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Curious Music Launches Curiosa Digital Compilation Series

Periodic compilations to feature unreleased new and archive material from curious collaborators. First release, Curiosa 1, includes music from Roedelius, Tim Story, Wobbly, Heavy Color, and Brockmann/Bargmann.

 

September 15, 2019

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Russ Curry, russ@curiousmusic.us

Title: Curiosa 1

Artist: Various

Catalog: curio 14

Format: All digital formats

Release Date: September 15, 2019

 

Curiosa 1 Track Listing

  1. Snip 640 - Roedelius/Story

  2. Als Ob - Roedelius

  3. Public Monitress - Wobbly

  4. The Ground - Heavy Color

  5. GB 21 - Roedelius/Matthes

  6. GB 7 - Roedelius/Matthes

  7. Troepfelloop - Brockmann/Bargmann

We are pleased to announce the launch of our digital compilation series - Curiosa.

Curiosa will be an ongoing series of releases that will feature unreleased new and archive material from our Curious collaborators, old and new. Our first release, Curiosa 1 features unreleased material ranging from brand new tracks to music dating back to the 70s.

Curious Music’s Russ Curry tells us about Curiosa -

Like most labels, we spend our time working on specific projects but often forget about the many tracks, sketches, demos and even entire productions that fall off the apple cart and may never see the light of day. Over the years, and in particular the last couple of years, we have accumulated several hundred tracks from different artists and different periods. Many of these tracks are quite lovely and I think will be of interest to the curious audience. Technology now allows us to share this material in a malleable, less labor intensive way.

And about the tracks of Curiosa 1 -

Snip 640 – Roedelius/Story

I don’t know what the hell this is.

Als Ob – Roedelius

There are many hours of many configurations of Achim’s work in the Curious archives (and I know what I have is just a drop in the bucket). This creaky old selbstportrait from 70s Forst is one of many that Achim played for me during our memorable “first encounter” in rural Austria in 1986. I lost the tape and did not hear it for a very long time, yet this piece haunted me for years. I began to seriously think I had imagined it until Tim Story transferred a few tapes to digital for me last year – and there it was in all its unassuming lo-fi glory. Achim’s Selbstportrait records sucked me in as a teenager and even today this track represents to me the essence of his work – warm, welcoming and quietly powerful. And very curious. roedelius.com

Public Monitress - Wobbly

This lovely track is from Wobbly, known as Jon Leidecker from Negativland to his mom. Jon’s work is meticulously constructed resulting in an almost symphonic lyricism in its detail and progression. Though you would perhaps not mistake this track for a symphony. Or maybe you would. And you might not be mistaken. It is a beautiful, unique work of sound art. “Public Monitress” is a grower that has much to offer, to the extent that each listen is almost like hearing it for the first time. I hope future curiousness will have a little wobble to it. detritus.net

The Ground – Heavy Color

Heavy Color is Ben Cohen and Sam Woldenberg. I had the pleasure of meeting Ben during a trip to Ohio last year. Have gave me a cd of their work which I listened to on the way back to Iowa. I was highly impressed. Their work is a thoughtful mélange of influences such as ambient, chill and world music yet, most importantly, created with a cohesiveness that is highly original and, to me, quite fascinating. This amazing track is a bit of a “scout plane” for their album Soft Light which will be out next year. I am looking forward to that record and highly recommend exploring their work. heavycolorheavycolor.com/heavycolor.bandcamp.com

GB 7 and GB 21 – Roedelius/Matthes

These two tracks are taken from about 25 or so improvisations that Achim and Wolfgang Matthes recorded during Achim’s stop in British Columbia during his tour last year. GB stands for Glücksbringer. Matthes is an exceptionally sensitive collaborator and did a superb job of capturing these pieces “in the moment”. I really love these quiet, simple tracks and hope you will, too. I look forward to Curious releasing a Glücksbringer album (which will not include these two tracks) towards the end of the year.

Troepfelloop – Brockmann/Bargmann

Timm Brockmann and Franz Bargmann are best known as former members of the German band Camera. Bargmann is currently the touring guitarist for Michael Rother. This track is from an as of yet unreleased production. Perhaps it’s not a surprise, or perhaps it is just my ears, when I hear an echo of the spaciousness and calm in Rother’s work in the gorgeous track which I am choosing to close the collection. Franz sent me a number of tracks to consider. I think it is likely we will find a way to collaborate in the future.

 

Album Credits:

Curated Summer 2019 by Curryous

Digital Dustbrother: Storyous

Thanks to John Foster, Paula Ashley, Mark Packo, and The Edward Cella Gallery - edwardcella.com

Cover: Ruth Pastine, Matter of Light Series #11, oil on canvas, 2016 used with kind permission of the artist. ruthpastine.com