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Independent music since 1986.
Independent music since 1986.

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032: STEPHAN WITTWER – MARTIN SCHÜTZ – PAUL LOVENS. Choice - Chase

Intakt Recording #032 / 1995

Stephan Wittwer: Guitar
Martin Schütz: Cello
Paul Lovens: Drums

Choice recorded by Martin Pearson at Radio Studio Zürich, October 22 and 23, 1992. Waidwund recorded live by Peter Pfister at Taktlos, Rote Fabrik Zürich, March 24, 1991.

Original price CHF 12.00 - Original price CHF 30.00
Original price
CHF 30.00
CHF 12.00 - CHF 30.00
Current price CHF 30.00
Format: Compact Disc
More Info

Mathias Schellenberg from Zurich-based Rec-Rec-Vertrieb described the Zurich guitarist Stephan Wittwer as “Europe's best guitarist”: “The recordings by Stephan Wittwer with Martin Schütz and Paul Lovens once again demonstrate Wittwer's outstanding technique, which he uses expressionistically without forgetting that electric guitar always means rock music, i.e. working with repetitions, riffs, and recurring noises. Wide-ranging solos, reminiscent of desert landscapes in Australia, tip over into a status quo riff, only to continue in a whistling tone. The chirping cello tones of Martin Schütz from Biel and Paul Lovens' drums complement the ecstatic guitar work of a shy man who single-handedly achieves what the Melvins or Milk Cult still have to deconstruct rock to achieve. He has already liberated it and can therefore fall back into it so freely. This is a rock record.”


“This electric guitar, electric (and acoustic) cello, and percussion date is a breath of fresh air when it comes to guitar records. This is Stephan Wittwer's approach to the instrument, as a percussion and tone device takes all the problematic equations of whether he can play or not out of the air and the music. Listening to him interact with drummer Paul Lovens and cellist Martin Schütz proves he can play in a manner that not many can or would aspire to. His approach to the guitar is one that sees the instrument not so much as a solo device, but as an integrative one where by using its tonalities and frequencies in the right way, other instruments may be brought into the fray tonally as well as dynamically. The first three-part suite, "Choice," is an establishment of this, as Wittwer moves through various aspects of feedback microtonalities and opens the entire space up to Schütz, who seesaws across the base tones, creating a larger canvas for the percussion to anchor both sets of tonal fields to one another. If it sounds academic, it's anything but -- it's an anarchic blast. It's rock & roll without verses, structure, choruses, or melody. On the second suite, the five-part "Waidwund," the trio gets an opportunity to explore the dangerous nature of power chords and Lovens gets to let loose and does, calling fire from the heavens down on the volume assault in a prayer to make it all louder. Certainly there are quiet passages where texture and balance pursue various light bodies in a field of sacred language. But before it becomes sacred, the anger and aggression come in with gale force and bring it all back home to hell where it belongs. This is fantastic.
Thom Jurek, All Music

Album Credits

Cover Art: Peter Fischli, David Weiss
Cover design: Hanna Koller

All music improvised by the composers
Stephan Wittwer (SUISA), Martin Schütz (SUISA), Paul Lovens (GEMA)
Choice recorded by Martin Pearson at Radio Studio Zürich, October 22 and 23, 1992
Waidwund recorded live by Peter Pfister at Taktlos, Rote Fabrik Zürich, March 24, 1991
Mastered by Peter Pfisfer. Financial support by Pro Helvetia

Distributed by Rec Rec Distribution, P.O. Box, CH 8040 Zürich, Switzerland
Produced by Intakt Records, Executive Production: Patrik Landolt

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