To celebrate the release of Greta Cottage Woodpiles’s latest release, MTDD’s ‘Bernau 4’, we’re extremely happy to offer a full stream of the 7-track release. Admittedly this is not for techno heads, however if you’re into the likes of Demdike Stare and abstract experimental field recordings then this is exactly what you need.
The field recordings that make up ‘Bernau 4’ were all captured in October 2013 by Greta Cottage label boss Matt Densham’s 9-year old daughter Daisy Densham and were then re-worked by the Berlin based producer The Marx Trukker.
‘Myself (Matt), Sally and Daisy were getting a tour on parts of the Berlin wall from Mark (Marx Trukker) and his girlfriend Kathleen. Daisy was 9 years old I think, and was getting her mind blown from all of the tales. We were teaching her how to take field recordings, and Mark & Kathleen were telling her about how it used to be when they were young in East Germany. It was a really amazing few days in a freezing cold yet bright Autumn in Germany. … Mark took these recordings and worked his magic.’
Even to this day, these areas are vacant, post-apocalyptic environments, that can easily evoke a similar haunting atmosphere from when the wall was operational. In particular the area around The Reconciliation Church, located within the Death Strip, features heavily in this audio collage of haunting and strangely emotional audio. The intent is to invoke the experience of a Berlin Cold War Border Crossing – through the eyes of a child (Matt’s daughter).
Following the Berlin trip, Marx took these intricate pieces, tore them up and rebuilt them into expertly crafted rhythms within rhythms. As the abstractions take shape, a much broader, yet eloquently subtle use of cavernous atmospheres address confused and bemused details. Seemingly and suggestively familiar snippets of sound coax disturbing weirdness with whistles and chants wrapped in distorted pinches.
‘Bernau 4’ is not for the easy listener, more often challenging than not; but particularly rewarding when getting lost in the density of discordant oddity. Though harsh and aggravating at times there’s moments of simply zoning into the constantly changing dynamic – begging you to question ‘where is the kick?’ Before you know it there’s a thudding undercurrent that feels like it had never left.
Bernau 4 is out now on Greta Cottage Woodpile, order a CD copy from Bandcamp.
TRACKLIST
1. _001
2. _002
3. _003
4. _004
5. _005
6. _006
7. _007
Discover more about MTDD and Greta Cottage Woodpile on Inverted Audio.