Roedelius — Drauf und Dran
Qobuz new release review, November 2020
In the 40-plus years since the end of his burst of genre-defining krautrock with Cluster and Harmonia, Hans-Joachim Roedelius has generated a vast, varied, and uncompromising discography of more than 50 studio albums. Although there have been many collaborations with like-minded artists throughout the years, most of Roedelius’ work has been material of his own composition and direction, ranging from solo work to group projects and encompassing a swathe of sonic approaches — delicate piano work, swooshy new age ambience, expansive drones, electronic beat experimentation, and more. However it’s the piano that Roedelius always seems to come back to, and on Drauf Und Dran, he is once again doing just that, with a solo piano album that is both revelatory and reminiscent. Overall, this album is atmospheric and immersive, punctuated throughout by shards of melody, evoking a sort of “free classical” approach to the piano — composed, but open and interrogative — that allows him to push forward and look back. “Durchaus,” for example, seems to explicitly reference “Brise” from Roedelius’s 1986 solo piano album Wie das Wispern des Windees, but without quoting it directly, while “gewiss” benefits from a muscular structure that’s direct and forceful. By contrast, on other pieces, Roedelius seems to be working his way toward a statement — like on the hypnotic melodic patterns of “Lustwandel” — and while he never seems to explicitly arrive at it, the journey is ultimately the point. Thanks to the incredible fidelity of the album, the recording is vibrant and alive, putting the listener in the room as Roedelius is playing; the percussive creaks of the upright piano add an intimate ambiance that enhance the exploratory nature and subtle delights of these pieces. Unfortunately, most of the pieces are fairly short — the album clocks in at under 40 minutes — leaving the listener quite ready for more. © Jason Ferguson/Qobuz
