Asmus Tietchens - h-Menge
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Developing an obsession for experimental electronic sound design at an early age of just seven years old, Hamburg born Asmus Tietchens has spent his career continually stretching boundaries, dissecting and exploring the possibilities of tape machines, sound generators, crude electronic devices and (in his earlier material) the Minimoog. With over 50 recorded documents, Tietchens music has spanned several styles including industrial, prepared piano experimentation, synth pop and, most importantly, musique concrete.

Musique concrete, despite its avant-garde nature, has influenced popular music since at least the 1960’s. The foundations laid by Stockhausen and Koenig has had a profound impact with numerous examples including everything from Pink Floyd’s surreal “Piper at the Gates of Dawn” album through to the work of modern day technicians like Autechre, Aphex Twin, Matmos and lately Machinefabriek.

“h-Menge” (or “Eta-Menge”) is the final installment of Tiechens’ Mengen Series. The first four parts (Alpha, Beta, Delta and Gamma) were housed on the Mille Plateux label, while 12k offshoot Line can count the remaining pieces “Epsilion-Menge”, “Zeta-Menge” and now "Eta-Menge" on its impressive back catalogue.

Tietchens’ mercurial sound design ability (he teaches Acoustics at Hamburg University) sees a continuation of his experiments with white noise and sine tones on “Eta-Menge”. His modulations are totally self-produced, devoid of any synth, computer or MIDI enhancement, which he claims “paralyses” him in his quest to present musique concrete in its purest form. The electronic pop style found on his four Sky Records releases during the 80’s left Tietchens frustrated by the restrictions of that genre. He longed for a return to the abstract climes of his earlier material. The Mengen Series, it would appear, is a reaction to that.

On face value, Tietchens’ sound here is a cold and sterile fusion of irregular patterns, mathematical algorithms and sound abstractions. The result is often jarring, disconcerting noise, atonal electronic gurgles and metallic-tinged haze – the antithesis of easy listening music. The opening trio of compositions (“Teilmenge” numbers 43A, 47 and 49) will likely lose half-hearted listeners at the first hurdle, with their harsh noise and sub-zero atmospheric characteristics. Tietchens has been on record before describing that he does not create moods, tell stories or convey any particular message except an aesthetic one. Yet repeated listens of a piece such as “...43A” will reveal some buried secrets, such as the lonely drone/melody that begins to materialize under all the dissonance. “…47”, in particular, develops from an eerie silence intercepted by warped robotic voices into a measured rhythm, where dark polluted clouds of sound envelop the whole piece.

Those with a little more resolve and who stay with Teitchens will soon come to the beautiful water drip ambience of “Teilmenge 44A”. Despite its origins this piece creates an intimate relationship with the listener capturing the sounds of a melting glacier as the tones emitted resonate through cold chambers and passages of ice. The recurring, soothing sounds are soon brought to life as Tietchens stirs some shuffling, metallic clangs into this composition that imitate a spluttering, stop-start piece of industrial equipment. Also, towards the end of this piece, I am near certain I can make out some sort of processed chant, almost child-like in nature, but it is there buried deep under layer upon layer of abstract sound. “Teilmenge 50” is another highlight, by now the listener will have developed an understanding of Teitchens’ style. Dropping things back to the algid temperatures found at the start of this disc, the sound shifts, microtones and abstract ambience created via a ghostly resonance concocts an odd sense of solace that is augmented by comforting scanner sounds.

Throughout “h-Menge” Asmus Tietchens retains a strong hands-on approach to create his peculiar array of sounds, all the while weaving between varying absorbing environments. Uncompromising in nature, Tietchens strives to create music for those who “insist upon more than easy listening”. While that may disqualify 99.9% of the record buying public – unfortunately, we are unlikely to see Tietchens audition for Pop Idol anytime soon. For the other 0.01%, with the proper amount of effort on their part, they will find this record oddly invigorating.

Track Listing:

Teilmenge 43A
Teilmenge 49
Teilmenge 47
Teilmenge 45
Teilmenge 44A
Teilmenge 50
Teilmenge 48