With his fifth solo album „Ring“ electro-accoustic artist Reuber has narrowed down his universe to a work of sublime clarity.
[audio:Reuber – Ringer.mp3]Already when Reuber released his first solo album “Anna” in 2000, electro-acoustic loop music had not been experimental anymore. Still, up to the present day it remains a magical experience to slowly discern large structures evolving out of constantly self-repeating patterns. Reuber always positioned himself in this tradition of Steve Reich’s and Terry Riley’s “minimal music”, but it took him more than ten years to finalize his musical profile.
The first releases of the part-time TV-screenplay-writer Timo Reuber were much influenced by the friendly soundclash, which has been typical for his home town Cologne. Here Reuber studied musicology with Markus Detmer, who in these days founded his label Staubgold. “Anna” was Staubgold LP no. 8 – not by coincidence the symbol of infinity.
Topped with some acid, the distorted second release “Ruhig Blut” (Staubgold no. 18) was a killer! And Kintopp (Staubgold no. 48) was a exploding insight to the whole potential of Timo Reuber. Some of the music was too far out to be complete. Especially the misty album “Südpol”, whose track titles “Tagebuch” (Diary), “Nach Vorn” (Forward) or “Amundsen” provoked the mysticism of a polar expedition. “Ring” (Staugold no. 108) shows, that Reuber’s achievement is not the exploration of unknown spheres, it is his concise digest of what the far out world of handmade electro-acoustic music has to offer.
[audio:Reuber – Ring Ring.mp3]
Reuber produces his “real time music” with only very few post-mixing. He plays or triggers his instruments simultaneously, performing his compositions over and over until he finally records the right take. He must have performed a lot in his home studio.
To get the time and independence necessary for “Reuber” and his other projects in Gregorian Choir singing or “Klangwart” with Markus Detmer (e.g. Staubgold number … 80!) he took jobs as a driver or pulling cables at the german television daily soap “Verbotene Liebe” ,. And in his spare time, somewhere between Steve Reich and repetitive avantgarde rock (e.g. “trans am”), Timo Reuber found a sound that does not need to be otherworldly anymore.
The magic of “Ring” is its complete clarity – the listener can identify every compositional element, yet these elements are organically blended. As if it was the most natural thing for guitar power chords, cello pickings, and acid synths, acoustic drums, and Timo Reuber’s own overtone throat singing to go together. If you understand his first four solo albums as an expedition, “Ring” is Reuber coming home. Timo Reuber, who will turn 40 in late october, has returned from his travels a wise man. Worth listening to more than ever.
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Elektroakustischer Salon
with Klangwart LIVE | Reuber LIVE | Andy Guhl LIVE | David Cunningham LIVE | Ekkehard Ehlers DJ-SET | Markus Dettmer DJ-SET
Thursday, 18.11.2010 | CET 20:00
Berghain | Am Wriezener Bahnhof | 10243 Berlin/Friedrichshain
http://www.berghain.de | Map | http://www.myspace.com/reubermusik | http://www.staubgold.com
Paul Bräuer studied musicology in Berlin and Shanghai. He works as a music journalist for public radio, newspapers and music magazines on global music traditions and classical music.
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