Sturm

• Active: '90s
• Genres: Electronica
• Instrument: Engineer, Remixing, Main Performer

Biography

After recording as Pentax and Sweet Reinhard for the Cologne-based Profan label, Reinhard Voigt released his approach to ambient listening music on the esteemed Mille Plateaux as Sturm. Beginning in early 1999 with the release of his first Sturm album, Voigt impressed listeners accustomed to the style of beat-filled tracks he had released on Profan. Instead, Voigt turned toward serene repetitive sounds for his Sturm project, resulting in a hypnotic album of cycling bass lines, swirling high-end sounds, and a heavy use of effects. Much in the spirit of Vainqueur's early Chain Reaction records or the Gas albums of his brother, Wolfgang Voigt, his work as Sturm won him praise for his multi-talented approach to production. Later that year, Mille Plateaux released the Die Glocken von Sturm EP, followed by the second Sturm full-length, Sturmgesten, in late 1999, which found Voigt reducing his sound to little but repetitive, droning bass lines. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

• Artist: Sturm
• Rating:
• Release Date: February 15, 1999
• Total Time: 58:06
• Genre: Electronica

Review

It seems that Reinhard Voigt is following in his brother's footsteps with this record, and the results of this Cologne artist's evolution continue to improve, particularly here. Much like when his brother, Wolfgang Voigt, began producing atmospheric ambient techno for Mille Plateaux as Gas after gaining recognition for his experimental techno tracks, Reinhard has done the same, moving away from the sometimes dissonant rhythms he released as Pentax and Sweet Reinhard on Profan. As Sturm, Voigt still seems occupied with constructing uncanny rhythms, except here he uses more sedate sounds for his songs, making his often odd rhythms oddly mesmerizing rather than jarring. For these eight songs, he steers clear of beats, favoring deep dub basslines that loop endlessly like waves on a shore and surreal sounds that swirl with tranquility around these towering basslines. The motifs are dark, and the aim seems to be aural mesmerization. The modest yet enduring track lengths aid in Voigt's crusade, while his focus on a variety of sounds keeps this debut from being the yawn-inducing homogenous album of blandness that would serve as his follow-up. ~ Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
[Untitled]			(7:16)
[Untitled]		Sturm	(7:44)
[Untitled]		Sturm	(8:48)
[Untitled]		Sturm	(8:18)
[Untitled]		Sturm	(7:13)
[Untitled]		Sturm	(7:27)
[Untitled]		Sturm	(6:19)
[Untitled]		Sturm	(5:01)

Credits

Reinhard Voigt (Main Performer), Sturm (Main Performer)

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