VODCD7B Asmus Tietchens 4K7+ 5CD-Box ltd 400 copies

Just released is the 5-CD-box-set version of the 4K7 set. 4K7 collected all the four tapes from the early 1980ies that formed the transitional phase in Tietchens‘ work between the poppy Sky LPs and the more bruitistic style of releases like „Formen letzter Hausmusik“ and onwards. Initially the reissue was published in the format of four white vinyl LP records, now the set is reissued on CD with an additional fifth CD including 12 unreleased tracks from that period plus the two tracks from the subscribers only edition extra 7″ of the vinyl release. As a novelty one short piece includes a collaboration with Asmus Tietchens‘ brother, Jan Tietchens.

Here is what the label says:

Asmus Tietchens, a German electronic synthesist and musician whose interest in experimental music and musique concrète already started during his childhood. He began recording sound experiments in 1965 with electronic musical instruments, synthesizers and tape loops.

In the 1970s he met producer Okko Bekker, and the two formed a decades-long partnership. In 1980 Peter Baumann (of Tangerine Dream) heard a recording of Tietchens‘ music and offered to produce an album; the result was the release of Nachtstücke followed by several Vinyl-releases on german SKY-Records between from 1980 to 1983.

At the same time Asmus also started to contribute and released on several international Cassette-Culture-Tape-Labels including british YHR (York House Recordings) and the american AEON-Label

4 outstanding and very limited tape-Releases called „Musik an der Grenze“ „Musik im Schatten“ „Musik unter Tage“ and „Musik aus der Grauzone“, were then released, all of them being high on demand on Tape-collectors radar and to be found on this 5CD-Set.

The 5th Bonus-CD in this Set contains additional audio-material recorded during the 70’s called „Musik von der Halde“. Besides two tracks being released as a Bonus 7“ to the VOD40-Vinyl-Box-Set and the limited 200 reissue all of these tracks have been unreleased until today.

While his earlier recordings until 1983 (including the recordings found on this 5CD-Box) feature accessible synthesized music his focus and way of compositions changed to more abstract sound-collages as to be heard on „Former letzer Hausmusik“, released in 1984 on Stephen Stapleton’s (Nurse With Wound) label United Dairies

Asmus then pursued „absolute music“ through an almost mathematical process of rigid formal exercises. With strong ties to Karlheinz Stockhausen’s early electronic work, Tietchens started specializing in irregular patterns of sonic abstractions that are suspended in gray drones to create cold textural voids from external Reference

CD 1 Musik an der Grenze
CD 2 Musik aus der Grauzone
CD 3 Musik im Schatten
CD 4 Musik Unter Tage
CD 5 Musik von der Halde

Available from aufabwegen mailorder.