Die Wilde Jagd released their debut album three years ago when Philipp teamed up with producer Ralf Beck (Nalin & Kane, Unit 4). Beck remains an important influence on the new LP, co-producing and mixing the tracks (joined by Australian producer Kris Baha in the final mixing process), as well as utilising his collection of vintage analogue synthesizers, drum computers and studio equipment which gives Die Wilde Jagd’s music its unique, dextrously crafted character.
Philipp locked himself in Beck’s Uhrwald Orange studio for nights on end to transfer sonic interpretations of his world of images to tape. When asked about working in the studio, Philipp said “I want to make the equipment in the studio sing, build a world of sound in which every tone, every effect has its own voice. Iron bells become galloping hooves, synthesizers call like crows, plate reverbs rumble like thunder. Every element can be found amongst the dwellers and natural forces of the Clockwood Orange.”
Uhrwald Orange is set for release on 6th April on Bureau B on CD, LP and digital formats and features the use of everything from Mediterranean mandolins, psychedelic bass loops, Georgian choirs, North African krakebs, medieval church music and the sounds of nature recorded in Portugal.
The LP’s eight tracks opens with ‘Flederboy’, a fifteen minute track which builds in volume as its repetitions progress, channelling some of the finest krautrock vibes around which when blended with dissonant noise create a heady, intoxicating mixture. ‘2000 Elefanten’ is a different entity, with a distinctly Eastern inspired range of sound, uniquely woven with German language lyrics to create a track which captivates, invoking imagery of Arabian nights. ‘Stangentanz’ changes direction again, still transmitting some Eastern elements at the base of the sound but overlain with electronic noise that oscillates playfully. ‘Fremde Walt’ is a bass heavy electronic number which whilst sounding deceivingly simple, is made up of numerous intricate layers that can be unpicked on careful listening.
‘Kreuzgang’ returns to the East but with an experimental slant and a throbbing bass line that creates more than a hint of melancholia as it’s juxtaposed against the mandolin – and all of this overshadowed by a haunting guitar riff in the style of Sisters of Mercy, which will please most. The track constantly develops throughout its fifteen minutes so there is always something new to draw the attention. ‘Ginsterblut’ is a return to lyrics, but with a style that’s painfully beautiful in its execution and suggestive intervals. ‘Säuregäule’ is a number which will appeal to Kraftwerk fans with its pulsating oscillations and electronic noise. Concluding ‘Der Uhrwald’ or The Clockwood is a place of myth and magic, with its own sense of time which has seen the bands obsession for the place unleash a spellbinding track with fluctuating intensity as it shimmers like something out of a fairy tale.
Uhrwald Orange is Philipp’s ode to the recording studio itself and to the analogue gear used to create the ethereal soundscapes from the depths of his own mind. Die Wilde Jagd’s second LP weaves a dense, atmospheric tapestry of drama, romance, ecstasy and melancholy. In a world that is becoming saturated in psych, this LP is a breath of fresh air.
Pre-order: https://shop.tapeterecords.com/records/bureaub/die-wilde-jagd-die-wilde-jagd.html
