Reuter; Markus: Kopfmensch

Markus Reuter is a composer, musician, producer Warr guitarist and "sound designer", who has over the years collaborated with a hugely impressive list of equally multi-talented musical figures. Resulting in an eclectic, compelling catalogue which the compilation Kopfmensch boldly attempts to demonstrate. It is a tall order, as the sixteen tracks brought together here jump from style to style and genre to genre, with the very nature of the album making for an uneven ride. However, put into context Kopfmensch does its job perfectly, as there's no denying it leaves you desperate to hear more of Reuter and his broad cannon of work.

The journey begins with "History" where electronic master Ian Boddy cooks up a jarring, beat driven piece of ambient electronica dance prog. It's mesmerising and immediately draws you in. While the pair's "Dervish" offers up a more quirky, stark version of a similar vision. Add to that three separate offerings from Reuter and Pat Mastelotto (King Crimson) under the name TUNER, which differ from each other hugely, and already this is an amazingly eclectic, beautiful collection. "Swansong" dances and shimmers, "Flinch" grooves and grinds, while "11 11" mesmerises and hypnotizes through spoken word passages and ever repeating rhythms. That collaboration is taken a step further with Reuter also working as part of Stick-Men with Mastelotto and Crimson/Peter Gabriel sideman Tony Levin. Where he and Reuter clash on their Chapman Sticks in Discipline era KC style, while Mastelotto jars and jolts behind the kit resulting in the song "Absalom".

Other big names come and go with multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire 05Ric being half of the project blld, who provide "OHM" where beats busily set the scene for a languid bass splurge to be mastered by a stinging guitar. Then Tim Bowness (No Man) teams up with Reuter in Centrozoon, whose unsettlingly dreamy "Make Me Forget" and erratically electronic bleeping and beeping "Mauls Of Reclining" are undoubted highlights of this compilation. And we're only scratching the surface, with offerings from Europa String Choir, Tim Motzer/Markus Reuter, IB Big Band, Robert Rich, This Fragile Moment and Adrian Benavides all adding to the stunningly atmospheric and wide ranging soundscapes served up.

Fittingly the compilation closes with a solo piece from Reuter, which illustrates the poise, detail and beauty he brings to all of the pieces and collaborations on Kopmensch, whether they be percussive workouts, ambient soundscapes, or grooving gyrations.

This is a wonderful compilation that is sure to see you want to investigate the work of Markus Reuter much further. Making for a fine introduction to a musician who deserves far wider acclaim.

Track Listing
1. Markus Reuter & Ian Boddy - History
2. Stick Men - Absalom
3. Centrozoon feat. Tim Bowness - Make Me Forget
4. Europa String Choir - Lemon Crash
5. Tim Motzer & Markus Reuter - 1200 Sundays
6. blld (05ric & Markus Reuter) - OHM
7. Markus Reuter & IB Big Band - Mariola (Live)
8. Markus Reuter & Ian Boddy - Dervish
9. TUNER - Swansong
10. Centrozoon - Mauls Of Reclining
11. TUNER - 11 11
12. Markus Reuter & Robert Rich - Reception
13. TUNER - Flinch
14. This Fragile Moment - Stones
15. Adrian Benavides - Same Time Next Life
16. Markus Reuter - Beat

Added: October 5th 2012
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Markus Reuter Online
Hits: 1912
Language: english

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