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MATHIEU, STEPHAN - The Key to the Kingdom

Format: 10inch Label & Cat.Number: Dekorder 028 Release Year: 2009 Note: lim./numb. 400 in authentic "archive sleeve", dedicated to gospel preacher WASHINGTON PHILLIPS Price (incl. 19% VAT): €10.00 Warning: Currently we do not have this album in stock! More Info "STEPHAN MATHIEU ist ein Sammler von 78rpm-Scheiben und The Key to the Kingdom (Dekorder 028, 10“) - auch von der Aufmachung her - eine Hommage an dieses Format, speziell aber an den Gospelprediger Washington Phillips. Dafür spielt der Saarbrücker eine Phonoharp No.2-Zither aus den 1890er Jahren mit E-Bows und anschließendem Processing. Keine Stimme ist also zentral, auch kein heiliger Text, vielmehr eine Stimmung, eine Andacht, die sich dröhnenden Schwingungen hingibt, ‚singend‘ schwebenden Tönen und Obertönen. Mathieu hat eine Neigung zu Atmosphäre, Wetter, den Äther, aber auch ein nostalgisches Ohr für im Zeitstrom verwehte Klänge. Bei seinem Projekt Virginals spielt er auf einem Ottavino Virginal, einem kleinen Renaissance-Cembalo, und mit mechanischen Grammofonen Musik von Phill Niblock, Alvin Lucier, Walter Marchetti, Charlemagne Palestine und Francisco Lopez. Diese 10“ markiert quasi die Schnittmenge seiner Vorlieben, als ein sublimer Dröhn-minimalismus, der einen an die Farbfelder eines Rothko denken lässt und etwas Mystisches, das sich laut Wittgenstein zeigt, wo Worte nicht mehr zuständig sind." [Bad Alchemy] " "The Key to the Kingdom" is Stephan Mathieu's tribute to the great gospel preacher Washington Phillips and the world of raw, early gospel on 78rpm platters. The 2-part suite, presented in the classic 10" vinyl format that comes in an authentic, individually stamped and numbered 78rpm archive sleeve, has been performed on a historic Phonoharp No.2 zither from the 1890s utilizing five E-Bows and entropic and convolution processes. "The Key to the Kingdom" is a spin-off of Mathieu's "Virginals" project, a solo recital of contemporary classics performed on historic instruments. Stephan is a collector of 78rpm records from the 1910s and 20s, the era of acoustic and early electronic audio recording. His most recent album "Radioland" made it into "Best of 2008" lists in The Wire, Dusted, Boomkat, Milkfactory and many others." [label info] "Of an entirely different nature than is the record by Stephan Mathieu. He recently purchased a 1890s Phonosharp zither which he plays here with five e-bows and some computer processing. This all in tribute to the gospel preacher Washington Phillips and the early 78rpm records, of which this seems, cover wise, an exact replica. The music however doesn't sound like old 78rpm music, but is classic Mathieu material: minimal, overtones flowing around, akin to say Phill Niblock, a beautiful ringing sound, two pieces of music that seem to have falling out of the heavenly spheres. I played this immediately three times in a row, simply because there is one sad objection to this record: its way too short. That's very, very sad. I could easily done with an hour of this music. If you like Alvin Lucier but want him to be more musical, then this is the place to be. A classic, right next Niblock's 'Early Winter'." [FdW / Vital Weekly] www.dekorder.de