Matthias Loibner - Lichtungen (2015)

Hurdy-gurdy master Matthias Loibner is no stranger to pushing the envelope of what his instrument can do. On previous albums such as Zykado and Ajvar & Sterz, Loibner has worked with extended techniques, electronic processing, and musical ideas from well outside the European hurdy-gurdy tradition. Lichtungen continues this exploration. Although Lichtungen opens with a lovely cantabile melody, and uses the counter-rhythms and drones that are associated with the hurdy-gurdy, it is the wide timbral spectrum that grabs and holds the listener's attention.

As an expressive arabesque of a melody gives way to gritty, almost Hendrix-like sounds on the second track, "Glutsbruder," a percussive element pops in: the clicks of the hurdy-gurdy keys, right up front in the recording. These clicks spring up throughout the album. Loibner has taken what could be seen as an undesirable artifact of recording his instrument and has turned it into an asset. On the third track, "Folhas Cintilantes," these percussive clicks work as a counterpoint to an otherwise straightforward neoclassical composition.

Tracklist:
01. Matthias Loibner - Eyesofsea (4:39)
02. Matthias Loibner - Glutsbrüder (5:00)
03. Matthias Loibner - Folhas Cintilantes (5:15)
04. Matthias Loibner - Wings (9:43)
05. Matthias Loibner - Maitohorsma (4:55)
06. Matthias Loibner - Augenblick (2:30)
07. Matthias Loibner - L‘Eau dans la mer (5:34)
08. Matthias Loibner - Kitchen Rain (5:58)
09. Matthias Loibner - Haut (6:49)
10. Matthias Loibner - Sons de Carrilhoes (4:22)
11. Matthias Loibner - Balkany Flowers (5:06)
12. Matthias Loibner - Wolfgangi (2:53)