About Me
Noise Is Free: Klangwart @ MINI MIDI FESTIVAL (German Electronic Music series), Beijing 2008
KLANGWART's "Stadtlandfluss" is out now on Staubgold.
The electronic duo Klangwart was founded in 1996 by Markus Detmer (15.03.1972) and Timo Reuber (31.10.1970) in Cologne.
1992: Markus and Timo first meet in Cologne as students of musicology in a seminar on electronic music. Spontaneous mutual sympathy due to a shared interest in all kinds of new music (especially the minimal musics of Steve Reich and Terry Riley). The idea of making music together is put into action just four years later (due to irregular attendance of lectures).
Starting point of their musical collaboration are intensive joint listening experiences. They discover the pioneering music of the "Krautrock" era - Can, Cluster, Faust, Neu! – while at the same time taking in the exciting developments and innovations within Cologne's electronic music scene of the 90s, which centred around Thomas Brinkmann, Bernd Friedmann, Mouse On Mars etc.
During their initial improvisations, Markus and Timo quickly find common musical ground. In the ensuing all night recording-sessions they develop their own musical language as well an idiosyncratic working method. They see themselves as "music workers" and "sound explorers". In a dream, the idea of the "Klangstelle" ("sound station" in analogy to "petrol station") is born, with Markus and Timo as "sound station attendants", who "refuel" the curious listener with unusual sounds and acoustic environments.
In 1997, the mini-cd "Inkiek" was the first Klangwart-release on their own "Klangstelle"-label. This was followed in 1998 by the electronic suites "immer weiter" and "Nirgendland" (issued as a limited tape edition only) and the first lp "Köln-Olpe". The latter was a musical discussion of migration between the poles of the rural and the urban living space. In 1999, the lp "Zwei" ("Two") followed, a study in sound based on only two sounds. It was divided into two parts: loud (dynamic, raw, fierce, aggressive) and quiet (calm, focussed, concentrated, well balanced).
Between 1997 and 2007, Klangwart performed over a hundred concerts and established themselves as key players in the uncharted area between composed and improvised electronic music.
Since 1998, Timo pursued a solo career in electronic music, which resulted in four much noted solo albums for the Staubgold label ("Anna", 2000; "ruhig blut", 2001; "Kintopp", 2005; "Südpol", 2007). In his solo-performances, he combines archaic singing techniques with rhythmic, delicate, ecstatic sound collages. Apart from his work as a musician, he continues to work for television, writing and developing screen-plays. In his spare time, he paints and permanently takes photos – mostly with substandard digital cameras.
Markus founded the label Staubgold in Cologne in 1998. In the ensuing years, the label has become an acknowledged and acclaimed brand for experimental and electronic music around the world. Its roster can boast internationally known names like Faust, To Rococo Rot, Mapstation, Ekkehard Ehlers, Rafael Toral or Oren Ambarchi. In 2003, the label shifted its base from Cologne to Berlin. As DJ, Detmer has presented his sensitive sound collages of Minimal Music, Avantgarde and Techno on festivals and in clubs around the world.
Klangwart discography:
1997 Inkiek (klangstelle 1 mcd)
1997 Immerland (klangstelle 2 mc)
1998 Köln-Olpe (klangstelle 3 lp)
1998 Amöbenruh (klangstelle 4 7")
1999/2008 Zwei (klangstelle 5 lp/staubgold 84 cd/lp)
2008 Stadtlandfluss (staubgold 80 cd/lp)
