“Anchor and Burden” goes into the 2nd round. In 2021, the “supergroup” that Markus Reuter put together to set an example of what a contemporary band can actually be, recorded five albums of cutting-edge music that was improvised live in the studio.
In 2022, now with new Germany-based drummer Asaf Sirkis (Shawn Crowder moved back to the US), the group recorded another set of breathtakingly performed pieces. The first album of the second incarnation of the band called KOSMONAUTIK PILGRIMAGE is getting released as a CD and download on Leonardo Pavkovic’s MoonJune Records in January 2023.
Markus Reuter tells us about the background and development of the band over the last year and a half:
“In 1996, Bernhard Wöstheinrich and I started working together as centrozoon and over the years we developed our very own style of uncompromising instant composition. There has been the vision to expand centrozoon to include drums and bass for over two decades, and Anchor and Burden is the embodiment of that idea. My choice to include another touch guitarist (rather than „just“ a bass player) was obvious to me, especially since this was going to be the first band to feature two accomplished players of this versatile instrument. Alexander Dowerk was my first call, as my master-student and friend. Shawn Crowder played with us during the initial sessions that produced the first five albums, which we self-released in late 2021 and early 2022.
Asaf Sirkis, with whom I have recorded many albums since 2016, joined us for the 2022 sessions, and we now have the album KOSMONAUTIK PILGRIMAGE, which to me shows the current pinnacle of achievement that this band originally set out to reach. The music is most intense and the listening and collective composition that is happening in the moment is nothing short of miraculous, even to us as the originators. This certainly isn’t easy music to consume at all, but it should satisfy the hunger of those who are in love with exceptional music. I’m glad and honored that Leonardo Pavkovic is supporting the band, and this first physical release of our music is an important event for us.
This is also the first time that the multichannel Touch Guitars® S8 instrument has been used extensively. Alexander is playing it throughout this album. Each string is being recorded and processed separately, which leads to just Alex on his own already sounding like several people playing. We’ve kept the separation of parts intact in the wonderful mix that our friend Stefano Castagna made in his Ritmo&Blu studio in Italy.
Supported by Initiative Musik gGmbH with project funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media, we had the opportunity to capture the whole process of the musical creation on camera, and this footage is going to be made available as promotional material as well as full video performances over the next few months.”
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credits Markus Reuter: Touch Guitars AU8 and S8, Soundscapes Alexander Paul Dowerk: Touch Guitars S8 Bernhard Wöstheinrich: Keyboards and Electronics Asaf Sirkis: Drums and Percussion
All music written and performed by Anchor and Burden Recorded by Arno Jordan at Castle Studios, Röhrsdorf, Germany Mixed by Stefano Castagna at Ritmo&Blu Studio Mastered by Lee Fletcher
Produced by Markus Reuter and Alexander Paul Dowerk
Live-Performance at the exhibition opening of the exhibition “Weil es wirklich wichtig ist” (“Because it really matters”) by Manfred Makowski at Kreishaus Gütersloh, October 27, 2022, 18:00
A Letterpress Sound Collage; Soundscapes created from printing presses noises
This is a set of impromptu performed music, recorded in one pass at August 22, 2022, in Berlin, Germany.
Audio Teaser
A classic live looping ambient set; improvised musical phrases are layered on top of each other in a constant process to create a dense and lush soundscape. As the performance continues, the motifs and sound changes slowly fade out to make way for new harmonies and sound progressions.
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Recording of the soundcheck & preparations for the set-up of the centrozoon performance at the The FIRST INTERNATIONAL MOONJUNE MUSIC FESTIVAL – JAJCE, Bosnia and Herzegovina, that will take place from June 24-25-26, 2022.
Live-Performance and -Arrangement by Bernhard Wöstheinrich Mix and Mastering: Markus Reuter
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Bernhard Wöstheinrich 