KOHLSTEDT, MARTIN

In oktober speelde Martin Kohlstedt op het Amsterdam Dance Event, waarbij hij in de Westerkerk voortdurend wisselde tussen de Fender Rhodes en de piano. Dromerige en hypnotiserende stukken wisselde hij af met iets meer uptempo stukken – hoewel het aantal beats per minute bij Kohlstedt nooit echt hoog wordt. Eenzelfde mengvorm van (licht) klassiek en ambient biedt hij ook in de negen stukken van zijn derde studioalbum Strom, waarop elektronica zijn pianospel nadrukkelijker dan voorheen omlijst.

Martin Kohlstedt – Strom

Tracklisting
1. NOA
2. KSY
3. DOM
4. HEA
5. TAR
6. EJA
7. AMS
8. CHA
9. JIN

Martin Kohlstedt's opus "Strom" is a stream of ruthless moments exposing the piano to
the elements. Amid the flow of the nine pieces the composer himself slowly dissipates
and enables the experience of music in its most primal dynamic. One witnesses the
transformation of closeness and intimacy into vastness and force and that there is
beauty to be found in everything — especially in the ephemeral. Consequently "Strom"
brings forth manifold forms of itself, appearing hazy and perilous, in the next
instant direct, almost playful to ultimately appear awestruck in the face of its own
gravity. No distinct answers have been thought of, no measures taken, no
interpretation preconceived for "Strom". Instead you could get the feeling that Martin
Kohlstedt, with this album, erected a monument in honor of intuition itself — even
though immutable monuments are not his speciality, quite the contrary. The native
thuringian became renown above all for the energy and the unpredictability of his
concerts. After two albums featuring just himself and the piano he dropped the deeply
ingrained patterns and connections to the instrument alone and developed a new
naturalness of playing electronic instruments and effects just as if they where
another couple of keys on the keyboard. "Strom" is Martin Kohlstedt's third studio
album and in this a synopsis of this development as well as a glimpse into the future:
Before he comes in contact with the audience he comes in close contact with himself —
without any acting or pretending. Sound and structure thereof stand back behind the
wish to reach faraway places through the music. By listening closely you follow him —
and his hands that do all the work, meticulously and maniacally at once but still
solely with himself after all, just like at his concerts. That is all that is needed
to be known about Martin Kohlstedt.