Harmonious Thelonious

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5...according to our Business Lady on Wed 01 Feb, 2012.

Stefan Schwander a.k.a Harmonius Thelonious returns with his sophomore effort on Italic. I was super impressed by his debut 'Talking' so it's a pleasant surprise to see him on the review pile again so soon. 'Listen' picks up where 'Talking' left off with it's fusing of hard hitting African rhythms, American structural minimalism and quirky European sequencing sounding as fresh to my ear as it did first time around. The sequencing is so intricate and melodic it brings to mind the Shangaan Electro crews programming sensibility. The tracks aren't as pacey and abrasive as on 'Talking', if anything, 'Listen' is surprising polished in it's production which takes the edge of a bit but enables Stefan to enhance the versatility of his repertoire. Opener 'Angwohnische Muziek' for example is a tropical treat and much more laidback than on previous tracks and 'Drums Of Steel' is surprisingly reserved in tempo terms. When abrasiveness is called for it's better than ever with 'Marak' being as good example - it's almost Nightrider-esque arpeggio and chunky beats insist you move your feet. Elsewhere we are treated to Congotronic grooves ramped to dance-floor intensity and hypnotic rhythmic patterns worthy of Steve Reich's ear. Digging the fact that he's still including those crowd sounds too. Excellent stuff.

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* Highly anticipated second album from Caribou-endorsed Harmonius Thelonius.

* The world is spinning, and so is HARMONIOUS THELONIOUS, the latest project by Stefan Schwander (aka Antonelli).

* Schwander is a Düsseldorf-based artist who's had his hand in a variety of projects since the early '90s, from groups
like Pop Up (with Jörg Burger) to solo efforts as A Rocket in Dub, Repeat Orchestra, Rhythm Maker and Antonelli
Electr, among others. Harmonious Thelonious is his most recent endeavor. Described by the artist himself as "American
minimalism vs. African drumming vs. European sequencing," the project's sound is dense, percussive and hypnotic.

* The Düsseldorfer's 2010 album "Talking" conquered new rhythmic worlds with Afro-Electronic music fueled by dizzying
sequencer patterns, garnering much praise for its global mixture of sound. (Featured from international Resident Advisor
Magazine and UK’s BBC Music over Caribou’s global DJ sets to “Record of the Month” in german De:Bug magazine).

* As an electronic musician, Schwander has always seen himself as a kind of human filter who gathers his listening
experiences into something previously unheard. Yet strange new sounds and melodies are not merely used as
decorative ornaments, but work as unified elements in a fearless balancing act between the pulse of Africa and the
electronic groove of Europe.

* On his second album, "Listen", the harsh combination of the reduced pattern structures of American minimalist music
with African-inspired rhythms heard on "Talking" has now given way to a bright, vivid harmony that seems much more
direct, within which sometimes rages the rhythmic fever of South America.Musical boundaries are fluid and make way for
a new form of danceable world music.

Tracklist:

1. Argwöhnische Muziek (5:32) / 2. Trans Harmonic System (6:28) / 3. Marak (4:41) / 4. Profaner Tanz (6:37)
5. Ting Tong (4:57) / 6. Drums of Steel (4:56) / 7. A.O. (3:28) / 8. Vernachlässigte Muziek (4:10)

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