Licht und Schatten Limited Edition
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Field Rotation’s new project ‘Licht und Schatten’ is finally with us and comes packaged in a beautiful 100 copy limited edition format. You need to be quick though as there are only a handful of copies left!
The project contains seven tracks focusing on the theme of light and shadow (the digital version of the EP is a four-track release).
The Limited Edition CD offers 100 individually signed/numbered copies, packaged in gorgeous hand stitched material, along with a full colour poster and badge.
The Story:
“It’s like painting all the different colours and nuances of a sunglow, but your canvas is the sequencer and you are designing with sound.” – Field Rotation
The journey begins with ‘Abendrot’, a time-lapsed snapshot caught on a tranquail evening at the Baltic Sea, a tribute to Field Rotation’s home. He doesn’t try to create dramatic or cinematic science-fiction film music, on the contrary: sometimes the electro-acoustic compositions lead to a thrilling fragility. For example ‘Polarlicht’ (German for aurora borealis) follows the idea of its fabled meaning, being dreaded as a ghostly epiphany but in effect being nothing more than a physical phenomenon.
“Though it is my first EP I’m sure it will be the last electronic-based release of mine – in future I’ll focus more on acoustics…” - Field Rotation
‘Lichtermeer’ is a completely electronically produced sound collage showing the sea of lights of a metropolitan night that blend perfectly into ‘Lichtbrechung’ (refraction of light), which follow a beam of light until it withers to nothingness. ‘Mondfinsternis’ is the electro-acoustic tale of a moon eclipse, returning to the idea of catching a snapshot of a natural spectacle.
‘Tiefflug’, also completely synthetic in nature, is a rhythmic-based track that unravels the strain and leads to the final installment ‘Schlafwandler’. This shy soundtrack of a sleepwalker returns to the starting point of the EP, an acoustic impression of a calm moment.
Mastering: Vincent Villuis/Christoph Berg
Art Work: Dorothee Schwarz
Press Kit here
Purchase here
About The Artist:
Field Rotation was founded in 2008 by the electronic music composer and producer Christoph Berg in Kiel, northern Germany.
Experimenting with electronic and classical elements this project combines floating soundscapes with electroacoustic colours to create minimalistic soundtracks renouncing of visualisation, but interacting with the listeners emotions and feelings.
As a violinist and pianist Christoph combines the synthetic sound engineering with natural sounds to communicate his short acoustic tales and impressions…
Review from Adrian Carter over at 020 magazine:
‘Licht Und Schatten’ is the latest work from Germany’s Field Rotation, serving both as a suitable introduction to the work of Christoph Berg and a precursor to his next album on the Fluid Audio label in 2010.
This release consists of seven tracks, not necessarily the easiest to define because Berg slides gently sideways through the gentler aspects of electronica. His arrangements are expansive frameworks allowing him room to weave discrete melodies and percussion within the tracks.
“Polaricht’ is a prime example mixing a brooding wall of bottom end sound with the lightest touches of string and pad interspersed with ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ glitch sounds and reverb laden piano. From this point inwards the listener becomes immersed in a a world of pieces which entwine elements of classical composition, stark electronics and futuristic film soundtracks.
Snippets of John Carpenter style tension punctuate the tracks while elsewhere Berg teases the listener with more traditional aspects of downtempo material (the shuffling dry beat)but he doesn’t allow these aspects to overstay their welcome (particularly on ‘Tiefflug’) thus keeping with the album’s sense of originality. The melancholy and sombre mood of the earlier tracks begins to lift as the album moves to a close (making the title all more appropriate).
The final track ‘Schlafwandler’ becomes one of the most evocative with a bright backwash of sound and a warm meandering acoustic guitar mingling with field recorded footsteps. I suppose if you were looking for a metaphor it would signify the completion of a journey from night to morning (or something..cough). Either way it’s an impressive end to a very accomplished album.
Also worth noting is the limited edition packaging for the release which consists of a hand stitched fabric sleeve which will be available to those who get in early. A nice touch which you don’t see that often these days.
Recommended.
