Tag Archives: Bureau B

Switched On – Various Artists – Silberland Vol.3: The Ambient Side Of Kosmische Musik 1972-1986 (Bureau B)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

The Silberland series from Hamburg label Bureau B has looked at Kosmische Musik and The Driving Side Of Kosmische Musik in previous volumes, covering electronic music from 1974 to 1984. This third instalment casts the net a little wider, unearthing pioneers of ambient music from as far back as 1972.

There are some familiar names among the tracklisting – Brian Eno, Moebius, Roedelius, Faust, Conrad Schnitzler to pick just a few – but Bureau B have cast the net wider still, in their words “coasting far beyond the familiar rhythmic terrain to explore crystal caverns and emerald pastures, immersing listeners in the ambient side of this alternative Allemagne. Building on the tape loops, tone poems, and minimalist compositions of the 60’s avant-garde, these musicians utilised the sweeping scope of the synthesiser to create expansive meditations on outer-planetary escapism, human connection, and the natural world. This compilation offers a survey of this singular era, blending pioneering voices with lesser-known artists for an immersive sonic experience.”

What’s the music like?

Ambient, of course – but full of bubbling creativity too, and intelligently structured. There is a lot to learn here for the intrepid musical explorer, while the big names are a reliable draw for those approaching cold.

Many of these pieces balance a broad ambient canvas with foreground activity, to really good effect – and with the indication that more classical composers such as Steve Reich or Philip Glass were providing subtle inspiration in the background. Roedelius, an original, balances a serene upper line above lightly pulsing activity in Veilchenwurzeln. Hope Is The Answer gurgles approvingly under the watchful eye of Rolf Trostel, as does Conrad Schnitzler‘s Electric Garden, while Serge Blenner‘s Phrase IV explores a kind of cosmic minimalism.

What also impresses greatly here is the sonic range of the label’s choices, with the soft-grained, guitar-led Tedan a rather beautiful addition from Lapre. The wispy trails of Riechmann‘s Abendlicht paint an evocative pictures, reassuring in their consonant harmonies – as is the regular pulse of Per Aspera Ad Astra, a reassuring beacon in the hands of Adelbert Von Deyen. Moebius and Plank explore slow, dubby terrain through Nordöstliches Gefühl, in contrast to the restful Southland from Rüdiger Lorenz.

Does it all work?

It does – with repeat plays rewarded handsomely, the detail just above the broad ambience of a lot of these tracks revealing more with every turn.

Is it recommended?

Wholeheartedly – an essential purchase for anyone interested in electronic music from the 1970s and 1980s. Silberland vol.3 is a highly enjoyable and occasionally quirky on a genre that has grown to become one of the most active and creative areas in music today.

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Published post no.2,642 – Saturday 30 August 2025

Switched On – Various Artists: Ambientale: compiled by Charles Bals (Bureau B)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Bureau B describe this compilation, put together by Charles Bals, as “a journey into otherworldly sounds from the years 1983 – 2000”, a journey that takes in a wide range of artists and musical styles. From Patrick Ryder’s notes, “Ambientale sees Charles leave the human world behind, exploring all the world’s wilderness on the scale of an IMAX epic. Rainforest, savanna, seascape and sand dune blur into one under digital manipulation, questioning the balance of nature and technology and wondering whether AI might discover the blueprint of all life and all planets. There’s also a little room on the mood board for the striking underwater cinematography and lush soundtrack of Luc Besson’s The Big Blue, a film he first saw in 1987 at an open-air theatre in the same Southern French resort that inspired ‘Club Meduse’.

What’s the music like?

Bals has chosen a wide variety of music in all shapes and sizes, but one thing that runs consistently through this compilation is its ability to paint a picture.

There are some striking sounds and vivid pictures here. Akira Mitake‘s duo, Yasha and Modernism, are memorable, typifying the weird and wonderful feel this compilation gives. Greece Ambientale, by Individual Sensitivity, has a cosmopolitan feel, like some of Jean-Michel Jarre’s far out ventures. Steve Shenan‘s evocative Evening In The Sahara has shady detective score overtones, underlaid by a lovely heat haze. The one that sticks in the memory most, however, is the nocturnal, saxophone-led Velvet Blue Circles, mournful yet uplifting like the soundtrack to a David Lynch film.

Does it all work?

Pretty much. The variety here is considerable – so there is a chance that there will be one or two tracks that don’t immediately appeal. Conversely, there will be new discoveries and sounds to enjoy, which is the joy of encountering a compilation like this.

Is it recommended?

It is – for music that’s easy on the ear but also rather different, Ambientale is a really good eye-opener. It will doubtless introduce you to some new names to chase up.

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For streaming and purchase details, visit the Boomkat website

Published post no.2,493 – Thursday 3 April 2025

Switched On – Lightwave: Cités Analogues (Bureau B)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

In the story of electronic music – and especially that with a more experimental, ambient viewpoint – the name of Lightwave will not be known to many. Christoph Harbonnier and Christian Wittman released their first album, Modular Experiments, in 1987, after which they recorded Cités Analogues in April and May 1988. It was released as a casette.

Their relative neglect is a mystery, but the restoration of this album should ensure their profile is raised. Bureau B have done the duo proud with a reissue on LP, CD and download. Their press release lists an inventory of RSF, ARP, Roland and Oberheim modular systems, mixed on A&H 12/2 and recorded to tape on a Revox B77 tape machine – a complex set-up but one aimed at what they describe as ‘a concept album, comprising of a series of discrete compositions and atmospheres assembled into two continuous tracks. The tracks are split out a little by dividers, with field recordings and tape processing softening the join between sections.

What’s the music like?

This is a fascinating listen, and if you didn’t already know you might suspect that Cités Analogues had been recorded in the last year, such is its reach and originality. Whether they work in long or short form the duo make subtly shifting soundscapes that are unexpectedly intense in their realisation.

On occasion they hit some winsome grooves, as in the slow but elastic Le Purvis. Agora is lost in thought, musing over a slowly shifting bass, while the eerie Polycentre and activity of News are at once complementary. Cités Analogues itself is an effective long form piece, its quarter-hour duration packed full of ideas and fragments that are given an assured and compelling development. As the album evolves Lightwave create soundscapes with industrial roots but with added splashes of instrumental colour. These are especially evident on Ophelia, a dream sequence with feather-light textures, suspended in mid-air.

Does it all work?

It does. Any regular listeners to the output of the Bureau B label will find much in the way of musical nourishment here. The only regret is that it’s taken so long for Lightwave to get the kind of exposure they deserve!

Is it recommended?

Yes – Lightwave are essential listening for any lovers of Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream and the like. Their music is descriptive, engaging and frequently fascinating, their sonic outlines branching out far ahead of their time.

For fans of… Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream, Klaus Schulze, Jean-Michel Jarre

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Switched On – Karl Bartos: The Cabinet Of Dr. Caligari (Bureau B)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

This is described as ‘narrative film music and sound design for Robert Wiene’s classic 1920s psychological thriller’.

It is, in effect, Karl Bartos retracing some of his steps back to when he was in Kraftwerk. Then, he helped to create Metropolis, inspired by Fritz Lang’s 1927 film, but now he goes several steps further to create a whole new soundtrack for Wiene’s picture.

To do it he pulled together a wide array of material from his musical archive, finding snippets that range from classical and Baroque to atonal and musique concrete – in short, creating a musical melting pot to bring the film to life in a musical sense.

What’s the music like?

Enormously entertaining and full of character. Bartos’s love of the film is immediately clear, and no stone is left unturned as he seizes the opportunity to create a fun and colourful score, one that portrays the characters and events in great detail.

There is a dizzying range of colour and styles, showing just how many areas of music Bartos has covered in his musical education and what a grasp he still holds on classical as well as more recent electronic work. The imposing organ of the Prologue sets the tone for scenes that are full of colour and imagination. As we move through the scenes Bartos brings amusement, dread, wittiness, and a macabre madness that gives his jagged motifs a refreshing unpredictability. Sometimes the music sounds like a barrel organ, as on the brilliant scene At The Funfair, which is brilliantly done.

Jane’s Theme introduces a much more tender mood, in contrast to the playful Caligari’s Theme 2 or the brittle piano theme used to depict Caligari’s Deception.

Bartos uses the waltz to really good effect in his portrayal of the different scenes, and the dances of the 1920s are always close at hand. Lunatic Asylum is suitably edgy, the music hanging on the edge, but In Search Of The Truth is the big number where everything comes to a head, Bartos marshalling his forces brilliantly.

Does it all work?

Not always as a listening experience, for some of the scenes are very short and would obviously benefit from the visuals. This is in no way the fault of Bartos, though, who delivers a masterclass of scene setting throughout.

Is it recommended?

Wholeheartedly. It would be interesting now to see if Karl Bartos feels inclined to take his clear aptitude for modern classical music any further, or if he wants to go down more electronic avenues. Either way he has made a colourful, vibrant soundtrack to accompany The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and can be proud of the extent to which he brings the mood and characters of the 1920s to life.

For fans of… Kraftwerk, Kurt Weill, Eisler,

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Published post no.2,098 – Saturday 24 February 2024

Switched On – Jimi Tenor: Multiversum (Bureau B)

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reviewed by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

After two collections of career-spanning retrospectives, Jimi Tenor teams up once again with Bureau B. This time the material is brand new, and the label have allowed him free reign within the slight confines of synthesizer, flute and saxophone. He has such a diverse musical history that he could turn his hand to pretty much any form of electronic, jazz or even modern classical, but here his choices tend towards a blend of electronic and jazz.

Working with a typically instinctive approach, Tenor delivered the album within a few months from his Helsinki studio, using drum machines and synthesizer loops as a support for all sorts of treble-range activity.

What’s the music like?

Full of character. Jimi Tenor writes with a good deal of flair and always with a sense of humour, and his solos are packed with melodic content but also unexpectedly poignant moments.

The range of music is impressive, from the ultra-cool Gare du Noir and Monday Blue, with their easygoing vibes, to the upfront Slow Intro, where Tenor employs a fake choir. This leads to Life Hugger, with a flute-led swagger to the Krautrock groove. When the vocals are employed the approach is the same, with Unchartered Waters more song-based and Birthday Magic adding a humourous nod and a wink.

RajuRaju has a short attention span, with frenetic beats countered by rich ensemble passages. It is followed by the longest track, The Way To Kuusijärvi, a lovely slice of mellow flute and keys that give us the chance to kick back and indulge. This being Jimi Tenor, though, there is always some activity underfoot, and the skittish beat means we can’t relax too much! The saxophone solo, when it comes, is a beauty.

Does it all work?

Yes. With most constraints off the table, Jimi Tenor’s ability to think instinctively makes for consistently involving listening. His music is always interesting and full of melodic content, and the humour tops it off. On occasion Multiversum can get a bit ragged, but that’s a small price to pay for some infectiously good vibes.

Is it recommended?

It is. Jimi Tenor’s partnership with Bureau B is clearly good for him – and with the music as colourful as its cover, we can expect a good deal where this came from.

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