In Die Nacht

Asmus Tietchens' third LP in two years for the label Sky, In die Nacht breaks away from the composer's self-imposed rule of brevity, although the decision to do so was imposed by the circumstances -- and the label. Sky requested a new album in short notice. Tietchens opted to produce longer tracks as a means to meet the deadline. The shorter tracks used are actually outtakes from the Spat-Europa sessions, while the new pieces clock in at between five and seven minutes. Very candid in his liner notes for the Die Stadt reissue, Tietchens seems to regret that decision, deeming the pieces too long for the material they had to present. The longer durations give the music a very different mood than what can be found on Spat-Europa or on Biotop, but the compositions hardly feel "stretched-out." The composer is leaving quirky melodies aside in favor of more troubled waters, which in turn opens the door on longer time spans, and the luxury of time allows the listener to revel in Tietchens' unique sound designs. The title track, "Hohepunkt Kleiner Mann" and "Spanische Fliege," all three in the seven-minute range, are captivating pieces making excellent use of repetition and rhythm. The album does require a few more listens to leave a lasting imprint, but the bullying deadline forced Tietchens not to repeat himself and pushed him onward. The Die Stadt reissue adds four bonus tracks. Placed before the original tracks from In die Nacht, "Aus dem Tag" is typical Spat-Europa material composition-wise but was a tad too long for its two-minute concept. "Wurgstoffe," "Niedermacher" and "Lebende Regler" were left out from In die Nacht because of their slightly more experimental nature (particularly true of "Wurgstoffe," very ambient and somber). ~ Francois Couture|