Earshot (Manikin Records, 2013)
This 5-track album features an excellent mix of live pieces and studio recordings. Fanger & Schönwälder are well known for their prolific product ion of Berlin-style electronics, using analog synthesizers. Earshot Parts One, Two and Three were recorded live during the Dutch “E-Live 2012” festival in Oirschot. Cosmic (Pre Earshot Mix) and Mopho Me Babe (Post Earshot Mix) on the other hand were recorded during studio sessions in 2012 and 2013.
The third musician involved in this project is a legendary figure in German progressive music: Klaus Cosmic Hoffmann-Hoock. Hoffmann is well known for his pioneering work on the mellotron and electric guitar and his space music musical projects Cosmic Hoffmann and Mind over Matter.
Klaus Hoffmann-Hoock’s spacey guitars and mellotron blend perfectly with the pulsating Berliner sequences and ambient electronic textures. In classic electronic music fashion, the pieces evolve slowly topped with the exquisite guitars and flute-like mellotron.
Earshot Part Three departs from the rest of the album, mixing various German electronic music varieties: the Berlin-school cosmic sound and the techno vocals reminiscent of Kraftwerk’s Dusseldorf sound.