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Rating: The 20' to 2000 series by Raster-Noton, consisting of 12 mini-CDs from '99 to 2000 where 12 artists are called to provide their vision on the last twenty minutes of the millennium, embracing the most advanced technologies of the time, has offered many gems for lovers of minimalist-digital experimentation, known as microwave, which saw in the German cult label, and specifically in what are its best years (97/2005), one of the most representative realities.
Among these, the chapter entrusted to the king of this sound stands out, as well as the co-founder of the historic label, an influential and brilliant artist, much more than his notable label colleagues could be, such as Byetone, Ikeda, or Alva Noto (without obviously forgetting personalities outside the r-n, such as Marcus Popp, Tailor Deupree, Cascone, Coil, Pan Sonic), we are talking about Frank Bretschneider, also active as Komet, who with these four tracks anticipates a bit what his sound will be in the new millennium, a highly innovative and mental sound, as stagnant in techniques and ideas now overused and predictable.
I refer to good Frank as the King of this sound because very few can sound so cold, digital, minimal, organized, clean, cerebral; each of his releases, even before being an authentic trip, seems a bit like the transposition into music of a certain attitude of the Teutonic man, both in everyday life and in artistic design fields. His is the digital sound par excellence, every minimal sound present, from the slightest tone/texture to the most piercing glitch, is generated through digital signals and intricate sinusoidal waves, zero analog, and as a result, an extremely cold sound, but - and here lies the beauty that elevates Frank to the absolute master - heard in its entirety manages to sound very warm and enveloping, as well as ecstatic, at times approaching the Indian sitar ragas. Something that, as you might have guessed, can remind you of the early Plastikman, with the difference that if the latter made the analog and dedication to the dirty Roland gear his battle horse, for Frank the medium is as digital as ever, and the technology is always updated and evolved.
It might not be the most suitable soundtrack for the pre-2000 minutes, but it is for a mental journey probably never experienced before. It is also a record that moves away from those academic/theater/sound art discussions, often a bit pretentious, that will involve the microwave movement in the years to come: here everything revolves solely around pure and mere Sound.
Like 18.14 can represent a timeless masterpiece.
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