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F.S. BLUMM, "ZWEITE MEER"
After hopping back and forth between a few different record labels overthe past four years, Berlin-based multi-instrumentalist, Frank SchültgeBlumm, has returned to the Morr Music fold for his latest release, Zweite Meer.I found myself easily drawn to his lush and gorgeous compositionalstyle, which is just as influenced by modern, minimalist classical asit is pop music.
Morr Music
For the most part, Blumm's tunes originate from guitarand bass strummings and pluckings that warmly become enveloped withinstrumental layers of harmonium, accordion, vibraphone and minimalkeyboard effects. Having devoted serious studies towards music, hisknowledge, placement and performances with such instruments has beendone very tastefully and with no discordance. Although a pop musicelement is present on the disc's compositions, the one facet notincluded (and not at all missed) is the bright tempos. Tracks such as"Nie" and "Langen" move at a slower, yet comfortable clip for pluckedguitar progressions to leave the ample space which is beautifullycolored by strokes of xylophone and blocks of harmonium with melodiesfurnished on melodica and glockenspiel. Brisker tempos would onlymuddle these brilliant and emotive performances. "Blick" consists of abase of sparse, drop-tuned acoustic guitar strumming and weavingmelodica lines propelled by subtle vibraphone flams. Already rife withcinematic-styled orchestrations and evocations, the addition of asoaring French Horn performance from Harald Ziegler seals the deal tomake this my favorite track on the disc (not to mention a new-foundrespect for the French Horn). The musically rich David Grubbs lends hisunique vocals to the disc's closing track, "Nachhall/Chroma Key," withlyrics verging on stream-of-consciousness based around the set of atelevision show. Zweite Meer is a disc of warm and amicabletunes, and as its cover suggests, is the musical equivalent of layingback on the grass and picking out cloud shapes as a lazy afternoondrifts by.
Morr Music
For the most part, Blumm's tunes originate from guitarand bass strummings and pluckings that warmly become enveloped withinstrumental layers of harmonium, accordion, vibraphone and minimalkeyboard effects. Having devoted serious studies towards music, hisknowledge, placement and performances with such instruments has beendone very tastefully and with no discordance. Although a pop musicelement is present on the disc's compositions, the one facet notincluded (and not at all missed) is the bright tempos. Tracks such as"Nie" and "Langen" move at a slower, yet comfortable clip for pluckedguitar progressions to leave the ample space which is beautifullycolored by strokes of xylophone and blocks of harmonium with melodiesfurnished on melodica and glockenspiel. Brisker tempos would onlymuddle these brilliant and emotive performances. "Blick" consists of abase of sparse, drop-tuned acoustic guitar strumming and weavingmelodica lines propelled by subtle vibraphone flams. Already rife withcinematic-styled orchestrations and evocations, the addition of asoaring French Horn performance from Harald Ziegler seals the deal tomake this my favorite track on the disc (not to mention a new-foundrespect for the French Horn). The musically rich David Grubbs lends hisunique vocals to the disc's closing track, "Nachhall/Chroma Key," withlyrics verging on stream-of-consciousness based around the set of atelevision show. Zweite Meer is a disc of warm and amicabletunes, and as its cover suggests, is the musical equivalent of layingback on the grass and picking out cloud shapes as a lazy afternoondrifts by.samples:
