SCHICKERT, GUNTER - Nachtfalter (Sealed) (LP)

Released on the legendary label 'Brain', G?nter Schickert's debut Samtvogel (1975) was one of the most significant guitar albums of the Krautrock era. Points of comparison from today's perspec-tive are Syd Barrett or Pink Floyd's more adventurous early recordings. Schickert's follow-up ?ber-f?llig of 1980 was released on the equally legendary ky' label. Once again a milestone recording, it showcased Schickert's hypnotic echo guitar which developed into one of the hallmarks of the Krautrock sound. Schickert's new album Nachtfalter, translating as oth' in English, carries on from these begin-nings, making it hard to believe that he has in the meantime reached pension age. Recorded dur-ing the scorching hot summer of 2018, Nachtfalter shows the pioneer of the echo guitar sound his very best. Here Schickert was assisted by Andreas Spechtl (a, Panik') who recorded the album and played the drums. They form a truly winning team: Spechtl selected the best moments of Schickert's guitar tracks, mixed them while also supplying some own loops. Even though the album was conceived as an instrumental, it inadvertently developed into a con-cept piece---named after the moth, which had entered the room at some point during the recording sessions. As a silent witness, it clung to the ceiling all night; in the morning, Schickert found the insect dead on the floor. He took a photo of the moth for the cover artwork of his album, paying trib-ute to the dead animal. Nachtfalter opens with the atmospheric track "Nocturnus", Schickert's conch shell horns creating an eerie mood. Next, the Krautrock juggernaut "Ceiling" runs to nearly seven minutes of playing time and it's not just the music levitating here. A further highlight is the urgent "Wohin" with its in-sistent, furious drumming by Spechtl whose patterns meet the howling echo guitar by Schickert. The only track on the album predating the recording sessions is an impressive "Reflections": con-cluding the album it unites all the elements of Nachtfalter's hypnotic soundscapes. The music could serve as soundtrack to a horror movie, with guitar sounds being complemented by strange noise resembling a train whistle, plus the squealing and humming of a tormented analogue syn-thesizer. "I was born in Berlin and am a true city child", explains Schickert, "When I was young, I often trav-elled on the bus or the underground train. The awesome rhythm of the engines has indelibly im-printed itself on me. My music has been the expression of this experience." Listening to Nachtfalter, one can only conclude that on his captivating album, G?nter Schickert has created a perfect syn-thesis of the hectic, motorik rhythm of the big city and the gentle beat of the wings of a moth.