Hainbach - Landfill Totems (2021)

On April 8th, SA Recordings will release a limited edition vinyl and brand new sample library from Berlin-based composer and musician Hainbach, entitled ‘Landfill Totems’.

Landfill Totems LP

Hainbach’s latest album distils many elements of his work into an immaculate project; an irrepressible childlike fascination and obsession for experimenting, a mischievous sense of humour and a completely unique and charismatic approach to electronic production and composition. The release started as an installation and a one-off performance in Berlin, before expanding exponentially into a full album and an accompanying sound library which will also be available.

Hainbach erected three huge sculptures from obsolete, once high-end research equipment, taken from nuclear research labs, particle accelerators and grandfather’s sheds. These forgotten relics of scientific progression and milestones of human evolution were repurposed by the artist and given a new lease of life in a completely unforeseen capacity as musical instruments dubbed the ‘Landfill Totems’.

The juxtaposition of totemic imagery and electronic landfill is, in part, meant to act as a commentary on the environmental cost of progress; what was once the pinnacle of technology quickly becomes unviable and destined for the scrapheap except for the intervention of Hainbach, upcycling and redesigning them as pillars to the idea that progress doesn’t always have to cause destruction.

As the human brain searches for faces and patterns in everything, the repurposed totems began to take on a humanoid form, with faces appearing from rusty knobs and broken switches. Each figure has its own connection to a musical abstract, based on its function and look. When observing the absurd anthropomorphic figures, a deep appreciation and affection for the engineering technology of the past is apparent; totally unique instruments too good to let just fade away quietly, assembled for one final swan song.

The music Hainbach coaxes out of the ‘Landfill Totems’ is stark, minimalistic and full of impending doom - it is about a world in crisis, driven by indecision, division and losing its function; a reflection of the global circumstances in which it was created.

Sample Library

Spitfire Audio is a renowned British music technology company creating innovative sample libraries and writing tools in collaboration with the world’s best composers, producers, engineers and sound designers. In collaboration with SA Recordings, Spitfire Audio create a series of sample libraries with a selection of innovative, influential artists, released in conjunction with each artist’s record.

From eerie bleeps reminiscent of sci-fi movie alien communication to deep, pulsating drones and rhythms; atmospheric, unsettling pads to industrial drum hits and loops. Meticulously recorded, processed and manipulated further, these dystopian sounds are presented in Spitfire Audio’s award-winning, easy-to-use plug-in, giving you access to truly bespoke sounds, impossible to recreate yourself. Featuring processing and morphing crossfades, this sample library provides you with a world of sonic possibilities far beyond its original analog state, with many of the sounds morphing and evolving as you play and a wide range of in-built controls and effects to drastically control and manipulate each of the presets. Designed to inspire and enrich your own compositions, you can create atmospheres of suspense, tension, or otherworldly beauty.

Exclusive bundles (physical and digital) including the album and sample library, can be purchased on SA Recordings here: sarecordings.com/release/220828-hainbach-landfill-totems

Customers who purchase the digital and physical bundles will also receive a free and limited edition cassette of ‘Landfill Totems’.