MINT ORIG CONRAD SCHNITZLER CONTROL Prog KRAUTROCK

$

78

   VERY RARE GERMAN ACID SPACE KRAUTROCK

                 == ORIGINAL ==

                   ex-KLUSTER  

     CONRAD SCHNITZLER

           CONTROL

                                    DYS Records    

BEAUTIFUL TOP COPY, includes the original insert (as shown in photo)

Very rare ORIGINAL album "CONTROL" by Conrad Schnitzler, released on the "Dys" label (Pascal Comelade, Mnenomists, avant/experimental/minimal, etc.).

Conrad Schnitzler is a multi (inter) media German artist (photograph, cello player.). His first interest in music was orientated to krautrock radical musical experiences. After studies in modern art (Dusseldorf), Conrad went to Berlin and met (Cluster) Hans Joachim Roedelius in 1967. They founded together the "Zodiak Free Arts" club (1969), a place devoted to experimental, electronic music with numerous improvised concerts. All the Berlin underground scene was represented. After several concerts played with Edgar Froese and Chris Franke, Conrad Schnitzler played the cello in the first Tangerine Dream album (published on ohr label). C. Schnitzler became more and more interested in electronics added to conventional instruments (violin, piano, cellos.). For this reason he formed the band "Eruption" with a few krautrockers (Klaus Schulze). In 1969, he integrated the experimental Kluster (founded by Moebius & Roedelius). Two solid albums for feedback, amplifiers, acoustic instruments and narrative voices have been recorded. These efforts have been signed by the engineer Conny Plank: "Klopfzeichen" (1970) / "Zwei Osterei" (1971). Immediately after his departure from Kluster, Schnitzler decided to pursue his career in solo, going further in experimental, improvised electronic music. In 1978 Conrad recorded "Control" at his home studio in Berlin, Germany.

Control "A"

Each side of this rare original LP is divided into several, untitled sections. Schnitzler welcomes the listener with atonal kernels of creamy, electronic vibrato, bleeping at varying dynamic levels. The only order in this disorder is that higher frequency chords are louder, leaving the muddier, brown frequency sounds partly concealed. At least three layers of these independently originated, expressionist tides collate, but never coagulate.

In the second fragment, foggy synthesizer folds are sustained and then slowly pitch-modulated. Unlike in the previous track, the very act of modulation generates melodic expectations. At some subliminal level, there does seem to lurk a barely tangible theme, but it fails to appear de iure; it remains ill-defined and then re-defined by its own shadows – the multiple variations. Each of the variation ends with longer notes, leaving behind the mood of a desolate, cloudy, open space.

Electric clangs fall like raindrops hitting window panes curiously intent on rejecting the liquid particles at various frequencies. This evanescent texture is sparse and the pitches are arranged to accentuate the mutual contrast. Still, the overall timbral effect is almost childlike.

Another exercise in modulation and phase shifting. The leading middle layer individuates both the bass line and the crisply sibilant accompaniment, each germinating with a different delay.

A more “industrial”-sounding track based on blender glissandos with controlled sustain. Tone colors permutate between the illusions of take-off, landing and taxing. Although the context harks back to the ideas first developed on LP “Con”, the selection of effects is more balanced. Discrete pitch bending occurs around the usually avoided parts of the frequency spectrum.

Rotating flywheels send out waveforms which recur in epicycles. A less prominent sub-theme explores a frail, rounded melodic theme, as if clutching at wavecrest.

Fast ‘grasshopper’ tremolo is drowned out by an alternating dynamics in doomed quest of nebulous, dormant realm. The dominant velocity would outpace any other track on the record, but the gesticulation is imperfectly robotic. Another stratum of glissandos brings a dose of painfully sullied nostalgia.

Control "B"

This is an even more atmospheric exploration of chalky textures. Sheaths of organ give rise to a rare moment of loose harmonic consonance.

Another electronic landscape for stagnating sheets of lengthy notes, modulated in mid-flight. They all fade away, substituted instantly by clones whose energy dissipates in like manner. Simultaneous sizzling and rumbling epitomizes the hypnotic character of procyclical, compressed electronics.

Echoey, glassy clocking and pianistic electro-chords flow through a dialogue which explores attention, dis-habituation, expectation, clearing of remorse and doubt about it all. This is a rare, modal achievement, particularly impressive given the limited toolkit involved in its creation. An essing, oscillatory web is delicately overlaid above the leading theme-building. The focus is on an eventless space, wide open terrain and visibility constrained only by atmospheric phenomena.

The record closes as it opened – with abstract, a-melodic clusters, collected almost sequentially in search of the right nocturnal mood. A vague sense of solitude permeates the departures towards to the top of the staff, into ever shorter notes. Mid-range synthesizer provides some harmonic solution, but the track is cut abruptly. Did the Revox reel run out or is it another attempt to leave us pensive? 

                         SIDE ONE:

                   CONTROL A

                          SIDE TWO:

                   CONTROL B

CONDITION: The cover is perfect, MINT ...no bends, no writing, no split seams and, the white cover is snow white...a perfect example of a pristine cover for this very rare collectible

The vinyl is completely smooth and clear over both sides, M- looking and playing TOP level. Both labels are clean 

                keeper copy!

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for more & more of similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record