Part 9 of the ongoing re-release series of all early Tietchens albums from 1980—1991 on CD. This combines two seperate releases from 1987 (»Zwingburgen des Hedonismus«) and 1988 (»Mysterien des Hafens« on »FACE TO FACE, VOL. 1«). »Zwingburgen des Hedonismus« was originally released as a one-sided LP on swedish label Multimood and features a singles 21 min. long track composed on a Fairlight CMI. »Mysterien des Hafens« was part of a split LP (the other side feat. DIE FORM) originally released on french label Odd Size and feat. recordings made by Tietchens using under-water microphones. The Bonus track »Faircomp 1K« on this CD is a different version of the first track and previously unreleased.
First edition of 600 copies in jewel case with full cover artwork and poster booklet also feat. the original album covers.
Track listing:
1. »Zwingburgen des Hedonismus« 21'07
2. »Faircomp 1K« (Bonus track) 16'55
3. »Bubendey Notturno/Ritual auf der Halde« (Mysterien des Hafens) 18'39
Total playing time: 56:41 min.
Up until today I only undertook the effort to compose music with the help of a special composing programme twice. One of these two resulting pieces is »Studie uber B-A-C-H« (originally titled »Faircomp 1C«) which appeared on FORMEN LETZTER HAUSMUSIK in 1984. The matrix which was developed for the music computer Fairlight CMI, could be altered in structure, length and also instrumentation according to the needs of the composer. The first version (»Faircomp 1A«) was recorded in 1982, the last one (»Faircomp 1N«) in 1986. ZWINGBURGEN DES HEDONISMUS (originally titled »Faircomp 1J«) is still the soundwise richest of all these versions despite its overall meagreness. The second version included here (the bonus track »Faircomp 1K«) already borders on the edge of mannerism with its instrumental and dynamical one-dimensionality. Actually the whole Faircomp series was — to use the words of Max Bense — a »precise pleasure«, which basically consisted of transforming kybernetic possibilities into something audible. Nevertheless ZWINGBURGEN DES HEDONISMUS (originally »Faircomp 1J«) saw a release as a one-sided LP in the end because of the braveness of the swedish label Multimood and also because of the fact that the work displayed a relative richness. I also wrote the matrix for a »Faircomp 2« series, but it was never fed into the Fairlight CMI. This computer was abandoned and replaced by the DX 7 and up-to-date samplers and computers in 1987. It seems that time has passed the »Faircomp 2« by. But who knows...?
ASMUS TIETCHENS »MYSTERIEN DES HAFENS« (Odd Size OS04) 1988
Both tracks were already recorded in 1986 and are outtakes from the GEBOREN, UM ZU DIENEN album on EG. They didn't make it onto this album though,because I felt that they differed from the other tracks not only in content, but also musically. I therefore put them aside as an option for a possible second LP on the EG label, but in the end that was not the case. The label »Odd Size« made an enquiry if I'd like to contribute one side to the split LP »Face to Face, Vol.1«, and I immediately offered them MYSTERIEN DES HAFENS, because the two tracks — blended into each other — made much more sense in this isolated format. They refer to two specific places in the harbour of Hamburg. Both places have been transformed beyond recognition during the last 20 years though. Only a few photos that I took and the music are still wittness of what has already become history. Sic transit gloria mundi — and not without some regret. Stylistically MYSTERIEN was close to Industrial Music although it was released kinda late for that. But back then we didn't waste a thought, that the glorious years could already be over, also because the taking over by the enemy couldn't be forseen by anyone then. So empty bunkers and dumps still remained the favourite playgrounds of post-nuclear campfire rituals. But these fires would be dead soon.
Asmus Tietchens, 2006
