raumforderung

BAD ALCHEMY

Im Mittelpunkt von Raumforderung (ACU 1077, CDr) steht der 1954 errichtete, 80 m hohe Scheiben-Gasbehälter des – 2001 stillgelegten – Augsburger Gaswerks, der in Vogelper­spektive das Logo von AC bildet. EMERGE hat mit O-Klang der speziellen Akustik im Innern des Gaskessels zwei brausende Scapes generiert, die durch die Integration des voluminösen Halls und mehr noch durch dunkle oder auch kratzende Akzente beeindru­cken, Lauten wie denen eines rumorend umeinander tappenden und pochenden Riesen. Einen Hinweis gibt der Titel, denn kaltschnäuzig als 'Raumforderung' bezeichnet man in der Medizin die unphysiologische Volumenzunahme einer Struktur im Körperinneren, deren Ursache unbekannt ist – und meint damit einen Tumor, der sich da still und fies breit macht. Die metaphorische Parallele zu den krebsartig anschwellenden Folgen des fossilozänen Wucherns mit Öl und Gas ist das eine. Und die Deutschen und ihr Gas, von Fracking und Putin bis zu Zyklon-B, sind das andere. Wilfried Hanrath hüllt das fotogra­fisch in eine schwarzblau gewölkte Abstraktion. Man muss kein Augur sein, um darin ver­schwommen ungute Vorzeichen zu ahnen.

www.badalchemy.de

VITAL WEEKLY

In Vital Weekly 1442, I reviewed the previous release by Emerge, a.k.a. Sascha Stadlmeier, which was a rerelease from 2018 and actually recorded in 2014. For ‘Raumforderung’. we’re talking really really fresh work because it was specially composed for the live event ‘Schalltrichter & Scheibentank’ at Gaswerk in Augsburg. And this took place at September 8th of this year, only two weeks ago. One of the things the Augsburg skyline is known for is the large disk-type gasholder, which now has a cultural function and is better known as Gaswerk. And Augsburg being the hometown of Sascha means something had to be done. A concert, a special release, manipulation of field recordings, exhibition…
In two tracks, Emerge draws an audio painting of the gasholder. My guess is that the field recordings that formed the basics of this were recorded inside, outside and around the gasholder and that there is a lot of granular and other sample manipulation. Where the first part is quite droney/noisy, the second part emphasizes the spatial aspects through the massive use of reverb on down-pitched sounds. But the beauty here is in the resonant structures revealed by this method. Playing in a room with an echo/reverb like this (just Google Augsburg Gaswerk to see what it looks like) you simply have to work with the resonance of it. And even if you didn’t attend the concert, the second track indicates the resonance.
Literally translated, ‘raumforderung’ means claiming space, and this release makes the space the 80-meter cylinder takes audible. The creepiness and darkness of the tracks coincide with the fact that the use of fossil fuels is bad for the environment, the climate, people’s health and many other things. So the fact that use of the gasholder contributed to that makes it a very contemplative release. Nice work!
Additionally, there is the digital-only release ‘Raumforderungen’, where over 40 artists used the original field recordings by Emerge to create a track of their own. For a mere four euros, you get over 4 hours of music, enabling you to investigate the spaciousness of the gasholder and the inspirational aspects of European industrial heritage.

https://www.vitalweekly.net/number-1453/