On the heels of his outstanding groove laden EP Wrong Movements from this past fall, Efdemin (aka Phillip Sollmann) is set to deliver the 2xLP New Atlantis, his 4th full-length by way of Ostgut Ton. In the same phenomenal company as the likes of Terrence Dixon, John Tejada, and Deepchord.
On the heels of his outstanding groove laden EP Wrong Movements from this past fall, Efdemin (aka Phillip Sollmann) is set to deliver the 2xLP New Atlantis, his 4th full-length by way of Ostgut Ton. The label owned by Berghain is befitting of the decade plus club resident, known for his continuous and focused deep techno, and will be celebrated as such with an album release party at the venue itself on February 16th along with a second party commemorating its arrival in London at the Village Underground March 15th.
Having recently shared the title track (below), which clocks in at a length of 14:16, listeners are exposed to Efdemin’s intricate and subtle ability to evolve an electronic jam over time. A chuggernaut, its spatial awareness is most evident when listening to through headphones. This minimal treasure of a track makes its way toward a reflective expanse just before the half way mark and returns to its bouncy kick while simultaneously elongating its drone properties.
It’s anticipated that the new album will demonstrate a marriage between the artist’s rhythmic dance leanings and his auditory art experimentation. He’s no stranger to this avant-garde approach in electronic music, listen to “Aliasing Bells” from 2018’s Naif release or consider his appreciation of music theorist/composer Harry Partch and his visual art endeavors. New Atlantis inspired by Francis Bacon’s 17th century depiction of an artistic and technological utopia under the same title, sounds limitless in its approach. Employing a variety of instrumentation ranging from wooden percussion and dulcimer to vocal recitation, synth and organ drone, the record in similar methodology embodies the following excerpt by Bacon:
“We have also sound-houses, where we practice and demonstrate all sounds and their generation. We have harmonies, which you have not… instruments of music likewise to you unknown, some sweeter than any you have, together with bells and rings that are dainty and sweet. We represent small sounds as great and deep, likewise great sounds extenuate and sharp; we make divers tremblings and warblings of sounds, which in their original are entire. We represent and imitate all articulate sounds and letters…”
That one line in particular, “we represent small sounds as great and deep” harkens to Efdemin’s strength as a techno artist, in the same phenomenal company as the likes of Terrence Dixon, John Tejada, and Deepchord. New Atlantis is sure to be an album of great interest to fans in 2019, especially with the Berghain stamp of authenticity.
New Atlantis is available February 15th via Ostgut Ton.
