VON DEYEN / SCHUTZ – Inventions (Reissue) – LP – Vinyl [JUL 18]

LP – Black Vinyl.

Thumbing through the back pages of German electronic music, Bureau B uncovers another hidden gem from the Sky Records archive: ‘Inventions‘, the 1983 collaboration between Adelbert von Deyen and Dieter Schtz. Fusing expansive kosmische textures with biting rock guitars, motorik rhythms, and the growl of ’80s synth-pop, the duo conjure a sonic singularity which still sounds like the future today. Compact yet cosmic, ‘Inventions‘ distils ambient drift and experimental edge into taut, three-minute pop miniatures, with the occasional longer track extending the energy without losing any of the impact.

Adelbert von Deyen, a painter, graphic artist and composer, was born in 1953 in northern Germany. Inspired by Pink Floyd and the Berlin School, he began creating electronic music in the late 70s, ultimately releasing a string of solo albums on Sky Records. Dieter Schtz, born in nearby Flensburg in 1955, was a multi-instrumentalist equally at home with pastoral acoustic tones and kosmische synthesis. After stints in local rock bands and electronic experimentation in his home studio, Schtz debuted in 1981 with ‘TransVision’, followed by solo albums that further explored his unique blend of organic and synthetic elements. Their musical paths converged on the track “Earth” from von Deyens 1982 LP ‘Planetary‘, a hypnotic collision of space-bound electronics and driving rhythm. The chemistry was instant and by the following year the pair had completed a full album as a duo, ‘Inventions‘, marking Schtz’s first appearance on the Sky roster.

Aptly titled opener, “The Awakening” makes an instant impression with its brisk drum machine pulse and throbbing bass, Schutz guitar swaying between Mediterranean glide and chorus-soaked chime. A wordless refrain, double tracked with triumphant vamps sends hearts soaring while nebulous pads and tape hiss coalesce into a thick patina which binds the separate strands together. “Speed For You” surges forwards with a rush of tumbling percussion and propulsive sequences, while “Peace on Earth” slows to a stately shimmertwinkling arpeggios and processional snares giving it a quiet grandeur. “Baltic Sea” floats on swaying synths and snapping snares, evoking NDW moods before gently returning to the shoreline. “Lunar Opera (Parts 13)”, is a three-part suite which travels between distorted guitar and flanged pulses to watery field recordings and Carpenteresque synths. The first movement serves longing as a full frequency experience, sombre synth bass massaging a drum box heartbeat while squalls of feedback and synthetic strings embrace above. These serrated sounds segue into the optimism and mysticism of the second segment, an ode to interplanetary joy conducted by a one-note bassline, before the wintery cold wave and electronic emotion of the final piece form a fitting finale to an imaginary film. Elsewhere, “Farland” pairs a mechanical backbeat with yearning choirs, while the palm-muted riffs and tape-warped melancholy of “Apaches Pain” foreshadows elements of Schtzs 1985 solo LP ‘Voyage‘. The album closes on a kaleidoscopic note. “Jungle” brings South American-inflected rhythm and squirming sequencers into play, while “Vulcano ’78” glows with sunny, proto-shoegaze textures. “Valley of the Monsters” wraps things up with a heavy-lidded blend of stomping bass and towering guitar heft, counterbalanced deftly with delicate synth tones. The track becomes overwhelmed with buzzing feedback and metallic scraping before the main motif re-emerges and brings down the curtain.

With Inventions, von Deyen and Schtz found a rare middle ground between introspective electronics and wide-eyed pop, creating something strange, beautiful and beguiling which inhabits a space all of its own. Reissued here for the first time in decades, it’s a thrilling rediscovery from the adventurous outer edges of early ’80s German music.

Tracklist:

Side A
1. The Awakening
2. Speed For You
3. Peace On Earth
4. Baltic Sea
5. Lunar Opera Part 1-3

Side B
1. Farland
2. Apache’s Pain
3. Jungle
4. Vulcano ’78
5. Valley Of The Monsters