Thorsten Quaeschning & Ulrich Schnauss – Synthwaves

Thorsten Quaeschning & Ulrich Schnauss (Tangerine Dream) have a new album coming June 30, Synthwaves.

According to the duo, Synthwaves ‘pays homage to the masters of the past….Crisp, interlocking patterns are modulated and mutated with mathematical precision into eight pieces of pristine, post-kosmische sounds to float away to.’

Quaeschning and Schnauss spent two weeks in Berlin, in a studio full of vintage synthesizers, analog sequencers and drum machines, creating an album of pure electronic music.

Here’s what they have to say about the new album:

As with the finest Tangerine Dream soundtracks, it’s the kind of music that paints vivid pictures on the canvas of the listeners mind: synth plucks hang in the air like glaring neon in metropolitan dusk, and zero-gravity pads hover like ghostly morning mist traveling over empty coastlines.

Poly-rhythmic patterns are allowed to build – slowly but steadily – bar after bar, until synth-Satori is reached. By the time the last track on this album runs out, it’s obvious these two producers have themselves become masters of their craft.

Here’s a preview of the new album, Rain On Dry Concrete:

Quaeschning & Schnauss’s new album Synthwaves is available to order now via Bandcamp. There’s a limited vinyl bundle available, featuring an exclusive 10″ EP (contains two tracks, 13 minutes in total) limited to 100 copies.

11 thoughts on “Thorsten Quaeschning & Ulrich Schnauss – Synthwaves

  1. I don’t need the vinyl or a CD.

    Will there be an online / download version available ?
    – preferably in hi-resolution FLAC or MP3

  2. Only the LP/exclusive* 10″ bundle is sold out (from Azure Vista Records) the remaining 150 copies will be available from TD & Q&S gigs, starting at Tangerine Dream’s concert on June 23 at the Ballhause Rixdorf in Berlin.

  3. Full information on the album:

    Artists: Thorsten Quaeschning & Ulrich Schnauss
    Title: SYNTHWAVES
    Label: Azure Vista Records
    Cat No: VISTA 003
    Distributor: Cargo
    Release date (physical only): June 30
    Release date (download): June 16 available from Juno Records:
    http://www.junodownload.com/…/quaeschning-schna…/3439234-02/

    Formats available:
    192KB/S MP3, 320KB/S MP3,WAV,FLAC, ALAC & AIFF

    Tracklist:

    1. Main Theme
    2. Rain On Dry Concrete
    3. Slow Life
    4. Cats And Dogs
    5. A Calm But Steady Flow
    6. Thirst
    7. Flare
    8. Prism

    10″ tracklist:

    A. Among Manatees – Ulrich Schnauss
    B. Off-theater Final Season – Thorsten Quaeschning
    Format: 10″ vinyl single, 33 rpm.
    Cat No: VISTA 004

    Formats:

    CD (card-digipak)
    LP + download card (limited to 750 copies)
    LP bundle including an exclusive 2-track 10″ (limited to 250 copies) only available from Azure Vista’s bandcamp page*** (100 copies SOLD OUT!).
    Streaming available from Pedigree Cuts on JUNE 16

    ***SOLD OUT at AVR. Copies are now ONLY available at TANGERINE DREAM or QUAESCHNING & SCHNAUSS concerts (150 copies).

    NB the two tracks will NOT be available anywhere else than on the 10″ single.

    Websites currently selling the album:
    Azure Vista’s bandcamp page
    Compact Disc Services in Dundee
    Amazon
    HMV.jp
    ShinyBeast
    JPC.de
    Forced Exposure
    Juno Records
    Five Rise
    Norman Records
    Clear Spot
    Boomkat
    …more to follow

    Info from AZURE VISTA RECORDS:

    Pure Berlin-school bliss from synthmeisters Thorsten Quaeschning and Ulrich Schnauss. Synthwaves pays homage to the masters of the past, yet feels fresh and enchanting. Crisp, interlocking patterns are modulated and mutated with mathematical precision into eight pieces of pristine, post-kosmische sounds to float away to.

    During two intense weeks in Berlin, Quaeschning and Schnauss – both students of the great, late maestro Edgar Froese – locked themselves in a studio full of vintage synthesizers, analog sequencers and drum machines, and the result is a gorgeous set of purely electronic music. As the title suggests, a bit of tongue-in-cheek playfullness was allowed during the process – however, all of these pieces sparkle with real emotion and warmth.

    As with the finest Tangerine Dream soundtracks it’s the kind of music that paints vivid pictures on the canvas of the listeners mind: synth plucks hang in the air like glaring neon in metropolitan dusk, and zero-gravity pads hover like ghostly morning mist travelling over empty coastlines. Poly-rhythmic patterns are allowed to build – slowly but steadily – bar after bar, until synth-Satori is reached. By the time the last track on this album runs out, it’s obvious these two producers have themselves become masters of their craft.

    EQUIPMENT & SOFTWARE USED:

    THORSTEN QUAESCHNING:
    Software: Steinberg Cubase
    Manikin Schrittmacher sequencer x 2
    Manikin Memotron
    Roland Jupiter 8 synthesiser
    Roland JD800 synthesiser
    Dave Smith Prophet 8 synthesiser
    ARP Solina MK2 string synthesiser
    Korg Wavestation Ex synthesiser
    Waldorf Microwave synthesiser
    Moog Voyager monophonic synthesiser
    Modular synthesiser
    Roland V Synth synthesiser
    Korg Z1 synthesiser
    Korg Prophecy synthesiser
    Korg M1 synthesiser
    Clavia Nordwave synthesiser
    Yamaha TG77 synthesiser module
    Roland System 1 synthesiser
    Roland JU06 synthesiser module
    Korg MS20 monophonic synthesiser
    Roland JP08 synthesiser module
    Roland TR-8 Rhythm Performer drum machine
    Oberheim DMX drum machine
    Roland Promars synthesiser
    Fender Starcaster guitar
    Fender Telecaster guitar
    Fender Stratocaster guitar
    Screwdriver on wood and contact microphones,
    Several boxes with contact microphones
    A field recording of bees in Thorsten’s garden, edited on Cubase and then treated with Melodyne & Halion – and finally used for the lead melody line on ‘A Calm But Steady Flow’.
    (Software synthesisers): Spectrasonics Omnisphere synthesiser, Spectrasonics Keyscape

    ULRICH SCHNAUSS:
    Software: Steinberg Cubase all tracks bar PRISM and AMONG MANATEES** (Logic)
    *Peripheral equipment: Manikin Schrittmacher sequencer.
    *Hardware synths:
    Roland JD XA synthesiser
    Roland Jupiter-8 synthesiser
    Roland JD-800 synthesiser
    Oberheim OB-8 synthesiser
    Roland System 1 synthesiser
    Roland MKS-70 synthesiser module
    Rhodes Chroma synthesiser
    Waldorf Q synthesiser
    Microwave XT synthesiser module
    *Software synths & effects: Various modules from Sonic Core’s SCOPE system.
    *Hardware effects: Ensoniq DP4

    ** Only available on the 2-track bonus 10″ single

  4. I love these guys – but if those are supposed to be lists of “vintage synthesizers, analog sequencers and drum machines”, we have reached a seriously odd turning point in the fabric of time.

  5. A beautiful gift to synth lovers. The real thing. Simple yet skillful far above the typical pretentiousness and Schnausses best work since Strangely Isolated Place IMHO.

  6. @ Psysword that’s the technology, the art is that YOU do it, what a machine can do on its own is of no interest. Talent is talent, gear is gear.

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