After time spent as a percussionist with Ash Ra Tempel, Klaus Schulze and Cosmic Jokers, synthwave experimenter Harald Grosskopf released his debut solo album Synthesist in 1980. Now decades later, the underrated classic will experience a well-deserved revisit when RVNG Intl. gives the record a reissue in early 2011.
As the label explains, "This was a relatively easy record to pick up and get into before we came along, but we figured that it just needed the right liaison for a generation of excited music listeners who might not've noticed Harald in the room. Upon closer inspection you will notice that he is painted silver from head to toe and he's got sparkling eyes. How did you miss him? No worries, we'll introduce you."
In addition to reissuing the original album with extensive liner notes, the lovingly assembled reissue will include a second disc called Re-Synthesist. That record will include interpretations of Grosskopf's work from modern synth experimenters like CFCF, Oneohtrix Point Never, Stellar Om Source, Blondes and Pink Skull, among others.
RVNG Intl. will release Synthesist/Re-Synthesist on February 15. More details can be seen here, and a video preview for the project is available below.
Disc one:
Synthesist:
1. "So Weit, So Gut"
2. "B. Aldrian"
3. "Emphasis"
4. "Synthesist"
5. "1847- Earth"
6. "Trauma"
7. "Transcendental Overdrive"
8. "Tai Ki"
Disc two:
Re-Synthesist:
1. Bronze "So Weit, So Gut"
2. CFCF "B. Aldrian"
3. Jar Moff "B. Aldrian"
4. Arp "Emphasis"
5. JD Twitch "Emphasize"
6. Blondes "Synthesist"
7. Snoretex "Synthesist"
8. Stellar Om Source "1847 - Earth"
9. Oneohtrix Point Never "Trauma 2010"
10. Keyhole Voyeur "WISHMASTER (Transcendental Overdrive Zone)"
11. Pink Skull "Tai Ki"
As the label explains, "This was a relatively easy record to pick up and get into before we came along, but we figured that it just needed the right liaison for a generation of excited music listeners who might not've noticed Harald in the room. Upon closer inspection you will notice that he is painted silver from head to toe and he's got sparkling eyes. How did you miss him? No worries, we'll introduce you."
In addition to reissuing the original album with extensive liner notes, the lovingly assembled reissue will include a second disc called Re-Synthesist. That record will include interpretations of Grosskopf's work from modern synth experimenters like CFCF, Oneohtrix Point Never, Stellar Om Source, Blondes and Pink Skull, among others.
RVNG Intl. will release Synthesist/Re-Synthesist on February 15. More details can be seen here, and a video preview for the project is available below.
Disc one:
Synthesist:
1. "So Weit, So Gut"
2. "B. Aldrian"
3. "Emphasis"
4. "Synthesist"
5. "1847- Earth"
6. "Trauma"
7. "Transcendental Overdrive"
8. "Tai Ki"
Disc two:
Re-Synthesist:
1. Bronze "So Weit, So Gut"
2. CFCF "B. Aldrian"
3. Jar Moff "B. Aldrian"
4. Arp "Emphasis"
5. JD Twitch "Emphasize"
6. Blondes "Synthesist"
7. Snoretex "Synthesist"
8. Stellar Om Source "1847 - Earth"
9. Oneohtrix Point Never "Trauma 2010"
10. Keyhole Voyeur "WISHMASTER (Transcendental Overdrive Zone)"
11. Pink Skull "Tai Ki"
Harald Grosskopf - Synthesist (Excerpt) from RVNG Intl. on Vimeo.
