Leipzig-based musician, engineer, and producer Friedrich Brückner has,
despite his youthfulness, been a decisive figure in the Leipzig music
scene for literal decades, being involved, in one way or another, in
many, if not most notable releases coming out of the city. Having
received a classical musical education, Brückner most recently figured
as part of the German-American band White Wine, playing the bassoon, but
has also, as either musician, producer or engineer, toured
internationally with the likes of Yoko Ono, Get Well Soon, Modeselektor,
or Dear Reader.
For a few years now, Brückner has been working on his solo debut, which
now comes in the form of his remarkable »Polyism«, out on Altin Village
& Mine. On it, Brückner puts his considerable musical chops to use,
in the service of a rollercoaster of an album that truly eschews
categorization, being, as its title suggests, a work of being multiform.
While the sound takes wide ranging cues from jazz, new age, dub,
electronics to post punk, Brückner’s compositions never feel accidental
in the slightest. Instead they share a distinctive sense of dramaturgy, a
pronounced attention to sonic texture, and a sense of purpose both
within the individual pieces as well as in the context of the album as a
whole. The result is an LP that is astonishingly coherent, considering the multitude of means it employs.
On »Polyism«, Brückner also enlists a veritable all-star cast of guest
performances, ranging from his parents Isabell and Bernd Brückner, both
professional musicians, on saxophone, clarinet, and flute, Martin Wenk
(Calexico) on trumpet, to Hendrik Otremba (Messer) and Brückner’s
four-year-old daughter Rosa both on vocals, to name but a few. Each lend
their own notes to »Polyism«, a work of what it means to live, that is,
to be many — truly exceptional stuff.
Tracklist:
1. Drive
2. Rainbow
3. Hill Top Jacuzzi
4. Compound Eye Dialogue
5. Gelée Royale
6. Suspender
7. Outer Veil
8. Lava Fans
9. Iridescent Path
