Thomas Fehlmann – honigpumpe
(2007)
german press release
review in pitchfork
interview in japanese from CISCO
review in slowalarm
review in foxy digitalis
review/interview in INTRO
press release:
It's with the utmost delight that we welcome back one of KOMPAKT's most beloved members - THOMAS FEHLMANN. To those maybe not familiar with him it's important we briefly rewind before moving forward. After all, we are talking about one of electronic music's most humble and respected players. Take his early days as a member of the legendary avant-garde band PALAIS SCHAUMBURG, through the late-'80s producing as READY MADE plus operating the revered imprint TEUTONIC BEATS. Then there's the defining Berlin-Detroit connecting act 3MB (together with BASIC CHANNEL's MORITZ VON OSWALD and JUAN ATKINS) and his longstanding and ongoing contributions to THE ORB. The mid-'90's brought GUDRUN GUT and FEHLMANN together and they developped the irreplaceable OCEANCLUBRADIO show and curated countless parties and festivals mostly focused on upcoming, genre-breaking talent. And we haven't even touched his extensive solo career; his releases on R&S/APOLLO, PLUG RESEARCH and of course KOMPAKT where his long-standing history with the label discloses four 12" singles and the critically acclaimed 2002 full-length VISIONS OF BLAH (KOM CD20). But let's move forward and to why we're here now.
Following the release of VISIONS OF BLAH, FEHLMANN hit the road, returning to the live stage after a 20 year break he related the experience as (in his own words) “a recharge of my batteries many times over”, thus having had a major effect on FEHLMANN's creative inspiration as a musician. And the emotional essence of his live sets speaks volumes from beginning to end on his new full length HONIGPUMPE. The cover is again supplied by BIANCA STRAUCH - originally responsible for the kompakt labeldesign - who in a painstakingly, sticky process sculpted each individual word in real honey. the title - adapted from a legendary work by artist joseph beuys - reflects FEHLMANN's playfull yet non-ironic approach of unifying his past, present and future with his beaming harmonies, his minimalistic beats and the continuous pulsating flow. “If BEUYS uses honey as the symbol for the positive, nurturing essence of life I'd like to view my music in a similar vein and use the powerbook as my pump”
Setting off with STRAHLENSATZ, FEHLMANN starts well below the clouds with a poignant depth charge of emotive splendor. With the aid of a soothing bass drum, he carries us effortlessly upward to the skies with a dub-inspired crooner SCHAUM, then fuelled with a summery soulful injection of Detroit-ish house follows through with LITTLE BIG HORN. Fans of his previous outings will be elated as his always classy schaffel-techno comes full circle with T.R.N.T.T.F. and the techno canticle DUSTED WITH POWDER. FEHLMANN finally brings us back to earth with a shimmering Pop-Ambient epic “WITH OIL”. A perfect conclusion to truly provide (again in his own words) “an elastic spacious approach to let the honey flow”. Flow indeed Thomas. Let it flow.
(2007)
german press release
review in pitchfork
interview in japanese from CISCO
review in slowalarm
review in foxy digitalis
review/interview in INTRO
press release:
It's with the utmost delight that we welcome back one of KOMPAKT's most beloved members - THOMAS FEHLMANN. To those maybe not familiar with him it's important we briefly rewind before moving forward. After all, we are talking about one of electronic music's most humble and respected players. Take his early days as a member of the legendary avant-garde band PALAIS SCHAUMBURG, through the late-'80s producing as READY MADE plus operating the revered imprint TEUTONIC BEATS. Then there's the defining Berlin-Detroit connecting act 3MB (together with BASIC CHANNEL's MORITZ VON OSWALD and JUAN ATKINS) and his longstanding and ongoing contributions to THE ORB. The mid-'90's brought GUDRUN GUT and FEHLMANN together and they developped the irreplaceable OCEANCLUBRADIO show and curated countless parties and festivals mostly focused on upcoming, genre-breaking talent. And we haven't even touched his extensive solo career; his releases on R&S/APOLLO, PLUG RESEARCH and of course KOMPAKT where his long-standing history with the label discloses four 12" singles and the critically acclaimed 2002 full-length VISIONS OF BLAH (KOM CD20). But let's move forward and to why we're here now.
Following the release of VISIONS OF BLAH, FEHLMANN hit the road, returning to the live stage after a 20 year break he related the experience as (in his own words) “a recharge of my batteries many times over”, thus having had a major effect on FEHLMANN's creative inspiration as a musician. And the emotional essence of his live sets speaks volumes from beginning to end on his new full length HONIGPUMPE. The cover is again supplied by BIANCA STRAUCH - originally responsible for the kompakt labeldesign - who in a painstakingly, sticky process sculpted each individual word in real honey. the title - adapted from a legendary work by artist joseph beuys - reflects FEHLMANN's playfull yet non-ironic approach of unifying his past, present and future with his beaming harmonies, his minimalistic beats and the continuous pulsating flow. “If BEUYS uses honey as the symbol for the positive, nurturing essence of life I'd like to view my music in a similar vein and use the powerbook as my pump”
Setting off with STRAHLENSATZ, FEHLMANN starts well below the clouds with a poignant depth charge of emotive splendor. With the aid of a soothing bass drum, he carries us effortlessly upward to the skies with a dub-inspired crooner SCHAUM, then fuelled with a summery soulful injection of Detroit-ish house follows through with LITTLE BIG HORN. Fans of his previous outings will be elated as his always classy schaffel-techno comes full circle with T.R.N.T.T.F. and the techno canticle DUSTED WITH POWDER. FEHLMANN finally brings us back to earth with a shimmering Pop-Ambient epic “WITH OIL”. A perfect conclusion to truly provide (again in his own words) “an elastic spacious approach to let the honey flow”. Flow indeed Thomas. Let it flow.