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Wolfram Spyra |
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Info: Biography, Pictures, Discography of all CDs & DVDs |
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| Wolfram Spyra is a German composer of ambient music.He has released at least 14 albums, starting in 1995 with Homelistening Is Killing Clubs.This article about a German composer is a stub.You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.For years, German synthesist Wolfram Spyra (aka Der Spyra) has been making music that spans the ethereal boundaries between contemporary EM and rave soundscapes.CD, as if the music is uncertain of its own definition.It need not worry, for once it gets moving, the audience is hooked by the lilting harmonics and the softly bubbling rhythms.What first seemed to be reluctance becomes a studied ballet as the music sways back and forth, courting the listener with teasing surges and seductive riffs that emerge from the flow to tickle the senses.Nimble fingers generate appealing keyboard melodies that swim amid pools of gleaming tonalities.Or the melody could gradually establish an ambient mood that infects everyone with a drowsy satisfaction.Or Spyra might choose to construct a sculpture of wafting breezes that circle an arcane castle.This release from 2003 features 68 minutes of superbly crafted live electronics.These elements take their time evolving before giving way to the emergence of faux strings which vibrate with romantic arousal.After this epic voyage, the second track serves as a grounding piece, with deliberate textures and languid rhythms evoking an inwardly driven meditative state.Effects abound here, filling ever crevice with pulsating sound that strives to (and excellently succeeds in) captivating anyone within hearing.Spyra's compositional aptitude is generously inexhaustive as he produces a plethora of alluring melodies that stir the soul as they motivate the feet.More reviews of Spyra's music can be found here.Derzeit lebt er in Kassel, London und Berlin.Seine erste CD erschien erst 1995.Marke der Wikimedia Foundation Inc.Der Spyra (aka Wolfram Spyra) is a German synthesist with strong roots in the Berlin school of electronics.With the release of the "Elevator to Heaven" box set, Spyra rises to deserved prominence in the field of contemporary electronic music.Cycles overlap to produce a gentle flow of vigorous electronics, chords and sequences compressing and melding into complex structures of enticing mesmerism.Moving through elongated stretches of melodic tension, the music achieves frequent crescendos with charming and satisfying effect, only to sink back into subdued demeanor in order to begin another meticulous ascension to the next pinnacle.The temperament is generally somber with furrowed eyebrows, music intended to inspire serious contemplation.Often displaying very Schulzesque tendencies, the performance is rich with demonstrative power, carefully restrained to generate a sense of impending drama.Among the multitude of electronic equipment employed in this live performance from November 2000, Spyra played a set of bow chimes, an obscure instrument designed by Bob Rutman in the early Seventies.For more data on this unique instrument, go here.This disc of studio tracks follows Spyra's sonic evolution through the late Nineties and into the new millennia.Clever deviations enhance the flow, keeping the tuneage entertaining and fresh despite its cyclic nature.The notion of ascension is dominant here, with tuneage that continues to rise yet never strays beyond the atmosphere.The track "Last Train to Beyreuth" is Spyra's personal interpretation of the classic theme from "Beyreuth Return" (from Klaus Schulze's classic 1975 "Timewind" album).Here, the music is definitely rooted in earthly matters, replacing the uplifting disposition with a sense of prowling through human conditions.Der Spyra
Live at
The Gatherings Concert Series
24 March 2007
St.The Gatherings, 24 March 2007
The air was clear and cool and the faintest of breezes was blowing as I cracked open the red doors of St."So the Coast Guard people said, 'We heard you've been shooting off guns and fireworks, guys," and we said, 'No, no!Spyra, with only his glasses and hair visible behind his racks of gear, rose briefly to be acknowledged before beginning his set.Each time the audience applauded Spyra popped up from behind his keyboard, smiling ever more widely and bowing.At the intermission, Vic Rek's CD table, which had only been picked at before the show, was mobbed.The man behind all this music remained amazingly quiet and polite the whole night, accepting my thanks with a handshake and a bob of his head, and the words, "Great to be here."The Gatherings, 24 March 2007
It had been three months since my last Gatherings fix.So once it was finally revealed that Der Spyra was first on the
docket in 2007, I furiously scribbled March 24th on the calendar so as to avoid any
chance of scheduling conflict.CIMA always finds a way to top the previous season
but this Gatherings coup almost didn't happen.There was another artist originally
slotted for the opener.Enter
Ricochet Dream record label proprietor Vic Rek.Sometimes things just work out eh?Der Spyra chose a minimal setup, just synths and associated
electronics.He even donned simple black attire as if to say the focus should be on
the music.The Der Spyra sound is clear and
defined.You could tell that each tone was created with much care.The volume level
of the concert was somewhat lower than the average Gatherings.Der Spyra's compositional style and playing references jazz as
much as it does traditional ambient and electronic styles.Along with deft use of a
wind controller, the end result was quite evocative and had a more expressive feel to it than one
might expect.Of the eight pieces performed that evening, four were new or previously unreleased
material.The piece "Duplex" was
particularly bouncy and bright.In fact, most songs had a strong rhythmic presence
but the beat never overwhelmed.Had that much time passed?The tracks "Aerial" and "Kingoldrum" from Der Spyra's latest offering Orphan Waves
opened the set.Der Spyra brought Vic Rek onstage to introduce the third piece.Titled "Last Train to Philadelphia".Taking a bow whilst balancing on the
top of his chair, Der Spyra bounded off into the wings of the church sanctuary.Good night and see you at Gatherings 67!Expressionism
Der Spyra live at The Gatherings Concert Series on 24 March 2007 is funded in part by Nepenthe Music. |
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