Published
Wed, Aug 18, 2010, 14:30
- The piano experimentalist will release his next album this fall.
Düsseldorf-based artist Volker Bertelmann, AKA Hauschka, will release his next full-length this October on 130701, entitled Foreign Landscapes.
With his past two albums, Hauschka carved a niche for himself in the world of "prepared piano," i.e. the technique of placing various objects or materials inside the innards of a grand piano to create new tones. It's a method that was popularized by John Cage in the 1930's and kept alive by contemporary composers like Christian Wolff, though Hauschka's take on the genre is slightly more pop-inspired, with increased focus on melody over timbre. Over the years he's received praise from publications like Pitchfork and Mojo and embarked on a number of international tours, including one with the Icelanding group Mum.
Foreign Landscapes shows Hauschka expanding his palette a bit, playing piano with full orchestral accompaniment. Nostalgia has been a theme in his music in the past--2008's Ferndord was named after the German village where Bertelmann grew up--and it finds its way into the new album as well. The album was largely inspired by Hauschka's travels over the past few years, with many pieces harking back to specific spots that made an impression on him, such as Alexanderplatz in Berlin and Union Square in Manhattan.
Tracklist
01. Alexanderplatz
02. Iron Shoes
03. Mount Hood
04. Madeira
05. Union Square
06. Snow
07. Early in the park
08. Kamogawa
09. Children
10. Sunny Mission
11. Kouseiji
12. Trost
130701 will release Hauschka's Foreign Landscapes on October 25th, 2010.