Label: Zehra

注目のデュオユニットによる1st LP!!Urban Sax、Arnold Dreyblatt、Henning Christiansen、David Behrman、Ellen Fullmanら多くの重鎮勢と共演、84年に発明したプラスチックチューブ特殊楽器"パンネイ"を使い独自のミニマリズムの探求を続けるWerner Durand。アジア、インド、アフリカの音楽に魅了され、後にガーナのマスタードラマーであるムスタファ・テッテイ・アッディに師事、現在は演奏家兼楽器ビルダーとして活動するUli Hohmannと結成したデュオ"Flocks"の1st作。クラウトロックとジョン・ハッセルの"fourth world"に影響を受けたと版元解説にありますが、まさに2者らしい古典的な実験をトラディショナルと融合させた骨太な表現で統一した傑作アルバム。ミニマル・ドローンファンは是非!!





FLOCKS is a new duo, formed by drone specialist WERNER DURAND and ULI HOHMANN. Musical landscapes that move between traditional as well as experimental sounds with influences from Krautrock and JON HASSEL's "fourth world" aesthetics.

WERNER DURAND has made himself a name with various projects with Dhrupad singerAMELIA CUNI, playing with URBAN SAX, ARNOLD DREYBLATT, HENNING CHRISTIANSEN, DAVID BEHRMAN, ELLEN FULLMAN, CATHERINE CHRISTER HENNIX, as the co-founder of THE 13th TRIBE, ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER and TONALIENS (with ROBIN AYWARD and HILARY JEFFERY) plus numerous solo albums, released on labels like Black Truffle, Unseen Worlds or Edition Telemark. Having studied saxophone as well as Indian / Persian flutes, the Berlin based DURAND is a highly reputated protagonist in the drone scene, famous for his self-built wind instruments like buzz-clarinets or his PVC neys & horns.

His partner in FLOCKS (and longtime personal friend) is ULI HOHMANN whose early encounters with music from Asia, India and Africa led to studies with the Ghanaian master drummer MUSTAPHA TETTEY ADDY and later Tombak and Daf with NEMAD DARMAN (Iran). HOHMANN played in a couple of projects that explored the language of classical Persian music, and started building his own stringed instruments (being an educated carpenter). In 2014 he joined DURAND and AMELIA CUNI for the album "Clearing", and 2018 DURAND and HOHMANN decided to continue as a duo: FLOCKS was born.

On their selftitled debut they shape drone-y soundscapes based on their self-built wind- & stringed instruments, Persian percussion and subtle electronics, drawing additional inspiration from Krautrock (listen to the irresistible, hypnotique groove of "Quicksand") as well as JON HASSEL's "fourth world" aesthetics, placing the duo nicely between tradition and experiment!