar dessvärre inte riktigt i sitt eget teoretiserande och resulterar istället en kompott av både skönhet och estetiska floskler." |
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LAURENT GARNIER
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "The dark soundtrack for this coming winter . Enigmatic and simply stunning." |
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NOWA MUZYKA
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Sebastian Meissner mierzy się z soundtrackami – i to z ciekawym skutkiem Idea tworzenia muzyki do wyimaginowanych filmów jest już tak wyeksploatowana przez elektronicznych twórców, iż wydawałoby się, że żaden artsyta przy zdrowych zmysłach już jej nie podejmie. A jednak – kolejny swój album zrealizowany pod pseudonimem Klimek, niemiecki producent polskiego pochodzenia, Sebastian Meissner, postanowił poświęcić nieistniejącym soundtrackom. Już na pierwszej płycie tego projektu, „Milk & Honey”, wydanej w 2004 roku przez Kompakt, pojawiły się krótkie i zwięzłe miniatury o elektroakustycznym brzmieniu, które poprzez wykorzystane w nich charakterystyczne dźwięki „pustynnej” gitary, przywodziły na myśl ścieżki dźwiękowe do filmów „Paris Texas” i „Truposz” w wykonaniu Ry Coodera i Neila Younga. Wraz z „Movies Is Magic” Klimek powraca do podobnej tematyki – choć tym razem sięga po zupełnie odmienne środki artystyczne. Zawartość muzyczna albumu balansuje bowiem pomiędzy ambientem a neoklasyką. A decyduje o tym przede wszystkim wykorzystanie instrumentów smyczkowych. Sample ich dźwięków pojawiają się od razu w dwóch pierwszych nagraniach – „Abyss Of Anxiety (Unfolding The Magic)” i „Expose To Life In It`s Brutal Meaninglessness”. Wpisane w chrzęszczące efekty spod znaku glitch i przestrzenne smugi o ambientowym sznycie, tworzą one specyficzny nastrój – niepokojący, dramatyczny, odsyłający do klasyki filmowego horroru. Zupełnie inaczej wypadają smyczki, które słyszymy w „True Enemies And False Friends” i „Sound Of Confusion”. W pierwszym utworze rozlewają się one szerokim strumieniem jasnych tonów, podszyte przez soczyste partie dęciaków i perkusyjne werble rodem z nawiedzonej sali balowej. Drugie nagranie to bliski klasycznym produkcjom Gasa koloński ambient, któremu romantyczny klimat nadają właśnie instrumenty smyczkowe. Z jazzu Klimek zapożycza dźwięki trąbki. Stanowią one wstęp do masywnego dubstepu w „Greed, Mutation, Betreyal”. Osadzone na podłamanym bicie i uzupełnione samplem głosu Michaela Giry z utworu „Coward” grupy Swans, układają się w mroczny poemat dźwiękowy o beatnikowym rycie. Podobnie wypada oparty na jazzowych werblach i głębokim pochodzie kontrabasu „Pathetic And Dangerous” – z tym, że wprowadzony w tkankę kompozycji natarczywie grzechoczący tamburyn, przenosi nas tutaj w czasy hipisowskiej psychodelii, choćby tej uwiecznionej przez Antonioniego w „Zabrskie Point”. Nowym motywem w twórczości Klimka są dubowe dźwięki. Oto w „Exploding Unbearable Desires” pojawia się egzotyczna melodika, którą co chwila zalewają gęste fale posklejanych z sampli basów i bębnów, by w pewnym momencie ustąpić miejsca rwanym akordom o jamajskim (a może berlińskim) rodowodzie. Dubowe pogłosy słychać także w dwóch finałowych produkcjach – „For Whom The Bells Toll” i „Tears Of Happiness (Dismissed Into Mundanity)”. W pierwszym stanowią uzupełnienie dla smutno dźwięczącego dzwonka, a w drugim – dla zaszumionych pasaży onirycznych klawiszy, w które wpleciony zostaje przetworzony studyjnymi pogłosami ludzki śmiech. Niekonwencjonalne podejście do filmowej tematyki, objawiające się intrygującym zestawem dźwiękowych pomysłów, sprawia, że „Movies Is Magic” wydaje się być najciekawszą płytą w dorobku Klimka. Może nie tak przystępną, jak „Milk & Honey” czy tak przyjemną, jak „Music To Fall Asleep”, ale znacznie bogatszą aranżacyjnie i brzmieniowo." |
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AQUARIUS RECORDS
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Washed out, hazy, dreamy, shimmery, warm, droney, otherworldly, gauzy, ethereal, all perfectly describe a microgenre we've come to love, called simply Pop Ambient. A techno subgenre, that essentially removed the beats from electronic music, leaving just the shadows, the outlines, the colors, loosed from the stricture of rhythm (for the most part), those colors and moods and textures are free to seep and bleed and drift and vaporize, into whirring soft focus streaks of blurred, almost new age-y ambience. A sound that various other music makers have definitely referenced, Jeck, Tim Hecker, the Fun Years, anyone creating haunting drone music or textured minimalism, will no doubt find themselves drifting into a certain sort of pop ambience. But it seems, that pop ambience has a certain warmth, not quite sunshine-y, but definitely a glow, the imbues the majority of that music with a dreamlike luminescence. While the other folks traffic in something much darker, and while their sound may touch on pop ambience, it remains in the realm of the black, the grey, the sonic underworld. Weirdly enough, we do find ourselves wondering about a pop ambience that was, well, less glowing, more ominous, something darker and more sinister, that could somehow remain ambient pop, without slipping into something else, into dronemusic, or some sort of minimal noisemusic. Strange that it would come from Klimek, who is responsible for some of the dreamiest prettiest pop ambient music we've heard, but Movies Is Magic, Klimek's 'film music' record, is in fact that rare beast, a gorgeous slab of pop ambience, that seethes with tension and emotion and drama, sure it shimmers and glistens, but it also creeps and hums ominously, drones are layered and pulled taut, melodies are minor key and are wrapped around looped cycling strings, field recordings, voices, organic instruments, all woven into Klimek's constantly mutating noir soundscape. Gorgeous and haunting, these tracks evoke everyone from Bohren, to Autechre, Philip Jeck to Pole, Barry Adamson to Oval, this record would be a perfect fit for Kompakt if it weren't so dark, or Chain Reaction if there were some beats, instead, it exists in some strange rain soaked constant midnight nether region, the pop dialed way back, as is the ambience, this is anything but placid, or calm, this music is alive, crackling with dark energy, tense, and intense, very evocative and textural and moody. The songs are quite varied, but work perfectly together as a whole. Dark moaning horns surface here and there, Bernard Herrmann strings everywhere, the occasional skittery snare, rubbery bass, everything woven and smeared and layered, woozy and dreamlike, a few of the tracks sound all rural, a bit Morricone-ish and Western, subtly twangy with reverbed harmonica, others drift into flute flecked almost Kitaro sounding new age-y flutter, beneath a murmur of rainfall, disembodied reverbed voices, murky percussion, and hazy looped melodies. Here and there, the record does get all dubby, with little synth stabs, and careening not-quite beats, all wrapped in whir, and exuding a serious sonic import, sometimes sounding almost sinister, but just as often pulling back into something much more melodic and mysterious, straddling the line between lush drift and blackened beauty. Movies Is Magic is our new late night chill out drift off soundtrack, and should certainly appeal to folks who like us maybe always fantasized about a little darkness in their ambient drift. And folks into dark drone music, black ambience, and soundtrack music, might find this the perfect gateway to the fuzzy dreamy drifty world of pop ambience.." |
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DE:BUG
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Bei Klimek, also Sebastian Meissner, schmilzt man immer dahin. Ist eh klar. Vor allem nach seinem sensationellen “Dedications”- Album. Jetzt geht es um Film. Aber ehrlich gesagt: Klimek ist auf all seinen Tracks immer so überbordend direkt, dass das Thema einen gar nicht zu interessieren braucht. Was uns mitnimmt, ist das hintergründige Glitzern, das in jedem Stück gut hörbar durchschimmert, aber eben doch im Hintergund bleibt. Im Zentrum stehen vielschichtige Arrangements, die in wahnwitziger Geschwindigkeit immer wieder die Farbe wechslen können. Und eine Grobkörnigkeit, die nicht nur der cineastischen Kakophonie alle Ehre macht, die hier stellenweise herrscht, sondern sowieso genau das widerspiegelt, was wir auf der Leinwand des Laptops suchen. Anstatt labbrige Haydn-Coverversionen zu releasen, sollte sich die Deutsche Grammophon lieber mal das hier anhören." |
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OTHER MUSIC
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Over a handful of albums, German producer Sebastian Meissner has perfected his craft and honed a style that can best be described as truly his own. His last album, Dedications (also on the Anticipate label), was the pinnacle of his output, showing the emotional depth of his stuttering guitar-based ambience and garnering Meissner a well-deserved amount of attention. Since that record (which revealed a love of cinema in its 'dedications'), Meissner has clearly dived head-first into the silver screen, and this album (humorously named after a Brian Wilson/Van Dyke Parks collaboration) is no doubt a step forward in his style. The signature warble of time-stretched guitar is all but gone, and in its place are luxurious strings and orchestral flourishes taken from the golden age of cinema. While cinematic music, and especially music written for an as-yet-unwritten movie, is something of a cliché at the moment, Meissner avoids stepping into the usual tracks and arrives on a body of astoundingly affecting pieces. His music takes cues from Gas and Deaf Center, yet is neither as beat-laden nor as dark as either respectively -- rather, this is a contemporary view of movies past. There might not be the familiar crackle of the old movie soundtrack, but the nostalgia and warmth are present within each and every piece on the record. Meissner has managed to imbue his pieces with all this without losing the sense that Movies Is Magic is still most importantly a Klimek record, and it might just be his most developed album to date. There is certainly a depth and complexity to the production that I haven't heard before from his work, and I'm sure time will reveal just how gorgeous the pieces really are." |
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FAT ROLAND
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Klimek also throws an album at us this week, in the expansive shape of Movies Is Magic. It's filmic. Crikes, I've called Klimek 'filmic' before, but that's the whole point of this album. The idea of producing an album of cinematic audio vistas is not new - just ask David Holmes - but this is epic stuff. It's pretty much what I imagine it's like to hear the whole universe at once. Tracks like Pathetic And Dangerous and the fabulously-titled Exposed To Life In It's Brutal Meaninglessness sway and wash against the surround-sound speakers. Others, such as opener Abyss Of Anxiety (Unfolding The Magic), are darker, danker, and much less multiplex, giving this album much more crunch than ambient music often offers." |
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TAZ
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Sebastian Meissner mag Filme. Diese Leidenschaft lebt der Produzent mit den vielen Pseudonymen (unter anderem Autokontrast, Open Source, Random Industries) am hemmungslosesten unter dem Namen Klimek aus. Auf seinem aktuellen Album "Movies is Magic" wird die Vorliebe zum Programm. Klimeks Musik klingt wie der Soundtrack zu Filmen, deren Bilder im eigenen Kopf entstehen. Mit den sparsamen Mitteln des Ambient - fragil-luftige Strukturen auf Loop-Basis - legt er Streicher-, Bläser- und Umweltklänge übereinander, um dramatische Geschichten zu erzählen, die unheimlich, sehnsuchtsvoll oder bedrohlich wirken. Dass man von seiner Musik trotz aller Reduziertheit und mantrahaften Wiederholungen nicht kaltgelassen wird, hat viel mit der Tiefe zu tun, die sich in Klimeks Stücken auftut. Wie in einer komponierten Bildeinstellung sind die verschiedenen Elemente sorgsam im Raum verteilt: ein paar Instrumente im Vordergrund, andere agieren weiter entfernt, und ganz hinten bewegt sich auch etwas, das man gerade soeben bemerkt. Wo es das Drehbuch verlangt, kommen vereinzelt Beats und Stimmen zum Einsatz. "Movies is Magic" ist die zweite Klimek-Platte, die beim New Yorker Label Anticipate erscheint, auf dem unter anderem auch Firmenchef Ezekiel Honig eigene großartige Ambient-Musik veröffentlicht. Kino geht auch ohne Augen." |
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PHONICA RECORDS
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "German ambient pioneer Klimek has been releasing acclaimed albums on respected labels for a number of years and is a regular contributor to Kompakt’s superlative ‘Pop Ambient’ series. The CD comes packaged with a 14 x 9 fold-out poster with an alternate cover photo image. Movies is Magic deals both directly and peripherally with ideas of film music: its purpose, its meaning, its uses. Like an orchestra restructured in the digital domain, the remnants at the core of each piece lend themselves less to conservatory comparisons than filmic ones. The material is the product of a variety of allegiances and alliances: from soundtracks to the range of electro-acoustic and electronic sensibilities that produce such works as these. Ambiences reside inside, but are never left untouched or undeveloped, subverting expectations and leaving trails of themselves long after each song ends. Large, picturesque settings produce emotionally compelling mini-narratives,while warm, open progressions balance with the multi-layered shadows that are expected from a Klimek album." |
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METRO TIMES DETROID
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Klimek continued on his alternately grimy, haunting and beautiful journey through the ambient ghetto of the imagination on his Slavoj Zizek/Van Dyke Parks/Brian Wilson-inspired Movies is Magic LP." [Walter Wasacz] |
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PAGINA 12
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Klimek, Movies is Magic (Anticipate) El polaco Sebastian Meissner es uno de los grandes exponentes del ambient. Esta vez apuesta a crear música para películas imaginarias y provoca emociones tan inquietantes como placenteras." |
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VICE
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "An Super-Downtime-Platten wie dieser kann man nur Gefallen finden, wenn man gerade eine Flasche Campari gesoffen hat und sich im Anschluss an die Beerdigung eines engen Familienmitgliedes in einer Pfütze aus Tränen und Erbrochenem wälzt. Falls du also nicht vorhast, demnächst jemand aus dem Kreise deiner Liebsten ins Jenseits zu befördern, überleg dir lieber, ob du hier reinhören willst." |
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DJ CPI
KLIMEK "Movies Is Magic" CD (Anticipate, USA, 2009) "Klimek - Movies Is Magic: Instead of doing the regular thing of producing a sweeping album that is breathlessly described as "cinematic", Klimek goes one further, producing an album of intricate soundscapes that beg for a movie to be constructed around them. These are pieces that demand visual creation, not audio that merely implies it." |
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BOOMKAT
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "The wonderful Klimek album from the Anticipate label heads our digital selection this week, with Kompakt's widescreen operator here delivering his finest album to date and a real heart-stopper for followers of pop ambient and homespun, glacial electronics." +++ "Absolutely incredible album from German ambient pioneer Klimek (aka Sebastian Meissner), who made his name recording for the legendary Mille Plateaux and Kompakt imprints. It's so long since the Anticipate label was just a stray thought in the mind of Brooklynite Ezekiel Honig, but in the last year or so we've seen it grow from that simple idea into a beautiful butterfly, with killer releases from Mark Templeton, Morgan Packard and recently Sawako. Anticipate has aligned itself with fellow New York label 12k, albeit with a wide-reaching organic twist, so it's hardly surprising that more established artists have caught sight of the label, one of which is German ambient pioneer Klimek (aka Sebastian Meissner), who made his name recording for the legendary Mille Plateaux and Kompakt imprints. His sound has always been balanced on the electronic processing of 'real instruments' - guitars primarily, and this philosophy carries into 'Dedications' admirably. Some have called Meissner out before on account of his albums sounding too similar, but 'Dedications' really isn't subject to any such criticism as he takes his patented sound into new areas, with a series of dedications to his many influences. This is a road we saw travelled most notably by Ben Frost on 'Theory of Machines' earlier in the year, itself a paean to the great Michael Gira, and Meissner takes this still further by dedicating each track to two of his favourite artists, of any discipline. For instance the opening piece is entitled 'For Jim Hall & Kurt Kirkwood', the second 'For Ezekiel Honig & Young (pan) Americans' and so on - each holding a personal resonance for Meissner himself. In this it is the artist's most varied album to date, building on relationships, on influences and on the artistry of his career so it's hardly surprising that it has taken four years to piece together. Guitar, piano, strings and percussion are woven together so lightly it's almost impossible to hear where one piece ends and the next begins, while delicate samples emerge and erupt seemingly without warning. 'For Mark Hollis & Giacinto Scelsi' opens with the kind of spacious, smudged piano melodies you might expect to hear on a Talk Talk record, gradually changing through a mire of radio static before being lost in a digital fog. 'For Steven Spielberg and Azza El-Hassan' takes cinematic string parts and overlays echoing percussion resulting in a smoky atmosphere Deaf Center would be in awe of and resulting in one of Meissner's most ineffably beautiful tracks to date. Interestingly, the album is extended in the form of a special bonus cd (initial copies come free with 'Dedications') which takes the concept still further, with four extra tracks adding to the theme, ending on my favourite of all 'For Lia & Jim Corrigan - the smartest kid on earth' which through processed field recordings and delicate piano work sounds something like Harold Budd through a mountainous Middle Eastern mist. So called 'ambient albums' rarely reach the grandeur or expertise of Meissner's expansive productions, and it seems fitting that Anticipate should welcome him to the fold and it should be one of their most haunting releases to date. Highly recommended - buy it now to get the BONUS CD!" |
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PHILIP SHERBURNE
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) KRAKOW III (for KLIMEK & SKIP SANDS) "I've always loved taking pictures of pictures, as you may have guessed from the above and the below. Or, failing that, pictures of scenes that look like they were already pictures before I got there. Maybe that's why I can't stop listening to Klimek's new album, Dedications. (I'm not kidding about that -- last night, just so I didn't have to keep getting up out of bed while listening, reading [Denis Johnson's overwhelmingly rich Tree of Smoke] and eventually sleeping, I made an iTunes playlist to play the album back-to-back three times.) Klimek--Sebastian Meissner--is already well known for his ambient records on Kompakt, particularly the self-explanatory Music to Fall Asleep. But this is his best. It's unclear whether the "dedications" involve sampling or, perhaps more like Ekkehard Ehlers' Plays, more oblique reference strategies. The reference points themselves are obscure: consider "For Zofia Klimek"--the artist's grandmother--"and Gregory Crewdson." (There's a guy, come to think of it, who makes photos of scenes that were always waiting to be photos.) Or "For Michael Gira and Vladimir Ivanovich," the latter a Russian shipbuilder. Some of them, on the other hand, seem more like wish fulfillment, like "For Mark Hollis and Giacinto Scelsi." The title suggesting a match made in heaven, it's as though a picture of the pairing were there all along; Klimek just happened to find the forgotten tome where it lay shelved, snapped it and passed it on." |
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RESIDENT ADVISOR
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Somnambulant laptop jockey Sebastian Meissner returns with yet another disc of exquisitely textured ambience. The prolific multimedia artist has been a presence in the electronic music community for years, releasing albums on such highly regarded labels as Mille Plateaux (R.I.P.), Sub Rosa and, of course, Kompakt, whose own 'pop ambient' brand of furniture music he has practically become synonymous with via his work under the Klimek moniker. This time around, however, he is striking out from Cologne and taking it to New York - Dedications arrives on likeminded producer Ezekiel Honig's fledgling Anticipate imprint. A collection of perfectly realized slabs of drifting tones, humming drones and rustling static, Dedications is primarily sourced from acoustic sound sources. The record falls in line with the first two Klimek LPs, which were admittedly a bit too similar sounding for comfort, but Meissner now presents the listener with a more refined, tweaked and polished revision of the aesthetic. The heavily processed samples recall the withered majesty of William Basinski's Disintegration Loops, but the tracks - arranged with a painter's touch and awash in milky reverb - are not just about ambience: they're just as indebted to Ennio Morricone's spaghetti western guitar as Brian Eno. Like so much of Meissner's work, this record comes complete with an overarching concept. In the past, Meissner has tackled topics as stiflingly heavy as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and urbanization, but thankfully, Dedications is less serious: it's a tribute album with each track dedicated to a pair of people that have influenced Meissner in some way. Some dedications are clearly musical reference points ('For Ezekiel Honig & Young (Pan) Americans'), while others hark back to Meissner's multimedia background ('For Steven Spielberg & Azz El-Hassan'), and still others touch upon his own family history ('For Zofia Klimek & Gregory Crewdson'). Regardless, when you strip away the conceptual framework, you’re left with a collection of tracks that stand out as some of the finest in a discography overwhelmed by excellent releases. In the end, with ambient music it’s the listening experience that really counts, and Dedications is as lush, engrossing and ultimately rewarding a record as you’re likely to come across. With this album, Meissner has broken the Klimek project out of its stylistic rut and pushed it to the next level, crafting an album that reveals its beauty gradually, layer by layer, with each spin of the disc.." [Carl Ritger] |
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FORREST GOSPEL
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "There is something alternately majestically enveloping and claustrophobically alienating about Klimek’s most recent full length on the wonderful Anticipate label. After listening and pondering for some time I finally fell upon the imagery of space. The albums motifs float beautifully like a space station caught in some orbital river forcing Dedications into the outermost regions of space. While a look outside the cockpit window reveals a vast wonderland of star clusters twinkling vibrantly in all directions, however, a minute turn will ground you into a frosty, claustrophobic cabin. This feel seems to permeate the album: a lonely, completely detaching stargaze. The sentiment is odd when coupled with the very self descriptive album title. Each track on Dedications is named after a couple of Klimek’s apparent inspirations. The oddity in it is that the music’s austere livability doesn’t seem to invite friendship; more like stalking. As beautiful as some of its themes may be, like being stranded in outer space, ultimately Dedications is furiously maddening. This is the kind of music that will burrow deep under your skin and before you know it you’re twitching with paranoia. Not really the kind of reaction I’m personally looking for when listening to ambient or any other kind of music. It seems that the intentions here are good, but in the end it is not an album with which to return." [Mr. Thistle] |
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DAMIAN H - Live Journal
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Excellent album, melting melodies balancing with strong and confident concrete sound. Very different emotionally, but always gentle and calm. Just another perfect work from Klimek. " + "кстати, после мягкого снега и сонной музыки klimek странно не видеть Фрейда и Франка в этих посвящениях. а еще мне очень по нраву ониговский сундук anticipate, продолжающий захватывать музыкальные полки красавицей sawako, а теперь и Sebastian Meissner. после пары прослушиваний dedications, становится очень заметно, что Себастьян записал альбом для себя. даже 24 конкретных имени в названиях треков не в счет. подружись он с giuseppe ielasi или с другими скучающими интеллектуалами, так вовсе бы оставил пустые строчки на оборотной стороне альбома. но тут снова многосмысловые ассоциации, нечеткие воспоминания и вдохновения. именно из этих сложных ощущений и добыт каждый звук, очередной раз подтверждая небессмысленность конкретизма, который у klimek полностью самобытен и тверд. у него даже нет "рождения" звука - любая струна или клавиша звучит абсолютно уверенно. но в первую очередь хвалить мейсcнера стоит за то, что бетонная плотность звучания, по-прежнему остается music to fall asleep. пресс-релиз вполне ожидаемо отвечает, что значение всех 24-х персон представлено географическими и культурными взглядами себастьяна: музыканты Ezekiel Honig, Michael Gira, бабушка Zofia Klimek и просто всеразличные деятели - от обычного рабочего Vladimir Ivanovich до режиссера Steven Spielberg. но по сути, относиться к этому стоит лишь как познавательной игре, потому что каждая минута от klimek, будь то ночные field recordings или крепкий овертон, звучит просто замечательно. себастьян снова не промахивается. прекрасная вещь." |
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RADIO FRANCE
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Sebastian MEISSNER est un photographe et musicien d'origine germano-polonaise, il est régulièrement édité sous des pseudonymes divers et variés dont les plus connus sont : Random_Inc, Bizz Circuits ou Autokontrast et ce sur les labels de musiques électroniques les plus prestigieux tels que Mille Plateaux, Kompakt ou Sub Rosa. Mais c'est sous le nom de Klimek que sortira début décembre un nouvel album intitulé Dedications dont chaque titre est dédié à des anonymes ou des célébrités de la musique, du cinéma ou de la photographie. A l'écoute il est assez aisé de faire le lien avec ces différentes personnalités mais les qualités musicales de cet album se suffisent à elle-même et relèguent ces références au rang de l'anecdote. Dedications est en effet un superbe travail musical fait de longueurs d'ondes aux sonorités étirées, une invitation perpétuelle à la contemplation de vastes paysages imaginaires ou réels." |
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DOT SHOP
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "While the Anticipate label have been working hard to establish themselves as one of the finest purveyors of elegant and thought-provoking music, Klimek has been building up his own reputation through a slew of releases and compilation appearances on Cologne’s revered Kompakt – an institution as much as label. Always one to embrace change and a new challenge, Sebastian Meissner realized that the Anticipate label would be an ideal home for the follow up to 2006’s ‘Music to Fall Asleep’ – an album that cemented Meissner as one of the most interesting post-Eno composers of narcoleptic yet enthralling drift music. With ‘Dedications’, Meissner devotes each track to two of his musical idols, from Michael Gira to Steven Spielberg to Marvin Gaye. But these influences are not simply conglomerated and rehashed into a form of faux-originality; instead they are distilled and deconstructed until only their purest elements remain. On ‘For Mark Hollis & Giacinto Scelsi’, the opening chord of Hollis’ ‘Colour of Spring’, from his faultless self-titled album, is held in stasis to breaking point, exposing every beautiful nuance of what could be described as a ‘perfect’ chord. This slowed-down perception of time is something that haunts all of Meissner’s work as Klimek, when he is not busying himself under another of his many aliases including Bizz Circuits, Random Industries and Random_Inc. Rather than just focusing on an aesthetic beauty, upon listening it feels as if there is a greater purpose to this music – perhaps it exists to remind the listener to slow down and focus on the finer details of their own life, perhaps it is simply a tool to relax the listener into contemplative sleep. Whatever its purpose, in its hazy soundscapes and muffled pianos, ‘Dedications’ feels like music with a message." |
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EARLABS
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "It's been a while since we last heard from Sebastian Meissner, erstwhile known as Random_Inc, Bizz Circuits, Autokontrast and recording for labels as Mille Plateaux, Kompakt and Sub Rosa, but here he returns with an album of pieces dedicated to people for specific purposes under the banner of Klimek. These people can be well-known, like Micheal Gira, Marvin Gaye or Steven Spielberg, but also his grandmother Zofia Klimek and a Russian ship worker Vladimir Ivanovich. Each of the eight tracks have a pair of dedication. Meissner's previous work may be associated with lots and lots of all things computer, and to some extent that's the case here too, but the main sources are guitar, piano, string and percussion instruments. They play highly moody music, and through all things processed can still be recognized. In some songs better than in others, obviously, but the whole album has quite an unified character. Warm music, made with love for the persons involved, no one could say that there is a harsh sound in ear-sight to annoy the dedicated nor the outsider, us the listener. Some cineamatographic in approach, this is mood music for late hours. Especially the final piece, dedicated to Steven Spielberg and Azza El-Hassan, has sweet strings underpinning a slightly menacing tone. Well done. Lit a candle and enjoy. " [Frans de Waard] |
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TRIBE MAGAZINE
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "This comes out this week. I've been savouring an advance for a while now and it will undoubtedly be amongst my top ten albums for the year. Meissner is one of those artists that reinvents himself every few years and he's taken his klimek project in a new direction. Really gorgeous, layered soundscapes. Fits right in on Anticipate. Check the album page linked above, In a roundabout way this is a really strange tribute album. How could you not love an album with a track dedicated to Marvin Gaye? " |
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RADIO FRANCE
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Sebastian MEISSNER est un photographe et musicien d'origine germano-polonaise, il est régulièrement édité sous des pseudonymes divers et variés dont les plus connus sont : Random_Inc, Bizz Circuits ou Autokontrast et ce sur les labels de musiques électroniques les plus prestigieux tels que Mille Plateaux, Kompakt ou Sub Rosa. Mais c'est sous le nom de Klimek que sortira début décembre un nouvel album intitulé Dedications dont chaque titre est dédié à des anonymes ou des célébrités de la musique, du cinéma ou de la photographie. A l'écoute il est assez aisé de faire le lien avec ces différentes personnalités mais les qualités musicales de cet album se suffisent à elle-même et relèguent ces références au rang de l'anecdote. Dedications est en effet un superbe travail musical fait de longueurs d'ondes aux sonorités étirées, une invitation perpétuelle à la contemplation de vastes paysages imaginaires ou réels." [Eric Serva] |
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ANTICIPATE
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Speaking of sleep and excitement (how's that for a segue), the following release, which will be out in November (different dates depending on your geographic location), is by Klimek, and is entitled Dedications. It unites several ideas, themes and personas which permeate his material under different pseudonyms and in different mediums. Taking cues from his family history, ultra-modern classical music, electronic music from the past 50 years, and every day points of interest, Klimek distills this all into focused, dense compositions that are as beautiful as they are thoughtful. " |
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EAR RATIONAL
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Sebastian Meissner of Frankfurt/Main, is a conceptual media artist, composer, sound designer and photographer, and this is his third full-length release under his Klimek alias, and his first for the Anticipate label. Klimek has been building up his reputation through a slew of releases and compilation appearances on Cologne's revered Kompakt - an institution as much as a label. Always one to embrace change and a new challenge, Sebastian Meissner realized that the Anticipate label would be an ideal home for the follow-up to 2006's Music To Fall Asleep - an album that cemented Meissner as one of the most interesting post-Eno composers of narcoleptic yet enthralling drift music. " |
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UPPER SILESIA BLOGSPOT
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Sebastian Meissner wyraza dzwiekiem swoja troske o kondycje wspolczesnego swiata, za pomoca muzyki probuje uchwycic przemijanie, zmiany, jego utwory sa proba zrozumienia sensu istnienia, wyraznie slyszalne sa koneksje z ezystencjalizmem, blizej niezidentyfikowana potrzeba refleksji, ktorej majspejsowo-smsowo-internetowo-multimedialny swiat XXI. wieku potrzebuje bardziej, niz kiedykolwiek. Paradoksalnie: za pomoca instrumentow, ktore sa wytworem XX. i XXI. wieku, czyli z uzyciem syntezatorow, laptopa, rzutnikow projekcyjnych, filmow, obrazow, fotografii Meissner mowi odbiorcom swoich dziel: Zatrzymaj sie, rozejrzyj sie, zastanow sie co i po co robisz, w ktora strone zmierzasz, przemysl dlaczego swiat wokol wyglada tak, jak wyglada i jaki mozesz miec wplyw na jego tworczy rozwoj. Nie ogranicza sie jednak tylko i wylacznie do generowania muzyki za pomoca komputera - w jego nagraniach mozemy uslyszec zarowno fortepian, gitare akustyczna, jak i sitar. Ludziom, ktorym nieudolny (slowny opis muzyki zawsze jest nieudolny - nie oddaje w pelni emocji przekazywanych przez dzwiek) opis muzyki nie wystarcza podsuwam kilka tytulow plyt, z ktorymi mozna powiazac tworczosc Meissnera. W szczegolnosci sa to: druga strona Low Davida Bowie, tworczosc Briana Eno, Dni Wiatru Scianki, filozofia minimalistow, m. in. Steve'a Reicha, Philipa Glassa czy Arvo Paerta. Z tymze relacje pomiedzy wymienionymi artystami nie polegaja na bezposrednich inspiracjach, raczej na podobnym odczuwaniu swiata i sposobach przekazania refleksji nad swiatem za pomoca dzwieku. Z Brianem Eno i minimalistami lacza Meissnera srodki czysto techniczne: przestrzenne aranzacje i oszczednosc w sposobie kreowania przestrzeni muzycznej. Z druga strona Low Bowiego i Eno oraz z druga plyta Scianki - kreowanie mikroswiatow za pomoca muzyki (praktycznie cale Dni Wiatru) i etnograficzna proba przestawienia miejsc znajdujacych sie w konkretnych miejscach na mapie Swiata (slynne Warsaw). " |
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MATERIA PRIMA
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Este é Sebastian Meissner e o mesmo “Klimek” que enriqueceu durante algum tempo a oferta sonora da Kompakt. Um ano depois do seu “Music To Fall Asleep”, Meissner viaja até ao outro lado do Atlântico e edita algo promissor neste selo nova iorquino. Cada um dos temas deste “Dedications” é literalmente dedicado a duas pessoas, o que torna a escuta ainda mais intrigante. Um verdadeiro puzzle sensorial replecto de atracções emocionais. " |
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17 DOTS
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "I’ve never really loved this Pop Ambient vet, but his new record which is composed of tracks dedicated to other artists is really inspiring stuff. For those uninitiated into the Klimek experience of languid and distorted guitar and piano tracks stretched to infinity, this is a great time to get acquainted. Ambient music par excellence. " |
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OTHER MUSIC DIGITAL
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "After stellar ambient/electro-acoustic releases on Kompakt and Mille Plateaux, Sebastian Meissner drops "Dedications," perhaps his most personal work to date. By tweaking and deconstructing guitar, piano and a variety of other instruments, he's created gorgeous soundscapes that serve as tributes to some of the people that have inspired Meissner the most, including everyone from Ol' Dirty Bastard to Giacinto Scelsi. " |
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AVALANCHE MUSIC
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "This morning I received Dedications, the new CD by Klimek, and it’s absolutely gorgeous. It seems to mirror the general cold atmosphere I’m feeling at the moment, in a comforting kind of way, It certainly will be a welcome companion to the new Sigor Ros EP’s, which I’ve been caining every morning for the last few weeks." |
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INDINET
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Erinnert in der ausführung (mit den Filmen zu den einzelnen Stücken) an Godfreys Koyaanisqatsi. ein sehr stilles und trotzallem berührendes Album, für Fans von Stars of the Lids." |
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DISTORSOM
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "O último álbum de Sebastian Meissner sob o pseudónimo Klimek é composto por temas que são dedicações duplas a personalidades que de algum modo o influenciaram, desde músicos bem conhecidos a artistas obscuros ou mesmo pessoas da sua esfera privada. Os títulos seguem todos uma mesma fórmula, como por exemplo, "For Eugene Chadborne & Henry Kaiser", "For Michael Gira & Vladimir Ivanovich" ou "For Grant Hart & Bob Mould", mas Dedications é talvez o álbum mais variado que o seu autor até agora assinou. Com guitarra, piano, secções de cordas e percussões, a mistura é de uma leveza assinalável, com transições dissimuladas entre os temas. As dedicações referidas são um pretexto para Meissner discorrer sobre temas de distância espacial, geográfica, histórica ou ideológica, construindo as pontes entre eles. A complexidade do álbum traduz-se em quatro anos de trabalho que culminaram numa das mais grandiosas e elaboradas produções até hoje feitas em termos de música ambiental. Aos interessados, recomenda-se a edição limitada de Dedications, que inclui um segundo CD com mais quatro temas, simultaneamente complemento e parte integrante do álbum. " |
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ONDA ROCK
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Sebastian Meissner, il compositore tedesco che attualmente si cela sotto l’alias Klimek, è un artista che, da qualche anno e sotto diverse denominazioni (Random Industries, Bizz Circuits, Autokontrast), conduce nell’ombra un’interessante ricerca musicale, non semplicemente annoverabile nella categoria dell’ambient-music, ma originata da riferimenti che spaziano da Steve Reich al minimalismo neoclassico, fino a moderne e mai scontate elaborazioni elettro-acustiche. Per il suo terzo lavoro a nome Klimek, che segue di un anno l’emblematico “Music To Fall Asleep”, Meissner ha deciso di interrompere temporaneamente le sue pubblicazioni per la Kompakt, per sposare il progetto della giovane Anticipate Recordings, etichetta fondata da Ezekiel Honig e giù assurta all’attenzione della scena elettro-acustica internazionale grazie alle recenti produzioni di artisti quali Morgan Packard e Sawako. Come si evince dal titolo, “Dedications” raccoglie otto elegie in musica, ognuna delle quali dedicata a un binomio di artisti (non solo musicisti), spesso associati in maniera piuttosto eterogenea. L’intento dichiarato alla base di quest’opera è infatti quello di colmare le distanze, gettando, attraverso la musica, ponti immaginari in grado di stabilire equilibrate connessioni mentali e riempire di tenue tepore melodico le sospensioni temporali, frutto delle dilatate modulazioni elettroniche che increspano i persistenti fondali sui quali si innesta una varietà di strumenti (pianoforte, chitarra, archi, percussioni) dalle sembianze in continua trasformazione. Se l’accostamento tra elettronica e strumentazione concreta e il filtraggio sintetico di quest’ultima non rappresentano certamente una novità, il punto focale di ”Dedications” risiede nell’accurato bilanciamento tra questi elementi e un’attitudine espressiva che spazia dai lontani echi psichedelici di “For Ezekiel Honig & Young (Pan) Americans” alle tenebrose fascinazioni jazzy di “For Michael Gira & Vladimir Ivanovich”, senza mai perdere di vista quell’immediatezza emotiva non così spesso riscontrabile in una musica dai prevalenti connotati cerebrali. Meissner riesce, infatti, a colmare l’apparente staticità delle composizioni più spiccatamente ambientali (“For Jim Hall & Kurt Kirkwood”, “For Marvin Gaye & Russell Jones”) attraverso l’accostamento tra ondulati sibili sintetici e soffici, lenti accordi acustici processati e solo sottilmente distorti. Lo stesso avviene nei numerosi passaggi in cui si affaccia il pianoforte a coronare con discrezione uniformi tappeti di ambient orchestrale o tenui screziature di field recordings, prossimi, rispettivamente, agli Stars Of The Lid e al Pan American dello splendido “Quiet City”. Per quanto segua un percorso piuttosto lineare, Klimek rifugge agilmente la prevedibilità, sorprendendo per la naturalezza con cui riesce a compendiare i tanti elementi della musica con un minimalismo espressivo non confinato in schemi rigidi e immutabili ma anzi capace di esprimersi con padronanza anche in presenza di una maggiore vivacità strumentale e anche ritmica, come nel graduale svolgimento di loop iterativi della morbida e murcof-iana “For Zofia Klimek & Gregory Crewdson” e nell’intreccio tra archi e profondità dub della conclusiva “For Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan”, che esplicita anche nella dedica la già evidente vocazione cinematica della musica dell’artista tedesco. " |
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TITEL MAGAZIN
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Mittelstreifen-Meditation- Eine Platte, für die der Begriff ’großes Kino' geschaffen wurde. Dedications" ist, wie der Name schon sagt, ein Album der Widmungen. Sebastian Meissner alias Klimek hat eine Menge Vorbilder, denen allen er einmal sagen möchte, wie sehr sie ihn inspirieren und wieviel er ihnen verdankt. Schließlich arbeitet er schon seit langem an allen möglichen Kunstfronten: Fotografie, Multimediainstallationen und eben auch Musik, unter so wilden Pseudonymen wie Random_Inc, Bizz Circuits oder Autokontronst. Und ein Privatleben hat er nebenbei auch noch. Klar, dass sich da im Laufe der Zeit eine ganze Menge Leute einfinden, deren Andenken einem die Augen feucht macht. Als Klimek widmet sich Meissner den cinematografischen Tönen. “Dedications" lässt sich alle Zeit der Welt, um noch der leisesten Geige und der mit der größten Bedachtsamkeit gezupften Gitarre hinterherzuspüren. Das verwundert nicht, hieß doch eines seiner vorhergehenden Alben “Music To Fall Asleep". Bei aller Vorsicht aber versetzt er noch das kleinste Tonmolekül ins Zittern, sodass man zwar einen angenehmen Ruhepuls bekommt, aber garantiert nicht müde wird. Das sieht aus wie das Meditieren auf dem Mittelstreifen einer vierspurigen Straße der Rushhour - erhaben und dennoch mitten im Leben. Und es ’sieht so aus', weil diese Musik den visuellen Kortex so naturgemäß stimuliert, dass man ganz automatisch zum Sehenden wird. Jede dieser Kompositionen legt mit ihrem Titel ihre Referenzpunkte offen auf den Tisch und legt ungeahnte Paarungen fest - unter den Geehrten sind Marvin Gaye & Russel Jones, Mark Hollis (Talk Talk) & Giacinto Scelsi (ein klassischer Komponist) sowie die Regisseure Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan - aber auch Zofia Klimek, Meissners Großmutter, die er mit Gregory Crewdson ’paart', einem Fotografen, der sich thematisch zwischen David Lynch und Edward Hopper bewegt. Immer wieder kann man als Hörer interessante Entdeckungen machen. So taucht bei “For Jim Hall & Kurt Kirkwood" aus heiterem Himmel die Tonfolge aus Airs “Venus" auf, wolkenleicht und transparent wie Luft - ob gewollt oder nicht ist dabei völlig zweitrangig. So oder so ist “Dedications" eine Platte, für die der Begriff ’großes Kino' geschaffen wurde." [Tina Manske] |
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030 - MAGAZIN FÜR BERLIN
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Mit dem schönsten elektronischen Dampf, der gerne auch Pop-Ambiebt genannt wird, produziert schon seit Jahren Sebastian Meissner aka KLIMEK. Auf seiner neuen Platte hat er es schon wieder getan: Das ist ein Strömen und Fliessen, ein Mäandern und Vorbeiziehen, dass es nur so eine Freunde ist. Zudem ländt Meissner seine Stücke noch angemessen intelektuell auf, widmet sie Leuten wie Eugen Chadbourne, und Henry Kaiser, Mark Hollis und Marvin Gaye. Warum im Einzelnen, das lässt sich aus dem reichen Klang nur schwer erschliessen, aber man kann sich ja so seine Gedanken mache, zumindest SEbastian Meissner wäre darüber hocherfreut." |
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DE:BUG
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Sebastian Meissner kommt aus einer ganz anderen Welt. Und hat gleichzeitg genauso abstruse Verkleidungen hinter sich gelassen. Random_Inc, Bizz Circuits ... Labels wie Mille Plateaux oder Sub Rosa. Und wenn er als Klimek releast, flippe ich immer komplett aus. Die ersten Maxis auf Kompakt haben sich so tief in mein Gedächtnis eingegraben, dass ich mich immer wieder dabei ertappe, wie ich in den unmöglichsten Momenten die großen stillen Melodien einfach vor mich hinsumme. So entrückt diese Stücke auch waren, sie waren unglaublich catchy, sehr greifbar, ohne Schwierigkeiten aufsaugbar. Das hat sich auf seinem neuen Album auf dem sympathischen Anticipate-Label von Ezekiel Honig ein wenig verschoben. Die Stücke wirken erwachsener, sind vielleicht einen Tick experimenteller, obwohl dieses Wort in eine völlig falsche Richtung deutet. Das Klimek-Universum ist offener geworden, die Elemente, die die Stücke ausmachen, ziehen längere und undeutlichere Schlieren, ergeben sich noch viel mehr dem geräuschhaften Rest der Welt, sind aber gleichzeitig auch viel optimistischer und fast schon euphorisch an einigen Stellen. Jedes Stück ist Menschen gewidmet. Das kann Mark Hollis sein oder Steven Spielberg, Marvin Gaye oder Michael Gira. Das hilft für die anfänglichen Assoziationen, die man bei den Tracks hat. Den Rest erledigt der Kopf. Der lang erhoffte Lichtblick kurz vor Jahresende." [Thaddi] +++ Sebastian Meissner setzt sich bei seinem Ambient-Projekt Klimek mit Talk Talk genauso wie mit Ol‘ Dirty Bastard auseinander und zwischen alle Stühle. Das ist wahre Dedication. Klimek ist in vielerlei Hinsicht eine konsequente Weiterentwicklung von Random Inc./Walking In Jerusalem, Sebastian Meissners Beitrag zur Geschichte von Mille Plateaux. Mit dem neuen Album Dedications geht sein Musikprojekt, in dem er sich mit dem Thema Distanz in seinen verschiedensten Erscheinungsformen beschäftigt, nun in die dritte Runde. Der Musiker staunte nicht schlecht, als die auffällige Verpackung des Klimek-Debüts ”Milk And Honey“ von 2002 nur in wenigen Rezensionen zur Sprache kam. Dabei war sie explizit genug, um auf das Anliegen der Musik hinzuweisen: Auf dem Frontcover ein Foto der Trennmauer zwischen Israelis und Palästinensern, im Booklet sehr viel Stacheldraht. ”Es ist immer wieder faszinierend, wie der Content aus dem elektronischen Musikkontext komplett ausgeblendet werden kann. Damals habe ich mir gesagt: Ich ziehe mich jetzt inhaltlich zurück. Mal schauen, was mit meiner Musik passiert, wenn ich nichts mehr dazuschreibe.“ Bei ”Dedications“ weisen nur noch die Tracktitel auf jene extramusikalischen Zusammenhänge hin, die für Meissners künstlerische Arbeit immer eine entscheidende Rolle gespielt haben. Die Stücke sind Menschen gewidmet, Charakterpaaren mit einander entgegengesetzten Werten, Diskursen oder Persönlichkeiten - auf popkultureller (Marvin Gaye vs. Ol‘ Dirty Bastard) wie auf persönlicher Ebene: Zofia Klimek (Meissners Großmutter) meets Gregory Crewdson, dessen in Hollywood-Dimensionen inszenierte Fotografie nichts anderes abbildet als Einsamkeit. Getreu Meissners langjähriger Produktionspraxis kommen bei Klimek ausschließlich Samples zum Einsatz - ”die Quelle, die Knetmasse“ - und formen einen äußerst langsamen, subtil beunruhigenden Soundtrack. Die Hooklines sind genau gesetzt: Nach zwei Minuten dicken Streichern beispielsweise reißt ein akustischer Splitter kleine Risse in den John-Williams- Vorhang (For Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan), an anderer Stelle verbinden sich verwehte Klaviertöne mit rosa Rauschen (For Mark Hollis & Giacinto Scelsi). Stille, ergreifende Melodien, die man im Setting erst nach einer Weile bemerkt – und nicht mehr vergisst. ”Die Samples sind am Ende nicht wiederzuerkennen. Teilweise haben sie eine ewig lange Geschichte auf meiner Festplatte.“ Klimek begann auf Kompakt, war regelmäßig auf Pop-Ambient-Compilations vertreten, Dedications erscheint nun auf Anticipate, dem Label des New Yorkers Ezekiel Honig. Warum ist Klimek umgezogen? ”Schon vom Klangbild her hat sich Klimek vom klassischen Ding, das Kompakt und Pop Ambient vermarkten, immer abgesetzt. Meine eigenen Tracks haben mich auf den Compilations manchmal sogar gestört im Vergleich zu den anderen, viel under und fetter produzierten Beiträgen. Für Kompakt ist Dedications aus meiner Sicht einfach zu düster. Ich habe den Eindruck, dass ich mich immer zwischen die Stühle setze. Auch bei anderen Sachen – schwer einsortierbar. Ich verstehe mich nicht als Musiker, als Medienkünstler, als Fotograf, Sounddesigner or whatever. Ich verstehe Musik als Mittel. Das ist natürlich ein Vermarktungsmanko. Solange ich aber das Gefühl habe, dass ich noch was zu sagen habe, und es für mich einen Wandlungsprozess oder Bewegung geben kann, ist das zufrieden stellend.“ Wie sieht es mit dem 80er-Einfluss auf deine Musik aus? ”Du, bei mir ist gerade ein ganz krasses Soft-Cell-Revival am Laufen. Ich liebe Pathos.“ [Hendrik Kröz] |
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LOSING TODAY
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Dopo due album su Kompakt il tedesco Sebastian Meissner pubblica il suo nuovo lavoro sulla più piccola Anticipate di Ezekiel Honig. Un nome già diventato sinonimo di qualità per quanti seguono le derive più notturne dell’ambient music. Le dediche del titolo dell’album si riferiscono a musicisti che Meissner ha pensato di far incontrare idealmente nella sua musica. E così il chitarrista jazz Jim Hall se la vede con Curt Kirkwood dei Meat Puppets; Eugene Chadborne con Henry Kaiser e Mark Hollis niente meno che con Giacinto Scelsi. La musica, come nei precenti lavori, rimane legata a doppio filo tanto alle speimentazioni post-rock di casa Kranky (Stars Of The Lid, Labradford, Pan American), quanto alle derive più audaci del suono techno-ambient (Terre Thaemlitz, Fennesz, Taylor Deupree)." [Robert Mandolini] |
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SMALLFISH
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "A delectable slice of organic ambience and beauty with processed sounds and lovely compositions. Fans of the other albums on Kompakt will adore this and lovers of good, atmospheric electronic music should really get it into it as well. Have a listen and see if it tickles your fancy... I know it tickled mine!" |
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AVUI
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Plantejat com un disco d'homenatges i temes dedicats a alguns dels seus artistes preferits, el retom de Klimek és una petita obra mestra que barreja ambient, electrònica experimental, música concreta i referencies de la composicio contemporania en un treball delicat i fascinant." |
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SOUND OF MUSIC
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Sebastian Meissner är en artist som har en stark förkärlek för alias. Klimek kanske är hans mest kända, men han har också släppt skivor under namn som Autokontrast, Autopoieses, Bizz Circuits, Open Source och Random_Inc. Klimek-aliaset har tidigare använts för hans album, tolvor och compilationbidrag på Kompakt. Men med ”Dedications” växlar han bolag till Anticipate. Möjligen har bytet medfört en starkare fokusering på akustiska ljud – inte riktigt Kompakts kopp te. Men i stort känns soundet ändå igen. Långsamma melodislingor som trevar sig fram på akustisk gitarr eller piano möter vibrerande och svävande luftslott genererade i datorn. Det är förödande vackert. Exakt det. Förödande vackert. I ett eller två spår är det som om tiden står stilla och Meissner öppnar upp för en pastoral skönhet som verkar oberörd av allt runt omkring. Lager på lager av tyngdlösa ljud. Ljud som textur. I längden är det också det som gör skivan ointressant. Eller förödande om man så vill. Det trevande anslaget, de stilla harmonierna vibrerar skört. Men de kommer sällan vidare. Klimeks musik passar bättre i små doser. På en fyraspårstolva kommer det utmärkt till sin rätt. Men som album betraktat blir ”Dedications” alltför prövande – i all sin smekfulla lätthet blir det efterhand mindre och mindre intressant. Som bakgrundsmusik – visst! Men inte något som är tillräckligt spännande för en aktiv lyssning. ”Dedications” är som namnet antyder en samling låtar dedikerade till olika personer. En del kända, som Steven Spielberg, Ezekiel Honig, Michael Gira och Marvin Gaye. Andra är okända namn som en rysk varvsarbetare vid namn Vladimir Ivanovich. Tanken är förmodligen att rita upp en karta över influenser och föregångare. Men det lyckas inte helt. Dedikationerna till Marvin Gaye, Mark Hollis och Michael Gira låter i Klimeks värld alldeles för lika varandra." [Mats Almegård] |
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TIME OUT ISTANBUL
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Mille Plateaux’nun küllerinden dogmasini beklerken, bu umutsuz bekleyisin sancisini dindiren bir isim Klimek. Üç dört yildir albümlerini Kompakt’tan çikartip daha fazla dinleyiciye ulasmis olmasina ragmen müzikal macerasini tek bir yerde sinirlamiyor. Kompakt’in Pop Ambient serilerindeki yerini birakmadan albüm çalismalarina genç Amerikan müzik sirketi Anticipate’le devam ediyor. Son albümü Dedications çikis tarihi ve sessizligi nedeniyle bu yilin en iyi albümleri arasinda gösterilmek için geç kalmis, ancak Klimek’in yarattigi ambiyansin gelecek yila yavasça etkisi altina alacaktir. Adi üstünde Dedications Klimek’in çesitli insanlara ithaf ettigi çalismalardan olusuyor. Parçalarin ses yapilarini ithaf edilen insanlara dair göndermeler belirledigi için bir bu albümün bir konsept içerdigi söylenebilir. Jim Hall ve Kurt Kirkwood gibi iki gitaristin adini tasiyan parçada hakim olan küçük gitar tinilari duyuluyor. Ya da Steven Spielberg ve Azza El-Hassan’in isimlerini tasiyan parçanin sinematik sesler üzerine kurulu oldugu anlasiliyor. Klimek’in depresif ambiyanslar içinde sundugu adaklar normal sicakliklarin altinda geçen bir kista daha çok üsütebilir. Ancak, Sebastian Meissner’in büyük annesinden Marvin Gaye’e, Michael Gira’dan Charles Mignus’a kadar etkilendigi insanlarla kurdugu bu sicak temas hissedildiginde ilham aldiginiz kisiyle sicak bir kahve içme istegi doguracaktir. Geç kalmadan 2007’nin en iyi albüm listesine ekliyoruz" |
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TEXTURA
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "I'll confess that I approached Klimek's Dedications with some mild degree of trepidation because, as much as I admired Sebastian Meissner's past Klimek recordings Milk & Honey and Music To Fall Asleep (both on Kompakt), I couldn't help but feel he was on the verge of painting himself into a stylistic corner. In short, the distinctive Klimek style—panoramic vistas of shuddering guitars—seemed in danger of settling into a too-limiting signature. How pleasing to discover, then, that Dedications finds Meissner (also known for recordings under the Random_Inc and Bizz Circuits monikers) reinvigorating the Klimek style by dramatically broadening its scope on this discernibly more personal and intimate album (four years in the making, apparently). Some of the reason for that can be attributed to Dedications' concept, with each track's style influenced in part by the two figures Meissner chooses to honour in each case, all of whom resonate significantly in his world for one reason or another, musical or otherwise. The challenge isn't necessarily in identifying the honourees (they're explicitly cited in the track titles) but in sussing out the correspondence between a particular track's content and style and the figures with which it's associated. Ultimately, of course, that's a bit of a parlor game because, at day's end, the music succeeds or fails on its own terms. That expansiveness is immediately apparent in the first piece, “For Jim Hall & Kurt Kirkwood” (dedicated to the influential jazz guitarist and Meat Puppets' member), when delicately strummed guitar chords and jazz picking resound in slow motion, and in “For Ezekiel Honig & Young (Pan) Americans,” where Meissner draws upon several of Honig's Scattered Practices pieces. “For Michael Gira & Vladimir Ivanovich,” dedicated to the one-time Swans leader and the Russian ship worker, incorporates ship-related field sounds and—surprisingly—guitar playing by Bill Frisell. Also surprisingly, “For Eugene Chadborne & Henry Kaiser” honours the experimental spirit of the two guitarists in its bold design, yet ends with a becalmed piano outro. Oud-like plucks stutter throughout “For Zofia Klimek & Gregory Crewdson” (dedicated to Meissner's grandmother and the photographer), imbuing it with a mysterious and brooding Arabic character. Likewise, “For Said Murad & Mazen Kerbaj” exudes an exotic Middle Eastern character in keeping with the titular Palestinian instrumentalist and Lebanese trumpeter. That a funereal mood permeates some of the material, including the drone-like “For Marvin Gaye & Russell Jones,” shouldn't surprise, given that both figures died prematurely: the former was gunned down by his father and rapper Ol' Dirty Bastard (Wu-Tang Clan) dropped dead in a recording studio at the age of thirty-five. Also entrancing is “For Mark Hollis & Giacinto Scelsi,” a tribute to the Talk Talk member and classical composer respectively, which elongates a blurry piano chord until it vanishes inside a vaporous mass of fog and shudder. The deeply meditative space sculpted in the string-heavy “For Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan” (US- and Palestine-based film-makers) ends the album on a Requiem-like note. “For Martin Duffy & Charles Mingus” (Primal Scream keyboardist and jazz titan) opens the EP with a lovely ballad-like setting where slivers of processed guitar and piano bleed into one another. Dedications' stylistic range is not so extreme, however, that it literally matches the extremes associated with its dedicatees. Though “For Grant Hart & Bob Mould” pays tribute to the two former Hüsker Dü band-mates, the piece isn't a punk rave-up but an elegant folk-styled meditation. Recorded live at Kastanienallee 40, Berlin in June 2006, “For Lia & Jim Corrigan - The Smartest Kid on Earth” (which references Chris Ware's “graphic novel” character) merges field recordings with hazy piano playing; how telling that Meissner's project closes with sounds of piano and the outdoors, both of which signify expansion upon the Klimek sound that preceded Dedications. Admittedly, the trademark shudder occasionally surfaces—during “For Ezekiel Honig & Young (Pan) Americans” and “For Eugene Chadborne & Henry Kaiser,” to name two instances—but the sound is now just one sonic device of many; if anything, in this context it acts as a unifying leitmotif that connects one disparate piece to another. Meissner succeeds in maintaining the delicate balance between individual pieces and the project as a whole since, despite the sometimes extreme sonic differences that emerge between the pieces, the album, bolstered by its conceptual thread, holds together well. Of course, no amount of theoretical background will compensate for inferior musical results but there's no cause to worry on that score; Dedications stands up as the most satisfying Klimek release to date, and maintains the high batting average established by Anticipate's first three albums." |
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CLUB TRANSMEDIALE
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Klimek is one of the many aliases of German sound and media artist Sebastian Meissner (b. 1969), who has explored various terrains under several guises throughout his career, including Open Source, Bizz Circuits, aUTOkoNTRasT and others. Meissner has recorded for numerous, highly regarded labels – Mille Plateaux, Kompakt, Sub Rosa, and many others – and exhibited his work in several formats and venues. Meissner is known for his collaborations with Ekkehard Ehlers as Autopoiesis, with Israeli artists Ran Slavin and Eran Sachs as Random Inc. and in the Intifada Offspring project and with Lia as Tiny Little Elements. Under his Klimek moniker, Meissner produces delicate drone scapes, which are carefully constructed from acoustic source materials such as guitar and sons trouvé (found sounds). His dreamy, evocative slow motion compositions show a striking sense of beauty and bittersweet melancholia, while boasting dark, haunting and ghostly undertones. Clear points of reference would be purveyors of mesmerising, floating but tense music such as Bohren und der Club of Gore, Tim Hecker, Earth with their the recent album or Angelo Badalamenti’s groundbreaking atmospheric scores for the film works of David Lynch. As an artist who consciously left behind the still so common division of either visual artistist or musician, Klimek’s performances are a combination of acoustic and visual material (video projections). He focuses on intermediate states and interstices that result from transformation processes, altering definitions, changing architectures and other small shifts and cracks that appear in or can be induced into otherwise tendentiously rigid structures. Meissner’s first Klimek release, the Milk & Honey 12" appeared on Kompakt in 2002, and was followed two years later by a long-player of the same name. In 2006, the critically acclaimed Music To Fall Asleep was released. Meissner’s next Klimek missive, Dedications was released in late 2007 on the New York label Anticipate, run by Ezekiel Honig. With Dedications, Meissner presented his most personal album to date, bringing together a variety of people, themes and influences that permeate his extensive work in different mediums, and under different pseudonyms." |
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LUKEROM BLOG
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Klimek's Dedications just barely made the list by hitting this month, but man-o-man, it makes the list! this is the one for driving in the rain, shopping for live bait, woodcarving or putting down a sick dog. honestly, it's just super beautiful strings, piano and things. i think i may have listened to this every day since i got it. what would you expect with a track dedicated to Mark Hollis? for fans of great music by which to watch silent films." |
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DUE MILA QUARANTE SEI BLOG
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "i pensieri dei singoli istanti sono quelli che bruciano con le sigarette. sto vivendo con una relativa tranquillità. non è che non succedano cose negative, anzi, quest'anno ha dato il meglio di sé. è che non riesco a negativizzarmi. è come se avessi vissuto gli ultimi anni con un enorme peso addosso ed ad un certo punto avessi scansato appena in tempo un camion, e quel gesto di panico avesse spinto via quel peso. vorrei individuare che tipo di peso fosse, ed i motivi per i quali l'avevo costantemente aggrappato alle spalle. ma dipende dalla mania del controllo, dalla mania del dover capire tutto. ed invece mi rendo conto che a volte è meglio non dare risposte a determinate domande. cercare quelle risposte sarebbe tanto più facile che convivere con il dubbio, ma verrebbero a mancare gli accorgimenti che una persona riserva alle situazioni di cui sa poco. quelle situazioni che si strusciano tra di loro e che rendono interessante e divertente e deprimente - allo stesso tempo, il vivere. " |
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KINDA MUZIK
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Afgelopen herfst speelde hij nog in Utrecht, mijnheer Sebastian Meissner. Het publiek lag op de grond of zat op zitzakken, want op de muziek van zijn alter ego Klimek valt niet te dansen. Klimek maakt ambient. Hij doet dit al heel lang, met releases op labels als Kompakt, Mille Plateaux en Sub Rosa. Zijn nieuwste album heet Dedications. Het gaat er weer enorm rustig aan toe op die cd, dus ga lekker liggen. Klimek is een specialist in het uit elkaar trekken en oprekken van analoge geluiden. Ooit was het een piano, nu is het die in galm gedrenkte toon die maar in je hoofd blijft zoemen. Ondertussen drijven andere, even langgerekte klanken schijnbaar argeloos voorbij. Evenals op zijn vorige plaat, Music To Fall Asleep, draagt Meissner alle acht nummers op aan mensen die hij bewondert, zoals Marvin Gaye, Steven Spielberg of Mark Hollis (van Talk Talk). Dit zijn referenties die alleen de maker snapt. Je hoort voornamelijk prachtige ambient die stroken van geluid rond je speakers trekt. Tijd voor een nieuw wierookstokje." [René Passet] |
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FAMOUS BLOG
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Le jockey de portable de Somnambulant Sebastian Meissner revient avec encore autre disque d'ambiance exquisement texturée. L'artiste multimédia prolifique a été une présence dans la communauté de musique électronique pendant les années, en libérant des albums sur de telles étiquettes très appréciées comme les Plateaux de Mille (R.I.P)., Sub Rosa et, évidemment, Kompakt, avec le propre 'pan de qui la ' marque ambiante de musique de meubles il est pratiquement devenu synonyme via son travail sous le nom Klimek. Cette fois autour de, pourtant, il frappe de l'Eau de Cologne et le prend à New York - les Dédicaces arrivent sur le fledgling de producteur du même avis Ezekiel Honig s'Attendent à l'empreinte. Une collection de plaques tout à fait réalisées de tons dérivant, en bourdonnant des faux-bourdons et en froissant statique, les Dédicaces sont essentiellement sourced des sources solides acoustiques. Le record tombe en accord avec les deux premiers MICROSILLONS Klimek, qui étaient de l'aveu général un peu le fait de sonner trop semblable pour le confort, mais Meissner présente maintenant à l'auditeur un plus raffiné, tordu et a poli la révision de l'esthétique. Les échantillons lourdement traités se souviennent de la majesté flétrie des Boucles de Désintégration de Guillaume Basinski, mais les empreintes - arrangé avec le contact d'un peintre et inondé dans le reverbe au lait - sont non seulement de l'ambiance : ils sont aussi redevables aux spaghetti d'Ennio Morricone la guitare occidentale que Brian Eno. Comme une si grande partie du travail de Meissner, ce record vient complet avec un concept surformant une voûte. Dans le passé, Meissner s'est attaqué aux thèmes comme stiflingly lourd comme le conflit israélien-palestinien et l'urbanisation, mais avec gratitude, les Dédicaces sont moins sérieuses : c'est un album d'hommage avec chaques empreintes dévouées à une paire des gens qui ont influencé Meissner d'une certaine façon. Quelques dédicaces sont des points de référence clairement musicaux ('Pour Ezekiel Honig et Jeune (la Casserole) les américains), pendant que d'autres rappellent au fond multimédia de Meissner ('Pour Steven Spielberg et Azz El-Hassan') et tout de même d'autres effleurent sa propre histoire de famille ('Pour Zofia Klimek et Gregory Crewdson'). Malgré tout, quand vous enlevez le cadre conceptuel, on vous quitte avec une collection d'empreintes qui ressortent comme certains des plus parfaits dans une discographie submergée par les libérations excellentes. À la fin, avec la musique ambiante c'est l'expérience écoutant qui compte vraiment, et les Dédicaces sont aussi luxuriantes, en captivant et finalement qui en vaut la peine un record que vous trouverez probablement par hasard. Avec cet album, Meissner a cassé le projet de Klimek de son ornière stylistique et l'a poussé au niveau suivant, en faisant à la main un album qui révèle sa beauté progressivement, la couche par la couche, avec chaque tour du disque." |
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XLR8R
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "On Dedications, abstract electronic vet Sebastian Meissner pays tribute to personal influences that include Steven Spielberg, Marvin Gaye, a Russian ship worker, and his grandmother. How they impacted his ambient pieces would make for good, idle speculation, but nonetheless his finest work shines here. He has a sharp ear for echo, where one single pluck of a string or a piano chord typically rings and stays afloat in the air long after. His bright drones often resemble sunlight sweeping across a flooded forest floor. In his ode to Gaye and Ol’ Dirty Bastard, he builds a massive orchestral drone that sinks the listener underwater. As for how those men influenced that moment, it’s a question best left unanswered." |
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TERZ
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Das neue Projekt von Sebastian Meissner überzeugt durch enorme Dichte bei gleichzeitiger Abstraktion und der Fähigkeit, Brücken zu bauen und Referenzen sinnvoll zu verbinden. 8 Stücke sind jeweils 2 Personen der Kulturgeschichte gewidmet, wobei es weniger um Namen als um den Bezug geht. Marvin Gaye, Steven Spielberg oder Mark Hollis stehen da neben dem russischen Werftarbeiter Vladimir Ivanovich oder Zofia Klimek, Meissners Großmutter. Der Gestus des elektronischen Audio ist bestimmt durch klare Tiefe, die Prozessierung erschließt sich - ähnlich wie bei ysatis/deupree - sinnhaft nur durch historische Physikalität und analoge Wärme." |
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BASATAP
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Kompakt’tan çıkan iki albümü ve Kompakt’ın ‘Pop Ambient’ sound’una katkısının yanı sıra, Random Inc. mahlasıyla Mille Plateaux’dan da tanınan Sebastian Meissner’in, Klimek adı altındaki üçüncü albümüyle karşı karşıyayız. Daha evvel bu isimle Kompakt’tan iki albüm çıkaran ve bunları İsrail-Filistin çatışması gibi ağır konularla temellendiren Meissner’in yeni albümü ‘Dedications’, bu defa daha kişisel durumları kendine konu ediyor. Albümdeki her parça, albümün isminden de çıkarılabileceği üzere, Meissner’in kendi hayatında ve sanatın farklı disiplinlerinde büyük saygı duyduğu iki isme ithaf edilmiş (‘For Zofia Klimek & Gregory Crewdson’, ‘For Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan’...). Bu ithaflar göze alındığında, Dedications’ı Ezekiel Honig’in label’ı Anticipate’ten çıkarması onun için önemli bir hadise gibi görünüyor; albümü açan parçanın ismi ‘For Ezekiel Honig & Young (Pan) Americans’. ‘Dedications’, Klimek’in önceki albümleri gibi elektro-akustik deneylere yakın duran, fakat gerçek enstrümanlara kendi evrimlerini bilgisayar ortamında yaşatıp melodik bir ambient örneğine dönüşen bir eser. Enstrümanlar öyle bir biçimde bir araya geliyor ki, farklı enstrümanlar olarak anlam ifade etmiyorlar; bütünleşen tek bir ses gibiler. Colleen’in ilk albümünü andıran sakinlik bir tarafa, fark ettirmeden gerçekleşen değişimleriyle nasıl olduğunu insana belirgin etmeksizin, bütün parçalar kendine özgü güçlü bir atmosfer yaratıyor. Kimi zaman bolca umut, kimi zaman karanlık bir hüznü empoze ediyorken, Marsen Jules ve Deaf Center’ı anımsamamak güç... İçine girmesi belli bir yol almayı gerektirdiğinden can kulağıyla dinlemeyi gerektiren ve adeta gece geç saatlerde evde dinlemek için yapılmış bir albüm ‘Dedications’. Birkaç ay önce Morgan Packard’ın muazzam albümünü yayınlayan Anticipate Recordings, başarılı seçiciliğiyle bizi daha epey mutlu edecek gibi görünüyor..." |
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SONIC REDUCER
KLIMEK "dedications" CD + limited CD (Anticipate, USA, 2007) "Hinter dem Projekt Klimek steckt Sebastian Meissner, der inzwischen seit vielen Jahren als Künstler sehr aktiv ist. Ein halbwegs vollständiger Beitrag über die Multimedia-Kunst, Installationen und zahlreichen Musikprojekte des gebürtigen Polen würde vermutlich das gesamte Magazin füllen. Künstlerische Geschäftsreisen nach Jerusalem oder Norwegen hat er bereits hinter sich gebracht. Erweiterung des Horizonts, eigenes Interesse, Inspiration. Call it what you want. Sein musikalisches Hauptprojekt nennt sich Klimek undverfolgt mich seit der Platte „Milk & Honey“, die 2004 bei Kompakt erschien. Darauf läßt Klimek Klangbilder entstehen, die alleine oder mit visueller Unterstützung langsam ihre Wirkung entfalten. Dabei schätze ich insbesondere die lang vermisste Ruhe, Ausgeglichenheit und die kleinen Momente dieser Platte. Auf seiner Myspace-Seite bezeichnet er den Klimek-Sound als melodramatischen Pop-Song. Das aktuelle Klimek-Album, das beim Anticipate- Label erschienen ist, besteht passend zum Titel aus Widmungen. Vielleicht sind Menschen wie Marvin Gaye, der Soundtüftler Ezekiel Honig, der ebenfalls der Gründer des Anticipate-Labels ist, oder Meissners Großmutter Zofia tatsächlich ein Teil seiner Inspiration und schimmern auf „Dedications“ durch. Wo genau die Anknüpfpunkte sind, läßt sich dabei jedoch nicht wirklich erschliessen. Hin und wieder bekommt man eine Idee und kann die Streich-Ansätze bei „For Steven Spielberg & Azza El-Hassan“ zuordnen. Und eben diese Flexibilität ist die Stärke der Musik, die sich an die Stimmung des Hörers anschmiegt und anpasst. An sich findet man auf „Dedications“ wieder den typischen Klimek-Sound. Klangwellen bauen sich langsam auf und bedecken den Hörer. Irgendwo dazwischen immer wieder langsame Gitarrenlinien und Klavierklänge, die subtil Akzente setzen. Unterwegs begegnet man auch anderen Verwandten dessen, was wir in unserem urbanen Umfeld als Musik kennengelernt haben. Sie kommen uns auf eine Art bekannt vor und sind doch Fremde, in deren Armen wir uns wohl fühlen. Auf der Suche nach guter Ambient-Musik kann man sich verdammt schnell in miesem Soundbrei verlaufen und unterwegs den Eindruck bekommen, dass es sich hierbei um eine dröge Musikrichtung handelt, in der talentlose Langweiler ihre Zeit nach dem Studium totschlagen. Wer sich jedoch beispielsweise Klimeks „For Marvin Gaye & Russel Jones“ in aller Ruhe über Kopfhörer anhört, wird am Ende irgendwo zwischen Lächeln und gebannt auf den nächsten Track warten erkennen, dass es hier auch große Ausnahmen gibt. Meissner ist eine davon. [Sebastian Jegorow]" |
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SPEX
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "´Amos Kollek, Bill Frisell, Chris Ware, Deebank & Duffy & Lawrence, Edith Piaf, Fred Frith, John Zorn, Klimek, Marc Ribot, Marr & Morrissey, Sun Ra, Walt Dickerson, The Notwist, Todd Solondz, Yuppies With Jeeps´. Sebastian Meisner führt im Klappcover seines zweiten Klimek-Albums löblicherweise Einflüsse und gesampelte Künstler namentlich auf. Die Namen, die da zu lesen sind, zeigen schon, dass Meissner, der auchals Bizz Circuits und Random Inc. veröffentlicht sowie Kunst- und Fotoprojekte macht, als Klimek innerhalb des Kompakt´schen pop Ambient-Biotops eine Sonderstellung einnimmt. Auch er verdichtet in seinen Stücken Sounds zu diesen überwiegend wohlklingenden, abstraken Restepop, aber er geht dabei von anderen Ausgangspunkten aus als andere produzenten wie Markus Guenther oder The Orb." Der Tietel des Albums irritiert deshalb. ´Music To Fall Asleep´, das spielt wieder mal mit Gebrauchsmusik, wie sie Brian Enoin den späten Siebzigern entwarf und von Kompakt wieder aufgegriffen wurde. Allerdings weist Klimek mit seinen akustischen Gitarren-Klängen über gasförmigen Soundschleiern eine besondere ausgeprägte Ästhetik auf, die den Funktionscharakter seiner Stücke für mich noch weit übersteigt. Über die Schönheit dieser Musik wurde an anderen Stellen bereits genug gesagt, die ist unbestritten. Es ist, fällt bei diesen 12 Stücken vielleicht noch deutlicher als zuvor auf, teils aber auch brutal traurig klingende Musik, diehier wie ein langer, stiller grauer Fluss im ineinander laufenden Mix stoisch vor sich hinfließt. Nichts zum Nebenbeihören und Wegdrifften in süßen Schlaf, sondern Sounds, die an vergessene Orte am Rande der globalisierten Welt führen. ´Ghetto Amient´heißt ein Ausstellungsprojekt von Sebastian Meissner, und so hätte er diese Platte wohl auch nennen können. Gespenstermusik." [Sebastian Fasthuber] |
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THE WIRE
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Sebastian Meissner is a multimedia artist who broke cover in the late 1990s as half of Autopoieses with Ekkehard Ehlers. Meissner's early records were released on the Mille Plteaux label, and though he has moved to Kompakt mothership, Meissner's music still connects with the sonic and socio-cultural critique undertaken by the headiest of the Mille Plateaux/Force Inc axis. Most of Klimek's artwork and music is referential. ON Music To Fall Asleep, Meissner lifts titles from The Cure and Edit Piaf and names other songs after groups such as Jerusalem's Yuppies With Jeeps. Its cover artwork puns on an old Smiths record sleeve. The serious play of Meissner's project extends into his typically under the radar productions, which at the first ring out like classic Kompakt pop Ambient, full of cheek-tickling guitars, kissed-out cushions of reverb and delay and gentle, unobtrusive piano. Listen closer, though, and Music To Fall Asleep slowly reveals and undoes itself. Meissner staggers his melodies through stammer effects, continually disrupting the narrative and delaying the pay-off. Digital detritus floats on the surface, only to be capsized and lost in murk and mud. If Ambient electronica is meant for background drift, Klimek patently troubles those claims. His Project is written in the sidelines, in the deconstructive second titles to his songs, which variously translate as homeless, danger, loss and warm death. Each little shudder and quake is a tiny calamity." [Jon Dale] |
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OOR MAGAZINE
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Sebastian Meissner weet wel raad met geluid. Als mediakunstenaar trekt hij stad en land door op zoek naar de juiste klanken. Bracht hem zelf middenin het conflict tussen Palestina en Isra‘l. Meissner verzamelde er zijn geluiden en maakte er, ehh, kunst van. Tja, deconstructie en constructie van geluiden is Meissners, overigens woonachtig in Frankfurt, voornaamste bezigheid. Ook in de hoedanigheid van Klimek, zijn popalterego. Al houdt hij het daar een stuk eenvoudiger. Zo klinkt zijn werk overigens niet. Zijn debuutplaat Milk & Honey, ook op Kompakt verschenen, boeide van begin tot eind door vreemde wendingen en repeterende melodie‘n die steeds net even, haast niet waarneembaar, veranderen. Meissner sust je er vakkundig in een soort droomstaat. Alsof je deelgenoot bent van een imaginaire film. Niet vreemd overigens, Meissner noemt filmproducent David Lynch immers als grote inspiratiebron. En ja, ook Music To Fall Asleep kan dienst doen als de perfecte soundtrack voor zijn films. Beter nog dan Milk & Honey. Meissner klinkt er n—g bedwelmender, n—g verontrustender en tegelijkertijd n—g rustgevender. Luisteren naar Music To Fall Asleep is als langzaam wegzakken in een heet bad, als bivakkeren in het schemergebied tussen wakker zijn en slaap. Geen beat komt er overigens aan te pas, of het moet er eentje zijn die ergens ver op de achtergrond te horen is, zoals in het epische en verontrustende Kingdoms Here We Come. Wel haalt Meissner zijn gitaar uit de kast om zijn soundscapes en glitches kracht bij te zetten. Over ritme gesproken: prachtig hoe hij in Verlust der Motorik het bestaan van een ritme weet te suggereren. Nee, in slaap vallen is er niet bij, al is de wereld om je heen zo vergeten. Met het werk van KPT.Michigan de mooiste ambient van dit moment. " [Theo Ploeg] |
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BEATFREAX, UK
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "The sounds of strumming guitars are being stretched to infinity and occasionally meet a lost bass line or a fragmented piano along the way. This literally could go on for ever and ever, for there is no beginning and there is no end. It is a very minimal take on minimal music, and while this may be considered to be the epitome of relaxation by some, I personally happen to think it is absolutely pointless." |
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SEEMAGAZINE
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "If you need to slow life down a bit and chill, forget shoegazer standbys like My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, or Low. They’re far too exciting compared to the glacial ambient beauty of Klimek’s new album, which couldn’t be truer to its name unless it was called "Compact Disc." His 2004 debut was fantastic upon first listen, but too much guitar and twang made you feel like were listening to Western soundtracks on heroin–or listening to Fennesz–after a while. Guitars are still in abundance but Klimek’s sound has matured and is accompanied by many other instruments like pianos, cello, and alien synth tones. What seems like stretched out drum sounds are here as well–unless it’s all just processed guitar. Particularly beautiful are the aquatic "Standing On The Beach," the fluttering "Kingdoms Here We Come" and the lunar "Verlust Der Motorik." There’s no distortion here and it’s not as blurry as much horizontally-inclined post-rock. Just simple and minimal melodies compared best to Brian Eno, Harold Budd, and Michael Brook." |
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FOXY DIGITALIS
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Music to Fall Asleep, the title of Klimek´s latest offering for Kompakt, is somewhat ambiguous. His music is so slow that you can fall asleep to it better than to Yellow Swans for example. Still, his ambient excursions are too complex to serve as a musical sleeping pill. In that way Klimek´s approach is similar to Tigerbeat 6´s 2000 compilation "Good Night: Music to Sleep By", which also played with the cliché of quiet music being music to sleep to. Klimek is the solo moniker of Sebastian Meissner who had studied the cultures of Israel and Palestine on three albums for Mille Plateaux and Ritornell as Random, Inc. Also, he collaborated with Ekkehard Ehlers in the group Autopoieses. While those projects had a strong post-modernist, analytical edge, Meissner´s music as Klimek is much more intuitive. Music to Fall Asleep is already Meissner´s third album for Kompakt and doesn´t differ so much from the first two. Meissner plays guitar, bass and sometimes piano and makes heavy use of delay effects, so that the 12 tracks cover the listener like a silky blanket. Klimek´s music often feels like rays of sunshine finding their way through a misty morning. Just like with Windy & Carl´s earlier recordings, many of Klimek´s tracks could be three minute melancholic pop songs, but they´re stretched out so far that everything becomes a blurry mass of sound. Needless to say that Music to Fall Asleep might induce the listener to fall into a state of suspended animation. Thus, the album title could also be understood as a warning because whatever you do while listening to this album, time will stand still for an hour. [Stephan Bauer] |
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EAR PLUG
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Klimek's second album, Music to Fall Asleep, came out a few months ago, but it's taken us that long to wrap our heads around it — in part because, well, we've been falling asleep to it almost every night. As ever, the mandate for Sebastian Meissner's Klimek project is clear: filigreed guitar in the style of mid-period Cocteau Twins is run through cathedral-sized reverb to create the illusion of sublime tonal drift. Melodies, such as they are, are firefly-ephemeral (though they burn into the mind just as surely). Many critics have called Music slight, but they miss the point: the album's very success lies in its sense of ease, but it never slips syrup into the mix. In fact, there's a great deal of muscle here, though it's a rock climber's careful flexing rather than a sprinter's all-out burn; you hear it with every precisely plucked note and in every surprising, counterintuitive voicing." |
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CITY PAPER
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "A more effective horror film soundtrack can be found on Klimek's Music to Fall Asleep, a grim symphony made up of moaning, minor-key synthesizers and spidery pricks of guitar. The record is distinctly chilling, creating a mood of inescapable dread. Case in point: I recently attended a screening of Murnau's silent classic Faust that didn't include any kind of musical accompaniment. After 15 awkward minutes of total silence, I quietly slipped on my earphones, crouched low in my seat and cued up ´Music To Fall Asleep´on my iPod. The result was one of the most harrowing — and rewarding — experiences I've had at the movies in quite some time." |
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BOOMKAT
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Just as DJ Olive lulled us into a deep slumber with his ´Sleep´ album a few weeks back, now Kompakt´s Klimek once again concoct a blend of loveliness tailor-made for those times when you just want to shut yourself off from the outside world. Those of you who picked up the sublime ´Milk and Honey´ album will already be aware of the kind of blissful effervesence that Klimek construct, with ´Music to Fall Asleep´ the reflective ambience is taken to even floatier pastures. The signature stuttering guitars are present and correct, stretched and moulded like putty to create a total wash of sound, while the deep-rooted melodies are barely distinguishable under the quagmire of effected instruments; as they change the reaction is seismic. Music like this takes control of you, and the small shifts in sound and structure impact like tidal waves - making for an evocative, mesmerising listening experience. "Music To Fall Asleep" is hugely recommended for fans of Tim Hecker, Marsen Jules, Grouper and Kompakt´s essential Pop Ambient series of compilations, or if these names aren't familiar to you, try this out if you're after a collection of dreamy, evocative semi-acoustic blissful pieces for the early hours." |
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DE:BUG
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Ich weiß, das Thema ist natürlich nicht neu, das wird Klimek auch wissen, aber eben deshalb kann man auch mit einer solchen Leichtigkeit an so ein Album voller ambient dronig dekonstruierter Klassik herangehen. Seiten werden hier so lange gedehnt bis die Erde darunter genug Zeit hatte, sich ein paar mal zu drehen und trotzdem ist das alles andere als Stillstand was hier vermittelt wird, und wenn man zu dieser Platte wirklich einschlafen könnte, dann in einen Schlaf in den man die Musik mitnimmt, so als wäre das alles gar kein Wechsel sondern ein Übergang." [Bleed] |
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HCG KÖNYVEK
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "A Klimek lemezén ambient van végig. Ha becsukom a szemem, akkor egy fedett teraszt látok, hatalmas üvegfalakkal, valamint egy párt, akik összebújva ülnek, és bámulják a szakadó esot egy huvösebb oszi délutánon. A levelek a kertjüket barnás-vöröses-sárgás színárnyalatokba borítják, és kacérkodnak az ég szürkéjével, míg a hulló cseppek finom koppanása észrevétlenül beépül a zenébe. Lassú, ám mégis szenvedélyes a Music To Fall Asleep." |
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ALL CLASSICAL
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "For the earliest releases in the Klimek catalog, the sound was consistent and warm in tone. Shimmering guitars and hints of washes and percussion were the order of the day, with a constant focus on getting lost in a relaxing state and soaking the sound in. But after a while the sound became too predictable and stagnant. To rectify this problem, Klimek released the vinyl-only Listen, the Snow Is Falling, with a drastically altered direction that sounded as promising as anything the pop/ambient portion of Kompakt had to offer in quite some time. But with Music to Fall Asleep, the sound, and unfortunately the song, all too often remains the same. The cavernous delay present, which was once the highlight of a fresh sound, makes a re-appearance, and like a pestering mother-in-law who outstays her welcome, stays in place and gets way too comfortable too often. Overlooking this notion is an exercise in listening patience, but even then Klimek on its worst day is better than most ambient artists on their best. Music to Fall Asleep is 11 songs of Klimek expanding on patterns and blueprints that were hinted at on Milk and Honey, but it's most certainly more haunting and reliant on more instrumentation this time around. It's also a lot more dissonant and haunting than Milk and Honey but nothing Klimek fanatics certainly won't revel in. Not the best Kompakt ambient release, but certainly not the worst, either." |
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ALMOST COOL
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Looking through my CD collection the other evening, I realized that I have a lot of ambient CDs. Because they often serve sort of the same purpose, it sometimes seems strange to me that I even need so many, but any time I get close to getting rid of certain ones, I remember little things that I enjoy about the releases and they live to play another day. Klimek lets you know where his newest album is coming from right away with the title of Music To Fall Asleep, and the release is another somnambulist entry in the "pop ambient" series from Kompakt. In addition to being quite different from his peers in that his music drifts by on a warm blanket of sound without beats, Klimek (aka Sebastian Meissner, who has also released several records under the name Random Inc) also sticks out a little bit with his use of real instrumentation. His favorite on this newest album (his second under the Klimek name) is the guitar, and he takes simple notes from the instrument and turns them into sonic goo, pulling them out like taffy until they sometimes take on a completely different set of traits. "Pathways To Work" opens the disc and it's a little darker than the rest of the disc, setting a foreboding scene with dense, swirling washes that only reveal themselves as guitars in the last few seconds of the song. "Accompanying Guilty Thoughts Of Unauthorized Candy" follows directly (nearly all the songs on the album are mixed into one another) and it falls into a shuddering, glitchy routine of granulated guitar notes that sounds nice but really fails to separate itself from the vast amount of artists doing similar things. Tying in with the aforementioned statement, the album lags a bit when it's forced to rely on the actual melodies of the guitar pieces to stand out, because they're usually not very strong melodically. The disc is much better when it pushes beyond those recognizable filtered guitar sounds and into more otherworldy sounds. "Kingdoms Here We Come" is a perfect example, dropping dense fields of held tones over a repeating three-note bass part that sucks you into a creepy vortex and doesn't let you out. "Verlust Der Motorik" is another fine example, pushing forth a flickering harmonic piece that sounds like Tim Hecker mixed with Gas. There are places on the twelve-track, sixty-five minute release where it sounds like it's re-treading through familiar territory, but if you're a fan of ambient electronic music, you could certainly do worse. |
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AQUARIUS RECORDS
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "There are two facets to the Kompakt sound. The thump thump thump house music side, and the shimmery blissed out 'pop ambient' side. We definitely much favor the the sleepy glistening swoonscapes that define that warm welcoming pop ambient sound (although there are a few Kompakt records where the house beats are just murky and muted enough that the resulting Heroin House sound pushes all those same buttons) and no one does it better than Klimek. Responsible for maybe the defining pop ambient track "Milk And Honey", the perfect blend of electronic drones and subtle simple indie melodies, Music To Fall Asleep continues in a similar direction, exploring post-Eno ambience, and offering up a huge sleepy swirl of sound, that is, duh, perfect to fall asleep to. Warm thick whirls of dense droning synths ebb and flow like a midnight tide, guitars are chopped up and stuttered into smooth sleepy smears, like some sweet slab of indie rock left out in the sun so long it melts into a big puddle, rich chords shimmer into vast expanses of reverb and delay, each melody slowly developing over minutes instead of seconds. What else can we say? This is gorgeous and gentle, delicate and dreamlike, sun dappled and absolutely perfect. Essential for fans of all things pop ambient, and something to hold you over until the next Gas record. And like we even need to say it again, the perfect drifting off to sleep record!" |
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BERLIN 030
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Hinter Klimek verbirgt sich Sebastian Meissner, der bereits alle möglichen Spielarten elektronischer Musik unter den verschiedensten Pseudonymen durchprobiert hat. Als Klimek geht es ihm vor allem um Weichheit und Wohlklang-Aroma, um so genannten Popambient, der bei ihm freilich ´Gheottoambient´ genannt wird, was einfach ja auch mal was anderes ist. Seine Platte ist mindestens so schön wie die Frau auf dem Cover. Diese Elektronik schimmert, glänzt und schwebt langsam vor sich hin wie ein Schwan auf einem Bergsee." |
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EXCLAIM
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Frankfurt-based concept artist Sebastian Meissner has come a long way since his late 90s stint with Ekkehard Ehlers in glitch collage duo Autopoiesies. Since then, he´s kept busy with a stream of releases under the handful of monikers he uses to explore different tangents of his musical interests. Whereas Random Industries houses Meissner´s politics and Bizz Circuits his post-digital theory, Klimek has become the place to find his guitar explorations. Music to Fall Asleep is the second Klimek in as many years, and it picks up where Milk and Honey left off, lulling the listening toward restless slumber. Ostensibly a record of minimal guitar meanderings, Klimek fuses the granular ambience Radio Amor-era Tim Hecker with the narcotic drawl of Stars of the Lid and the slight blues´n´country underpinnings of Loren Mezzacane Connors. Much of the guitar work here is passed through a mess of wires, effects and laptops, though the final result is ultimately clean, and a refined distillation of the six strings capacity for tripping the lonely lights fantastic outside any trappings of form. Klimek may fit within Kompakt´s rubric of pop ambience, though Music to Fall Asleep is more spaghetti western for the laptop generation." + "Klimek has picked the perfect title for this album of delicate ambience. It´s guaranteed to knock you out, should sleep be hard to attain. Klimek works guitars and synths together to produce slow, dreamy tracks. Combine the gentler moments of Slowdive´s Pygmalion and the ambient work of Jonas Munk under his Manual guise, and you can probably get the idea. Or, let´s just say it´s Music for Airports updated to 2006; and if you like that Eno album, you´ll like this one too." |
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GAZ-ETA.VIVO
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Nowy album Sebastiana Meissnera, firmowany szyldem Klimek, stanowi kontynuacje jego wczesniejszych dokonan, publikowanych przez Kompakt. Jedenascie premierowych nagran, jakie trafilo na "Music To Fall Asleep", to penetracja elektro-akustycznych terytoriów preparowanego dzwieku. Niemiecki producent korzysta przede wszystkim z sampli dwóch instrumentów - gitary i fortepianu. W jego komputerze nabieraja one odrealnionego charakteru - tworza rozciagniete w czasie pojedyncze tony, ukladajace sie w nieistniejace melodie. Czasem Meissner pozwala im wybrzmiec w dluzszych frazach - jak chocby gitarze w tytulowym "Music To Fall Asleep" czy fortepianowi w "Les Mots D`Amour". I daje to ciekawe efekty, jak chocby w "New Deal", które dzieki szorstkiemu motywowi gitarowemu, nabiera bluesowego klimatu. Az szkoda, ze niemiecki artysta stawia na tak drastyczny minimalizm swych utworów. Kiedy w "Kingdoms Here We Come" pojawia sie mroczny pochód basu, utwór od razu ozywa, emanujac niepokojaca atmosfera tajemniczosci. Tla wszystkich prawie kompozycji tworza rozedrgane szumy i szelesty, spod których, co jakis czas wynurzaja sie statyczne smugi cyfrowych smyczków ("Pathways Verbunden To Work"). Opus magnum tej plyty stanowi "Catalyst" - ambientowa symfonia przemielonych w laptopie sampli fortepianu i wibrafonu o jazzowym feelingu. Tytul tego krazka nie myli - jego jednostajnosc i monotonia sprawia, ze powieki same zamykaja sie w miare saczenia sie dochodzacej z niego muzyki. [Pawel Grzyl] |
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METRO TIMES
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "When you can't shout anymore you'll be ready for Klimek's Music to Fall Asleep, an album of electronically-treated guitar strums, tinkling piano keys and whispering machine hisses. The beats are faint, but the drama Klimek creates is real. That's a skill that deserves an audience, so come out to Hart Plaza Memorial Day weekend and revel in the best electronic music has to offer." |
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OTHER MUSIC
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Klimek have already made one of the most enduring popambient songs of recent years with "Milk and Honey." They've dedicated tracks to popambient predecessors like Eric Satie. Now out of the blue comes the first Klimek full-length album, Music to Fall Asleep, with a cover art tribute to the Smiths' single "This Charming Man"--except here with a charming woman. (Oh you're so romantic, Klimek!) The same high and low pitched, glass-like string plucks echoing into space peer in and out of Music to Fall Asleep. The prevailing atmosphere is pretty and slow-moving, like light traveling through ice. All 11 tracks weave into the next and distinguish themselves from each other by rising and falling, and swelling and contracting, while still maintaining a feel reminiscent of the Harold Budd and Cocteau Twins' collaboration, Moon and the Melodies. Put this album on repeat and have sweet dreams. Recommended." |
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POLITRONIC
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "A wonderful composition by the man who was a.o. AUTOPOIESIS, RANDOM INC. or BIZZ CIRCUITS, now with the KLIMEK fullength debut, sounds like GAS meets DAVID GRUBBS in a session for a DAVID LYNCH movie. The popambient label genre has reached a new evolutionary step!" |
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POP MATTERS
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "I´m not sure if it´s refreshing or distressing to see such humility conveyed via album title. Klimek´s latest album is called Music to Fall Asleep, and to be sure, it does manage to work as advertised. Even so, even the most chilled-out ambient artist will usually admit the desire, however secondary, that listeners pay attention to their music rather than save it for the background as an aid in reaching the realm of REM sleep. Is it a shedding of delusions or an acquiescence of inferiority? Or is Klimek just being cheeky? Aside from that particular unresolved (and, really, fairly unimportant) debate, there´s very little about Music to Fall Asleep that´s controversial in the slightest. It´s ambient as ambient can be, without even beats to get in the way of the thick, soupy brand of atmosphere that Klimek dabbles in. It´s pleasant enough, you can play it in front of people who like Celine Dion without driving them completely out of the room, and it even features some instruments that are recognizable to the human ear. Most notably, the guitar is all over this album, and for an artist who dabbles so often in a genre called "drone", Klimek is really quite attached to it. It´s for this reason that Klimek has brought on a name for himself a step beyond many other drone and ambient artists—his use of the guitar allows for a more earthy, recognizable listening experience that actually manages to incorporate melody every so often. Given that melody is generally avoided like the plague in the world of ambient music, its presence is sure to raise a few eyebrows. (An aside: On Music to Fall Asleep, Klimek has gone the Hail to the Thief route and given each song two titles. The difference here is that he has mixed them together, allowing us to tell them apart via the color of the text. There´s no particular visible reason that I can see for titling his tracks this way other than a need to be, well, artsy, but he did—so get ready for some odd track titles.) Klimek´s best moments are when he gives in wholeheartedly to the gods of melody and makes a lovely series of notes, rather than simply a monotone drone, and allows that melody to carry the song. "Working Towards Yuppies with Independence Jeeps" is a pleasant little number with a lilting guitar that could almost be part of a soft pop song. A small motif is played, and then it just hangs in the air, sometimes accompanied by distant static, soft strings, or the sound of heat rising off of blacktop on a hundred-degree day. Rather than a drone, it´s simply atmosphere, sleepy, effective, and surprisingly memorable. Title-ish track "Music to Fall Eintagaus Asleep" features some beautiful guitar work as well, though the dominant sound throughout is something that sounds like a heavily processed violin, playing the high notes above the vaguely classical, slow picking of the guitar. The violin sound is harsh (at least as far as this album goes), and it adds another unexpected texture to what is, at its base, a rather unimpressive drone. Unfortunately, that last betrays the primary failing of Music to Fall Asleep—once you get past the traditional instruments, the drones themselves are pretty rote. In the interestingly titled "Kingdoms Here We Wiggin´ by Night Come", there´s just a singular, minor-chord drone, some occasional highly delay-effected sound effects, and an insistent, if quiet, percussive pulse. The drone does shift, but there´s nothing about it that makes you care that it´s going to shift, so mostly, it becomes background for whatever you´re doing while waiting for the next track (and, hopefully, something better). There´s also the recurring feel of a CD player quickly skipping throughout the album, as sounds are very quickly looped such that the quick pulses sound like longer, continuous tones, even though the individual sounds are anything but continuous. The trick is neat on the first track, but by the time 60 minutes have passed and Klimek is using it on the final track, it´s a trick that´s outplayed itself. Klimek does fairly well making his atmosphere sound appropriately thick and mysterious, but he seems very limited in his ideas on how to create it. Which, I suppose, is why he feels the need to introduce the organic. The guitars and other string instruments throughout Music to Fall Asleep are the album´s most attractive traits, as they allow Klimek to expand his palette and give his listeners something to pay attention to. Everything else, however, is simply background noise, whose sole purpose is implied in the very title of the album. Even as the album works toward its (supposed) intent, it simply doesn´t always work as music." |
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ROAD RECORDS
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "This definitely wins the award for most aptly named album of the year so far, a really beautiful collection of highly processed digital soundscapes and weird guitar noises, mellow droning sounds are mixed with randomly plucked acoustic and electric guitars, this is the debut full length album from klimek on the kompakt label, very reminscent of the harold budd and cocteau twins collaboration on the moon and the melodies crossed with the bass rumbles of rothko, really stunning stuff, may 2006" |
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SMALL FISH
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Another utterly beautiful and mesmerising release from the world of Kompakt Pop Ambient. Subtly manipulated guitars and delicate strings blended to total perfection. Reminiscent of Marsen Jules, William Basinski, Monostation, Brian McBride / Kranky and any of the Pop Ambient stable, you can rest assured this is ambient electronica of the very highest quality." |
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SONOMU
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "A relatively fresh new pseudonym for Sebastian Meissner, conceptual artist and sound designer from Frankfurt am Main, who used to work with Ekkehard Ehlers (as Autopoieses) and who, under the names Random Industries and Bizz Circuits, has spent the past few years creating some monumental recordings investigating the mystery that is the Jerusalem and the Israeli and Palestinian artists and citizens trying to cope with its holiness. Though a bit ungrammatical, Music to Fall Asleep makes good on its promise, lulling you softly with its song. However, instead of dozing off, you will probably find yourself staying wide awake enjoying the deceptively simple, patient melodies which seem suspended in rarefied air. Kompakt is a label renowned for its "pop ambient", and the central role given to the acoustic guitar and Budd-like piano trills certainly fit the bill. Using some twisted logic, Klimek´s unique music makes me imagine that this is what dark ambient would sound like if only someone were to shed some sunlight on it. Meissner is very much his own man and sculpts his own version of what would be nice to fall asleep to by making his music quiver and vibrate in the most remarkable way. Very accomplished. Not a single yawn." [Stephen Fruitman] |
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TEXTURA
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Sebastian Meissner has assumed many guises over the past half decade—Random Industries, Bizz Circuits, one-half of Autopoieses (alongside partner Ekkehard Ehlers) but it's with Klimek that Meissner most flirts with the ambient genre. Music to Fall Asleep doesn't significantly depart from the style of Milk & Honey—it's more a refinement than evolution—though fans of the Klimek debut probably won't mind. Yes, its hypnotic sheets of steely guitar strums are as lulling as the album's title suggests yet there's also a subtly unsettling industrial undercurrent too (in "Kingdoms Here We Come", for example, the guitar effects are aggressive and drone-like, with a three-note bass motif the recurring anchor). Interestingly, for a style that at first seems limited, Meissner brings out contrast from one track to the next, with the differences between tracks accentuated by the absence of pauses separating them. The opening piece's dramatic guitar shudders ("Pathways Verbunden to Work") give way to plucked strings' shimmering reverberations ("Accompanying Guilty Thoughts of Unauthorized Candy") and, subsequently, sustain that bleeds through cavernous pauses during "Standing on the Beach. "Working Towards Independence" unfolds glacially, all the better to notice the elongated strings, slow-motion guitar figures, and soft percussion accents that almost subliminally resound. Close listening induces a greater appreciation for the subtle modulations in mood and intensity Meissner creates from one piece to the next. "Catalyst" depicts some distant galaxial sphere where dissonant alien signals illuminate dark expanses, whereas those same signals coalesce to conjure affecting melancholy in "Les mots d'amour." Strangely, for an album predicated on inducing sleep, the final track's insistent accents are more likely to rouse someone from deep slumber. But such surprises seem more consistent with the album's overall character, one that superficially appears monochromatic but in fact boasts a rich spectrum of colour." |
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30 de FEVEREIRO
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Quem teve oportunidade de ouvir o excelente álbum Milk And Honey sabe o que pode esperar de Music To Fall Asleep, o segundo álbum de Sebastian Meissner sob o nome de Klimek. Este multifacetado artista de Frankfurt/Main, que tanto utiliza o nome próprio como outros disfarces - Random Industries, Random Inc., Bizz Circuits - tem tido um papel activo na progressão da electrónica actual. Quanto a Music To Fall Asleep, tal como o título sugere, evoca uma paisagem nocturna de flutuação ambiental e sons liquefeitos. Nos minimalismos de guitarra acústica, enrolados como uma vaga sonora, as melodias quase não se distinguem, submersas pelos instrumentos processados digitalmente. A música é absorvente e hipnótica, e as pequenas mudanças que se vão sucedendo no som e na estrutura arrastam-nos como marés. Reflectido e sonhador, é um disco perfeito para quem quiser desligar por um bocado do mundo exterior." |
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SOUND PROECTOR
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "Sebastian Meissner (AKA Klimek) живет во Франкфурте-на-Майне, Германия, он - концептуальный артист: композитор, звукодизайнер и фотограф в одном лице. Он много путешествует, фотографирует разные интересные вещи, потом придумывает звуковое сопровождение к увиденной им жизни, к запомнившимся сюжетам, лицам, переживаниям и впечатлениям. Да, все именно так, я уверен. Кроме проекта Klimek, Себастьян сотрудничает с другими музыкантами и выпускает свою музыку под именами Bizz Circuit, Random Inc. и Autopoieses. Music To Fall Asleep - второй номерной альбом проекта, посредником между автономной творческой единицей Klimek и остальным миром является звукозаписывающая фирма Kompakt, которая базируется в городе Кёльн. Кстати, диск вышел под интересным номером 50 в каталоге Kompakt'a. Давайте представим: диск у нас в руках, вот только что принесли из магазина (конечно же, не из "горбушки", а принадлежащего сети распространения звукозаписывающей фирмы Kompakt). Принесли, вертим, значит, перед носом коробочку с диском, внимательно разглядываем и видим, что диск этот совершенно замечательный. С чего начинается знакомство с новым альбомом? Правильно, с обложки диска. Достаем вкладыш из коробочки, смотрим, даже нюхаем - неповторимый аромат офсетной краски, вкладыш отпечатан очень качественно. Графический дизайн выполнен на профессиональном уровне, серо-голубые тона, выщербленный асфальт, платье в горошек, спящая красавица - все подчинено некому концепту. Название альбома стилизовано под надпись мелом на асфальте. Настроение, передаваемое композицией - нейтральность мыслей с легким привкусом сюрреализма и комфортным ознобом недосказанности. Это не просто фотография, это фото-арт, самостоятельное художественное произведение (фотограф - Sabine Siegmund). Да, да... Медитируем некоторое время над обложкой, ведь такое в последнее время нечасто встречается... Так... Ну да, что же мы! Спохватываемся, достаем диск, загружаем в проигрыватель компакт-дисков и инициируем нажатием кнопки "Играть". Тело альбома представляет собой 12 дорожек-композиций, смикшированных друг с другом без пропусков, - то есть мы имеем одну метакомпозицию длиной 65 минут, для удобства поделенную на части, а значит, слушать диск в режиме случайной выборки становится бессмысленной затеей. Повинуясь замыслу, дорожки плавно перетекают одна в другую, и дорожки эти престранным образом поименованы... Ага, самое время перевернуть коробочку и посмотреть названия дорожек. Здесь мы вновь сталкиваемся с Идеей - да, концептуальный подход чувствуется во всем! Смысловые фрагменты названий выделены разными цветами и представлены на английском и немецком языках, вот так: (Слова, набранные курсивом, выделены голубым цветом) |
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WARP
KLIMEK "music to fall asleep" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2006) "We tested this cds 'claims' out on our ever alert packers, who maintained conciousness throughout, so on one level this cd has failed to raise the levels of melatonin we hoped, which is probably a good thing as they're busy. But in the right circumstances, we are sure this rather lovely album of deep drifting sleepy ambience is able to work it's magic, and we wouldn't recommend you listen to it when driving." |
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BOOMKAT
KLIMEK "listen, the snow is falling" 12´´ EP (Kompakt, Germany, 2005) "A brand new selection of horizontal tracks from the ever prolific Kompakt, Klimek is perfectly weighted for oncoming cold winter nights - his strand of music makes you feel positively warm inside. Here are modern interpretations from Kompakt´s israeli connection of classical movements by Debussy and Satie, based on harp recordings of Katja Leber, sitting comfortably together whilst utilizing the finest pensive minimalism, frosted like cut glass. Klimek is Sebastian Meissner, perhaps also known to you as Autopoieses, from his work with Ekkehard Ehlers on Mille Plateaux. These new tracks for the seldom less than awesome Klimek are designed specially for melancholic music lovers, to help us all remember that when you stop and think, the world isn't so bad after all. A joy." |
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GROOVE
KLIMEK "listen, the snow is falling" 12´´ EP (Kompakt, Germany, 2005) "Ohne Beats kommt die EP ´Listen, The Snow Is Falling´ (Kompakt 125/Kompakt) von Klimek aus. Die mit Harvensounds hergestellte Dichte reicht auch völlig. Teilweise auf Debussy-Stücken basierender ätherischer Pop-Ambient der versunkenen, fragilen, nichtsdestotrotz fundierten Sorte.. |
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DE:BUG
KLIMEK "listen, the snow is falling" 12´´ EP (Kompakt, Germany, 2005) Vielleicht ist es dafür noch etwas früh, aber Klimek sorgt schon mal vor, denn irgendwie sind seine Tracks ja gerne so, als würde man durch Eis blicken. Sati, Debussy und vor allem Harfentracks sind die Basis dieser zitternden, ständig in sich selbst gespiegelten, ambienten Tracks, die schon jetzt den nächsten Ambient Pop ankündigen. Aber Klimek ist eben einfach eine Welt für sich. |
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FORCED EXPOSURE
KLIMEK "listen, the snow is falling" 12´´ EP (Kompakt, Germany, 2005) "One of the most ambitious and elegant pop ambient artists is back. Klimek is Sebastian Meissner, also known as Autopoieses, from his work with Ekkehard Ehlers on Mille Plateaux. The absolutely artistically precious Klimek seamlessly follows up his album masterpiece -- Milk & Honey -- with the EP on hand, Listen, The Snow Is Falling. While the main subject of Milk & Honey was the guitar, the following five tracks are based on the harp recordings of an art friend." |
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ROADRECORDS
KLIMEK "listen, the snow is falling" 12´´ EP (Kompakt, Germany, 2005) "A collection of five minimal electronic pieces based on harp recordings by katja leber, features interpretations of pieces by claude debussy and eric sati, some really beautiful processed string sounds meets glitchy electronics in a truly minimal way, slow and very very calming sounds, reminscent of harold budd meets the music from merry christmas mr lawrence." |
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BENZINE
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "Découvert par l´entremise des toujours très pertinentes compilations pop Ambient du label Kompakt, Klimek, alias Sebastian Meissner, allemand, sound designer et photographe de métier, propose son premier album sous le nom de Klimek après plusieurs apparitions sous divers projets réunis autour de labels tels que Mille plateaux, Sub rosa, Beta Bodega ou Cronica. Totalement liée à l´imaginaire, à l´espace et aux arts vivants en général, la musique de Klimek s´inscrit dans un paysage sonore très dense dans lequel diverses interprétations peuvent se prêter à l´écoute de Milk & honey. Entre musiques Lynchiennes, de science-fiction ou de westerns abstraits, l´album s´ouvre sur des horizons en cinémascope. La plupart des morceaux, très étirés, font plus de 6 minutes et connaissent une progression lente dans laquelle guitares et laptop s´en donnent à cour joie pour créer des ambiances tendues et minimalistes qui rappelleront par moment le travail entrepris par Labradford au cours de ces dernières années. Epurées, froides, quasi-désertiques, les compositions de Klimek peuvent faire penser à une ville en état de désolation, ruinée par une guerre nucléaire. Elles réussissent à nous captiver avec presque rien, et avec une forme de tranquillité rassurante, elles contribuent à faire le vide à l´intérieur, un peu comme une sorte de musique de méditation. Si les musiques se suivent, elles ne se ressemblent pas toutes pour autant. Milk & honey demandera, malgré tout, plusieurs écoutes pour en saisir toutes les nuances, et laissera sans doute une belle impression auprès de ceux qui se plongeront en son sein. Malgré l´aspect dépouillé de l´ensemble, il ressort de cet album une très belle sensibilité pour des compositions aux tonalités et aux reflets changeants." |
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UZINE
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "Very, very beautiful, very delicate! Shimmering guitars in sophisticated electronic scapes, incredibly expressive - poignantly moody music is not an illusion. Klimek builds the same kind of tension with guitar strings as Murcof with neo-classical samples, but his music is less rhythmic. Luckily, it's not droney either. Essential listening for fans of Fennesz, Durutti Column, Dome, O'Shea et al. Klimek is composer, sound designer and photographer Sebastian Meissner (aka Random Inc), who has also released for Mille Plateaux, Sub Rosa, Beta Bodega and Cronica. The cd also features a Quicktime video." |
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EAR PLUG
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "If you were to pick highlights from Kompakt's last two Pop Ambient compilations, it's a good bet that Klimek's contributions would shoot to the top of the list — an impressive feat, given the consistent quality of music showcased in the long-running series. Frankfurt-based artist/composer/sound-designer Sebastian Meissner uses an instrument rarely explored in ambient music — the acoustic guitar. The stringed source adds a layer of familiarity and human comfort to otherwise largely electronic soundscapes. Sparsely laid, gently struck strings are set against warm, crackly textures. It is, in essence, a sonic evocation of the tender moment just a few seconds before sunrise." |
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LIABILITY WEBZINE
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "Avant d´atterrir sur Kompakt et de se faire un nom sur les légendaires compilations du label (la série Pop Ambient) Sebastian Meissner aura eu l´occasion de faire ses armes sur des labels aussi prestigieux que Milles Plateaux et Sub Rosa ou sur les plus confidentiels mais pas moins intéressants Cronica et Beta Bodega. Pour quelqu´un dont la musique n´est pas la spécialité première, il aura su s´imposer un peu partout avec une musique solide et pleine de maturité. Milk & Honey n´est cependant que son premier album et celui-ci est loin d´être décevant. Bien évidemment S.Meissner reste dans une veine ambiant ou la lenteur et l´impression de lévitation est une constante. Les guitares rêveuses viennent glisser sur les nappes électroniques qui ont ceci de particulier, c´est qu´elle ne sont jamais rectilignes. Elles sont comme des vagues régulières mais aux formes changeantes qui viennent s´échouer tranquillement sur une plage déserte. On surprend même quelques cliquetis synthétiques, ces fameux « clicks » qui ont fait la réputation de labels comme Milles Plateaux. Ambiances lunaires, donc, qui atteignent parfaitement leur but. Musique pour cardiaques, on évolue ici à la vitesse d´un escargot. On va à son rythme, la tête un peu ailleurs, avec légèreté et décontraction. Le titre de l´album annonçait pourtant la couleur. Un titre suffisamment évocateur qui fait largement penser à la mollesse, au laisser-aller, bref à tout ce qui pourrait laisser songer à la paresse et au confort. Alors évidemment c´est beau, aérien, tout ce que vous voulez mais les ambiances fournies par Klimek ne sont que dans le prolongement de groupes comme Labradford ou Growing et toute cette tendance du post-rock qui a intégré des sonorités électroniques et ambiant. On se consolera en se disant que ce disque n´a pas de défauts majeurs et que sa beauté suffit amplement à faire notre bonheur. N´allons pas chercher plus loin." [Hartwig Vens] |
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OTHER MUSIC
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "Frankfurt's Sebastian Meissner, composer and conceptual artist, has been working under different aliases and recording for labels like Mille Plateaux, Ritornell, Force Inc., and subRosa, among others for some time now. He was one half of Autopoieses with laptop wunderkind Ekkehard Ehlers, solo projects include Bizz-Circuits, the politically conscious Random Inc., and his latest alter-ego, the fantastic Klimek. And like his Random, Inc. moniker, the Klimek project takes inspiration from the city of Jerusalem, a place that has made a profound impact on his life and in his music. Jerusalem IS the land of milk and honey, isn't it? Klimek uses the guitar as his source, and processes it via laptop. He has undoubtedly achieved a truly unique style...in his own special way, he is able to literally suspend the guitar in time, and let it hover delicately through your cosmos. Milk & Honey is quite captivating in its dramatic, flickering, spacious beauty. Klimek lets the acoustics of the guitar show in great detail -- occasionally you can hear the up-close buzzing of a string, harmonics, a pick touching strings, and hands muting strings. The sublime, veeeeery sloooow movements, crystalline strums, cavernous silences and drawn-out echoes are unbelievably suspenseful and gorgeous. Pristine hisses and hums, and waves of deep, warm bass tones perfectly compliment every sound culled from his guitar. There is a definite spaghetti western vibe here, albeit in a very fractured, slow motion -- like watching dusty, grainy homemade films of vast landscapes at quarter-speed. Milk & Honey is a concept album; every track is a variation on a similar motif, with each subtlety being very distinct and moving. The listener's patience will most certainly be rewarded here, in great amounts. A pop ambient gem. Listen." |
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STYLUS MAGAZINE
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "Play Random Inc.´s Tales of the New Jerusalem and Manual´s Into Tomorrow in succession and you´ll be hard pressed to imagine two more contrasting recordings, the first an experimental work by Sebastian Meissner of conceptual and musical distinction, the latter an impressive debut of melodic electronica from Jonas Munk. Now play two new recordings, Klimek´s Milk & Honey and Manual´s The North Shore, and you´ll hear complementary recordings of guitar ambience. Yet—surprise—Klimek is another alias for the multi-faceted Meissner. As Klimek, though, Merissner´s no newcomer, having appeared on the 2003 and 2004 Pop Ambient outings, so the artist´s meditative and contemplative style will be familiar to Kompakt enthusiasts. Milk & Honey presents a spacious, slow-motion sound that alternates between resonant acoustic and electric guitar strums and reverberant patches of ambient shimmer. Dramatic plucks appear abruptly like exploding fireworks, interrupting the droning haze. Of course, anyone looking for conventional development within a given piece will have to look closely as it is, indeed, subtle. To cite one example, the background in "Sand" gradually grows in density over the course of its seven minutes, becoming faintly more industrial, while the electric guitars repeat their stutter and chatter throughout. Thematically there´s some discord between Meissner´s song titles and his choice of photographic imagery in the accompanying booklet. Using words like milk, honey, home and sand, his titles induce warm and comforting country associations, but the photos show industrial, ruined landscapes suggesting the aftermath of some apocalypse. "Home", for example, depicts the scattered remains of a building site. The photo´s colour-reversal makes it difficult to determine its content with certainty, as it might be a building site photographed prior to the home´s construction, but it´s disturbing regardless of the interpretation. Most pointedly, rather than showing an actual honeycomb to accompany "Honey (Edit)", Meissner chooses a skyscraper whose night-time lighting and windows grid mimic a honeycomb pattern. Such disjuncts between the music and its visuals create an undercurrent of unease. Musically, the sound is generally light and peaceful, although the bass plucks and dark cloud formations in "Honey (Edit)" and strafing guitar bursts on "(Sun)fall" that evoke bird screeching emanate their fair share of unsettling portent. It hardly need be mentioned, however, that Kompakt´s ambient works by definition reject the idea of development in favour of compositional stasis so that each piece becomes a paradoxically frozen yet temporally extended sound sculpture. Consequently, Milk & Honey, as lush as it is, won´t likely win any new converts beyond those already enamoured with the Kompakt ambient concept. Even so, theres no denying the beauty of the windswept desert plains of "Home" and the becalmed oasis that Meissner conjures in "Milk (Edit)"." |
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SPEX
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "Vor dem Beben. Feinstes Zittern geht durch den Grund. Knapp unterhalb der Reizschwelle der bewussten Wahrnehmung kündigt sich die große Umwälzung, die zerstörerische und chaotische Erneuerung an. Nur die sensibelsten, zum Staunen und Fühlen bereiten Kreaturen haben eine halbbewusst nervöse Vorahnung des kommenden Unheils. Sebastian Meissner, Frankfurter Medienkünstler, Konzeptarbeiter und melancholischer Laptopmusiker (ich erinnere an seine wunderbaren Arbeiten als Random_Inc oder Autopoiesis), sowie als Klimek Teil des Kompaktschen Pop-Ambient Kosmos, hat die Fühler ausgestreckt, den subkutanen Verwerfungen der Popkultur nachgespürt und ihre Erschütterungen in zart glimmende Ambient-Lava gegossen, zu dunkel romantischen Nachbildern einer Ahnung, dass etwas fundamentales in unserer Gesellschaft, unserer Kultur, unserer Musik nicht in Ordnung ist und auch so schnell nicht mehr in Ordnung kommen wird, ohne dieses Gefühl an allzu konkreten Miseren festmachen zu wollen. Denn jede Art von Kulturpessimismus bleibt den elegischen Klangschleifen, den italoesk filmisch scheppernden Westerngitarren, den dräuenden auf ihren Ausbruch vergeblich wartenden Lärmpartikeln von »Milk & Honey« äußerlich. Im Kern bleibt dieser Musik immer noch eine Utopie - dass so etwas wie Schönheit, so etwas wie Liebe den ganzen Wahnsinn da draußen transzendiert. Ich muss mich da leider wiederholen: Schönheit ist immer ein Argument und hat rein gar nichts mit Weltflucht oder mangelnder Bewusstheit zu tun. Die Musik von Sebastian Meissner beweist das immer wieder. [Frank Eckert] |
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GAZ-ETA.VIVO
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "Pod swojsko brzmiacym pseudonimem Klimek ukrywa sie nie kto inny, tylko sam Sebastian Meissner, artysta zwiazany glównie z wytwórniami Achima Szepanskiego, dla których realizowal swe projekty, takie jak Autopoesies czy Random Inc. Jego pierwsze kompozycje firmowane nowym szyldem pojawily sie na dwóch ostatnich kompilacjach "Pop Ambient", wydawanych co roku przez kolonski Kompakt. Teraz otrzymujemy pelny album z premierowymi nagraniami naszego rodaka. "Milk And Honey" zawiera dziewiec kompozycji, w których edytowane komputerowo dzwieki akustycznej i elektrycznej gitary spotykaja sie z minimalistyczna elektronika. Meissner wyraznie odwoluje sie w swych utworach do filmowych soundtracków w rodzaju "Paris, Teksas" Ry Coodera czy "Deadman" Neila Younga - rozwibrowane brzmienia tworza oniryczny klimat wedrówki przez zalana sloncem pustynie. Klimat, jaki udaje sie wytworzyc artyscie, jest nadzwyczaj sugestywny: podczas przesluchiwania plyty doslownie czuc lejacy sie z nieba zar i smak piasku w ustach. W obrebie poszczególnych nagran Meissner urozmaica wykorzystywane brzmienia: w "Sand" dzwieki gitary sa bardziej chropowate, niemal rockowe i tworza psychodeliczny nastrój, w "Wind" - jest ich jakby mniej, przez co, ustepujac pola statycznej elektronice, tworza dodatkowa przestrzen, a w "[sun]fall" - slychac jedynie pojedyncze uklucia akustycznych tonów osadzone na zbasowanym tle. "Blood And Tears" przynosi mikroskopijne sample ludzkiego glosu, przeplatajace sie z drzacymi tonami gitary i modulowanym szumem o cechach oszczednego podkladu rytmicznego. W finalowym "Back Against The Sea" akustyczne brzmienia zostaja wtopione w miarowo pulsujace tlo, zlewajac sie w jedna, odrealniona calosc. Na tle innych elektroakustycznych eksperymentów, "Milk And Honey" jawi sie nadzwyczaj ciekawie - poraza i obezwladnia swym sugestywnym klimatem, zachwyca minimalizmem uzytych srodków oraz fascynuje kruchymi i nieuchwytnymi melodiami. To jedna z najbardziej udanych produkcji Sebastiana Meissnera." [Pawel Grzyl] |
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CHAINSAW BEATS
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "Der Frankfurter Multimediakünstler Sebastian Meissner, der auf diversen namhaften Elektroniklabels (z. B. Mille Plateux, Sub Rosa) bereits veröffentlicht hat, stellt mit Klimek ein Projekt vor, das musikalisch durchaus dem "Neuen Ambient" entspricht, den man von Sigur Ros, Godspeed You! Black Emperor oder Gas kennt- genau zwischen diesen Eckdaten ist Klimek anzuordnen: ausgehend vom Klang der Gitarre schafft Meissner lautmalerische, höchst visuelle Soundscapes, die an innere wie äusssere Wüsten erinnern können- wo jedoch Sigur Ros oder G.Y.B.E. bandorientierte Projekte sind, arbeitet Klimek im Alleingang, begleitet vom Zufall, Hall und Loop, um im Kopf Filme entstehen zu lassen- visuell werden diese aussergewöhnlich meditativen Klänge, die nicht im Ansatz Gefahr laufen, in Richtung Kitsch zu driften, auf der CD von einem Quicktime Movie unterstützt, in dem wir den Aufgang der Sonne mitverfolgen können, ein ebenso alltägliches wie besonderes Ereignis, auf die Betrachtungsweise kommt es an: Klimeks Klänge verstehen es, dem Moment das Besondere, das Bedeutsame zurückzugeben, Pop wird Kunst bleibt Klang!" |
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SMALLFISH
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "KLIMEK COMES CORRECT WITH THIS DELIGHTFUL FULL LENGTH CD OF SHIMMERING, GENTLY MEANDERING ELECTRONICA. ONE OF THE LOVELIEST OF THE POP AMBIENT RELEASES IN MY OPINION WITH IT'S SUBTLE GUITAR PROCESSING AND STRANGELY MELODIC REFRAINS. A DELICIOUS COCKTAIL OF TRACKS THAT'S SURE TO ENCHANT AND ENGAGE. RECOMMENDED." |
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PHOSPHOR
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2004) "The first thing one notices is the beautiful booklet, which reminds of a photo-exhibition. Each song has it¹s own image, starting with (sun)rise, via Sand, Wind, Home and ending with (sun)fall upwards. The photos show futuristic images like for instance industrial, ruined landscapes, a skyscraper (reminding of a honeycomb) or the scattered remains of a building site. Klimek ist Sebastian Meissner, a composer, sounddesigner and photographer from Frankfurt. He is also known from his contributions for the 2003 and 2004 Pop Ambient outings and his completely different, more known laptop project Random Inc, and Bizz Circuits. The story presented on Milk and Honey is sad and intense. It¹s like each song is centered around pure feelings. Each track offers a new spacious, slow-motion sound that alternates between resonant acoustic and electric guitar strums. It¹s like Sebastian Meissner tried to create a sensible ambiance, which developed after a huge catastrophe. Time stands still. Only the repetitive reverberant patches of ambient shimmer can be heard. The sounds come and go in a tragic sequence. Lonelyness and despair occur listening to it. No trace of human activity. This album is the perfect follow-up to a climatic disaster, another excellent Kompakt release." |
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BOOMKAT
KLIMEK "milk & honey" 12´´ (Kompakt, Germany, 2002) "Oh boy....it´s time for another Kompakt debut, another of their every-so-often forays into that genre they so lovingly created and named Pop Ambient. Klimek´s sound is unlike any other, managing here to fuse an array of accoustic instruments with electronic soundscaping, while somehow willing itself to contain a guitar strum that immediately reminds you of Spandau Ballet´s "True" (it´s true!!) - without any irony or sense of reminiscance washing you away into an ambient pop land of fuzzy logic and hazy, flickering neon. This is majestic stuff, all double bass strums and accoustic guitars, melodic twinkles and low end reverberations – so so so summertime luscious, melting away..... The flip is equally sublime, timed to perfection with stretches of almost-silence and dramatic bursts of caressing melodies and crescendo´s, one would almost be tempted to imagine what John Barry would have achieved had he taken 007 into more experimental terrain, this being a Bond meets Mike Ink (Gas era) foray into cinemascopic composition. Well and truly stunning." |
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DE:BUG
KLIMEK "milk & honey" 12´´ (Kompakt, Germany, 2002) "Sehr elegisch klassische Ambientplatte mit Gitarrensounds und sehr sehr viel Echo, Hall, Weite, voller Ungreifbarkeiten, die einem nah sind, wellig wie eine Luftbewegung, ein Hauch, wie Land, Wasser, gefangen in Loops aber genau darin auch das Glück seiner Existenz suchend. Musik wie für Austellungen oder Filme, klar, nur dass weder das eine noch das andere den richtigen Rahmen für so etwas bieten kann, weil man sich nicht per se in einem nicht selbstbeherrschten Raum damit abfindet. dass sich die Welt dreht, also hört man es am liebsten zusammen oder allein dort wo es einen Ort gibt, an dem man weiss, dass die Geschlossenheit nicht Enge ist." [Bleed] |
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WESTZEIT
KLIMEK "milk & honey" 12´´ (Kompakt, Germany, 2002) Klimek ist Sebastian Meissner und der Star der Kompaktschen Pop-Ambient-Reihe. Der Frankfurter Komponist, Sounddesigner und Fotograf überlässt sein Ausgangsmaterial - schwingende Gitarrensaiten - dem digitalen Zufall. Und da Klimeks Software nicht dem Chaosprinzip unterliegt, sondern der Entropie mit einer finalen Überdosis schnell wirkender Opiate begegnet, findet man hier keinen Laptop-Terror, sondern eine musikalische Simulation biochemischer Durchdringungsprozesse. Das kann in Form von Gewebewachstum geschehen, ist aber manchmal auch nur auf molekularer Basis wahrnehmbar. Für Klimek bräuchte man eigentlich ein Rezept." |
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TECHNO GRA
KLIMEK "milk & honey" CD (Kompakt, Germany, 2002) "Klimek czyli Sebastian Meissner nagrywal juz jako Autopoesies i Random Inc. Jego produkcje mozna bylo poznac sluchajac skladaków "Pop Ambient" regularnie ukazujacych sie z Kompaktu. Gitarowy akustyczny ambient - tak mozna by opisac ta plytke. Klimek bawi sie dzwiekami gitary , rozpraszajac je, przetwarzajac i wtapiajac w ciagnace sie elektroniczne tlo. Raz sa to wyraznie slyszalne tony gitarowe, dominuja nad reszta muzyki wybijajac sie z wibracji, w innych momentach mocno wtapiaja sie w cale tlo, slychac je z daleka w jakiejs glebi. Muzyka tworzy fajny klimat, moze nietypowy bo zwykle ambient to jakas mrozna przestrzen lub las a tutaj wrecz westernowe klimaty, cieplo, przestrzen, spokój. "Milk & Honey" to przyjemna plyta, warto wypelnic swoja przestrzen takimi nieco eksperymentalnymi dzwiekami." |
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