Conrad Schnitzler was a member of Tangerine Dream and Kluster and has released countless solo albums. Kurt Dahlke was a member of D.A.F. and Der Plan and has done likewise as a solo artist. 'Con-Struct' is a concept and this is the third release in the series. The idea is to take synthesiser sounds from Conrad's archive, hand them over to a chosen artist and have them create new compositions from the material. In this case Kurt has added some of his own ideas and has been very clear about revealing a darker, technoid side to his work. If early listens are anything to go by I would have to say that this objective has been achieved. To my mind this sounds like great ambient techno; techno minus the beats, if you will.
389-8 gets you in the mood with lovely wave wash synth and train track clack. 288-1 is more of a Buddhist dub thing and 289-5 is 'proggy' keyboards with a techno undertow. 287-14 enhances the trip with warped dulcimer and horror soundtrack effects supported by a 4/4 beat in the second half. 296-16 keeps the beats in place but it's never "doosh doosh" on this album, always nice and subtle you know? The first half finishes with a down-time piece lovingly titled 316-1.
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316-2 takes a mock didgeridoo sound and builds an effective track out of it, perfect for a dusty road into the interior. 287-13 is a bit more indoors. Glassy tap drip notes interlock with a simple groove and a simple build for four minutes. 296-2 is even shorter and goes for overloaded effects to make its point and is perhaps marginally less effective because of it? 289-2 fires up the didgeridoo again with a bit more thrum and throb this time. 316-16 is actually more of a trance piece and possibly even a little superfluous in the context of the album as a whole and the final track 289-9 works well as a haunting come down.
All in all this album would be perfectly suited for use in a disused warehouse, or a disused quarry, or a desert festival, or even my kitchen.
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