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LP
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IFEEL 076LP
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Not much is known about the German session musician ensemble Studiogruppe 1 from the '70s and '80s. It's believed that the grandfather of one member, known only as V.S., originally soundtracked silent films in theaters -- although that hasn't been proved. Studiogruppe 1 never rose to prominence in the heyday of studio groups and library records, but it certainly wasn't due to lack of trying. Although it's unknown who the individual members of Studiogruppe 1 were, it's clear they could find a groove within the machines. It appears the sessions were also engineered by V.S., and there's plenty of space between the notes, which lends a heady atmosphere of anticipation to the music. Just close your eyes and you will find that the music triggers many scenes from the movies in your mind. Take the opener "Dunkler Sonnenaufgang", for example. Waves lap on the shore line of an alternate Coney Island, while the sound system of an abandoned amusement park plays arpeggios in the distance. "Errinungen" could complement expansive panoramic time-lapses of natural cycles and rolling clouds. The track "Wenn Der Tiefe Schlaf Kommt", might accompany a documentary on REM dream cycles and flotation tanks. "Sonnentanz" raises the temperature, as act III in every movie narrative should, as protagonists rush to overcome their challenges. "Ein Neuer Anfang" would perfectly soundtrack the plot twist of any number of thrillers, film noirs, or sci-fi mysteries. Album closer "War Alles Nur Ein Traum" could supplement slow-motion shots of dawning realization, foreshadowing a betrayal or a cliffhanger. V.S. and Studiogruppe 1 have condensed the evocative sounds of the '80s into something of an art form. Bringing to mind the lilting melodies and melancholy chord movements of Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, or Manuel Göttsching, Studiogruppe 1 manage to capture widescreen emotional flash points without the need for celluloid, or barely any visual aid, for that matter. These tracks work just as well in the furnace of your imagination or a dark room filled with dry ice and lasers.
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