Music Non Stop
In idle mode, the archive plays itself, waiting to get activated. idle is based on modules with about 75 hours of low-intensity, high-density music that are played continuously in shuffle mode. Each featured project is represented by one track.
Ata Tak – Die neuen Herrn (1980-84)
Equally at home in the art world and the artists’ pub, Ata Tak‘s proprietors manage their label from a nice office in Düsseldorf; in the adjoining music studio, they pursue the idea of a world rebellion with sound – as Der Plan. 32 minutes with Holger Hiller, Minus Delta T, Picky Picnic, Wirtschaftswunder and others.
A Dandy From Heaven – Haruomi Hosono (1975-95)
Aware of musical traditions and eager to incorporate the latest technology in his productions, Haruomi Hosono is one of the most versatile and influential figures in Japanese popular culture. 44 minutes with various collaborations and solo works by the co-founder of Yellow Magic Orchestra.
Tellus – New York City’s Art Scene on Tape (1983-93)
When sound became portable with the Walkman in the early Eighties, the subscription-only Tellus Audio Cassette Magazine begins to feature New York City’s expansive Downtown art scene on tape. 41-minute mix with Gretchen Bender, Jonathan Borofsky, Live Skull, Marjorie Van Halteren and others.
New York in the Sixties – A Hotbed for Experiments
Whether conceptual or performance art, electronic music, counterculture, minimalism, drone sounds, or Fluxus – New York City is a hotbed for all sorts of experiments during the Sixties. 62 minutes with Angus MacLise, Henry Flynt, La Monte Young & Marian Zazeela, Richard Maxfield and others.
A Few Things From Japan – Rediscovering Traditions (1969-2000)
During the Seventies, musical traditions are being rediscovered in Japan. By blending them with their own preferences, artists create new sound worlds. 46 minutes with Akio Suzuki, Haruomi Hosono, Jun Togawa Unit, Toshi Ichiyanagi and others.
Their India – Inspiration From Abroad (1956-99)
During the 20th century, India attracted artists and musicians in pursuit of answers to spiritual needs or wanting to leave something behind. 56 minutes with Alice Coltrane, Coil with Lori Carson, Psycho Baba, Sun Ra and others.
Love for Sound – Engineered Reggae (1979-87)
In the Eighties, old and new styles alike get developed in Jamaica. Ragga evolves and electronic production tools enter the studios, helping to establish the digital dancehall era. 37 minutes with Bunny Lie Lie, Charlie Chaplin, Don Carlos, Johnny Clarke and others.
Reggae? – Some Seventies Soul Fire
Fuelled by collaborations between producers, singers, and studio musicians in ever new constellations, the Seventies mark the transition from ska and rocksteady into a multitude of styles in Jamaica. 46 minutes with Keith Hudson, Norma White & Brentford Disco Set, Sound Dimension, Susan Cadogan and others.
Early Electronic Music – Fieldwork and Funny Sounds (1952-68)
The electrification of music during the 1950s led to a multitude of artistic concepts. 50 minutes of fieldwork and funny sounds with Alireza Mashayekhi, Delia Derbyshire, Else Marie Pade, İlhan Mimaroğlu and others.
Synthesis – Approaching a New Instrument
Synthesizers brought new sounds into the world. 43 minutes of oscillators, filters and envelopes controlled by Conrad Schnitzler, Daphne Oram, Erkki Kurenniemi, Laurie Spiegel and others – between the early Sixties and 1977 (plus an exception).