German experimental sound alchemist Jan Jelinek has announced the long-awaited reissue of his Farben project in June with the release of a double LP of ‘Textstar+‘ through Faitiche.
Originally released as a 4-part series of EP’s between 1998 – 2002, then compiled as ‘Textstar‘ and ‘Starbox‘ box set (4×12″) in 2002 via Klang Elektronik, Jan Jelinek’s output as Farben (the German word for both colours and paints) has long been admired by those with a yearning admiration for glitch and micro-house.
‘Textstar+‘ is a double LP consisting of tracks remastered by Rashad Becker from Jelinek’s original DAT tapes, joined by two additional pieces that appeared on compilations during the same period. The artwork, by Männer Ohne Nerven, is based on photographs of former Red Army Faction members, broken down into the four colours of the CMYK model.
As stated in the press release – “The project has its roots in Jelinek’s love of house as a reductionist vision of soul. Of four to the floor as a proposition that can be accessed anywhere. Of electronic dance music as a realm of possibility that can be continually expanded. Farben was written as contemporary house music. As a text about excitement and euphoria.”
“The arrangements were made directly while recording to DAT, on a twelve-channel mixing desk. Several track titles suggest a link to live concerts, coupled with the context of machine music and bedroom recording. Others affirm pop music’s most extravagant stock phrases about various states of love.”
“Jelinek produced the tracks with the aim of making music for dancefloors. An idea that failed very productively. In the locations to which it was originally addressed, the project barely figured. But people did listen, and they listened all the more closely to this music that opened up new acoustic and associative scope for house. Farben is the opposite of genre: a music spawning new terms (clicks & cuts, micro-house) that never manage to fully capture it.”
‘Textstar+’ is scheduled for release 3 June via Faitiche. Order a copy from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
Disc 1
1. Live At The Sahara Tahoe, 1973 (Remaster 2022)
2. farben Says Love To Love You Baby (Remaster 2022)
3. Muskeln (Remaster 2022)
4. Suntouch Edit (Remaster 2022)
5. farben Says As Long As There’s Love Around (Remaster 2022)
6. FF (Remaster 2022)
Disc 2
1. Beautone (Remaster 2022)
2. farben Says So Much Love (Remaster 2022)
3. T.Microsystems (Remaster 2022)
4. Raute (Remaster 2022)
5. Silikon (Remaster 2022)
6. farben says Love Oh Love (Remaster 2022)