KREIDLER

- In 1994 Kreidler was founded in Düsseldorf by Thomas Klein, Andreas Reihse, Detlef Weinrich and Stefan Schneider who was to leave Kreidler in 1998 in order to form To Rococo Rot; his place on bass-guitar was taken by Alexander Paulick (Coloma, Narrow Bridges) until 2001, and again from 2008 on.
- Kreidler have been asked to remix artists such as Depeche Mode, Einstürzende Neubauten and Faust among 20 others and cooperated with artists like Klaus Dinger (NEU!), Add (N) to X, Young Gods, Theo Altenberg, Momus, Leo Garcia, Pyrolator and Chicks on Speed
- Their music has been used for high profile fashion shows (Chanel, Lacoste, Giles Deacon), films, theatre and dance performances

DEN – Kreidler's eleventh regular album

It could be said that TANK – Kreidler's critically acclaimed previous album – is a drum album. Not in the sense of the brute force of a Ginger Baker or a John Bonham, but more in terms of the elastic muscularity of a Budgie, a Robert Görl or a Klaus Dinger. So in the case of DEN, if attempting yet another such broad categorization, one might draw attention to the album's viscous musicality. Indeed, for recording and mixing, Kreidler chose to work at LowSwing, a studio renowned for its round sonic character, with the magnificent Guy Sternberg at the controls.

The album's opening track SUN displays an inspired beauty that is perhaps reminiscent of Eno during those periods in which he was interested in songwriting. Pan-Asian counter-melodies interplay around the stoic but light architecture of DEADWRINGER. And ROTE WÜSTE is a mysterious painting, spanning a vast emotional arc between it's dark beginnings and the possibility of a conciliatory resolution. The heavily grooving CASCADE finds an utterly mesmerized Alex Paulick on guitar – just how many chord changes does Andreas Reihse get through? But one nice aspect of Kreidler is that those kinds of things hardly matter. Kreidler never burden the listener with strict didacticism. Everything flows naturally. MOTH RACE is another uninhibited dance number built on Detlef Weinrich's harsh yet supple beat, suggesting New York City as envisioned by Arthur Russell. CELTIC GHOSTS dissolves this impression through ornamentation and leads us out onto the glassy ice... WINTER is a gliding machine of magnetic, polished chrome – self-reflective. A rhythmic firework commences – devoid of all morality? Perhaps... Or rather, beyond such categories. Maybe its just the view through the window. Not a promise, but a look ahead.

The band has said that they were initially considering making a record without any drums. Fortunately, they did not follow through with that idea. Thomas Klein's playing is an essential component of the Kreidler sound. And if any reference is missing here, then it might be to Jaki Liebezeit of Can, who cultivates a similarly angular groove. All in all, in addition to the musical subtlety and elegant dialogical interaction which is celebrated on Kreidler's new album DEN, it can be stated with enthusiasm that the band has not taken a single step back from its rhythmic force.

PS: The cover art is the work of the artist Enrico David. The visual ideas of Surrealism merge with contemporary trivial and popular culture in his very direct works, which often employ traditional techniques. Enrico David was nominated for the Turner Prize in 2009.

Read the info sheet (PDF) in German
Read the info sheet (PDF): English