Bed is Boris Hauf and Michael Hartman – Do Less More Often is the music they made. This music is about finding a path through the mundaneness of the day-to-day to create purpose and meaning. It is about finding a meaningful way to pass the time, making music with your friends. There are mostly synthesizers, there are subtle pulses and pounding beats, there are gentle drones and harsh noises, there is light and dark, and there is a way to stay connected across distance, time, and clutter. There is the optimism of family and friendship pushing against the cynicism of the oligarchy.
Original release was accompanied by a T-shirt release here. T-shirt design by Julian Lars Gosper, printed on Next Level Apparel shirts which are produced environmentally friendly, and sweat-shop and child labor free.
Music for a performance duet by Karen Christopher & Sophie Grodin, 2013
Control Signal explores invisible influences and inexplicable connections. It explores our irresistible urge to impose our will upon our immediate surroundings; upon nature. Through sound textures, spoken text, and actions that build visual statements, two people amble, dance, and tremble through a series of ideas and introduce an uncontrollable vibration.
Sound: Boris Hauf performance by: Karen Christopher & Sophie Grodin Light: Marty Langthorne Dramaturgy: Litó Walkey
what moves moves is the second collaboration of musician/composer boris hauf and dancer/choreographer christina ciupke. the piece was premiered at the heizhaus of uferstudios berlin in december 2013. “our dialogue for this piece started as a conversation about differences and similarities in the perception of aesthetics in dance and in music. using a space within a space we examine dynamics of sound and movement and attempt to balance the two media and their reception.“ a concrete physical object – a wooden hut (2m x 1,20m x 2m) with no windows – is located on a slight diagonal axis in the middle of the space. the audience enters into a relatively dark space. to perceive the hut from different perspectives, distances and on various sensual levels spectators are welcome to move freely in the space outside the hut. after they have settled the hut gradually develops a life of its own. visually impenetrable, the hut’s limited permeability allows only minimal perception of what is originating from inside it. barely perceptible noise, cracks and vibrations reveal the hut’s inner life.
after a while the outside space darkens increasingly and light penetrates the cracks of the wooden structure. nearing the hut eludes the overview of what is going on inside it, the gaze is drawn to the detail. observing from a distance complements the visual cutouts and allows insights as a whole. sound fragments and light movements inside the hut are perceived as physical dynamics and melody fragments can be heard in interstices of building and construction noise.
as performers, christina ciupke and boris hauf are alternately inside the hut and outside of the enclosed structure, in midst of the audience. the perception of interior and exterior space oscillates with the movement of sound, light and the dynamics between audience and performers. encounters, when they occur, are indirect and delicate. by repeatedly becoming permeable for the senses the apparently distinct demarcation of the hut conveys proximity and connectedness.
performance: christina ciupke and boris hauf light: mehdi toutain-lopez stage construction: bodo herrmann costumes: nina kramer production manager: barbara greiner assistant: anne schuh a production by christina ciupke supported by the berlin senate cultural affairs department
excerpts of the sound for LIFE AND DEATH OF A MELODY
In their third collaboration Christina Ciupke and Boris Hauf continue researching the link between sound and movement. Supported with lighting design by Emma Juliard the piece unfolds from microscopic sound and movement language to complex sculptures. The performance space is a vibrating three-dimensional body of sound, allowing the audience the experience proximity and distance on different levels of perception. In her movement research Christina Ciupke’s interest is drawn to details – such as a small shift of a joint resulting in an involuntary chain reaction and adjustment of other parts of the body. As it is taken by gravity, the swing of an arm is trapped and decelerates. Two-dimensional images, movement sketches and repetition develop into more spacious and dynamic structures. Boris Hauf sets the sound complementary to the movement interacting microscopic loops with elongated, nested phrases. Together they investigate the deconstruction of repetitions and loops after they have been visually and aurally established.
performance und musik: christina ciupke und boris hauf licht und bühne: emma julliard produktionsdramaturgie: barbara greiner künstlerische mitarbeit: frank müller produktionsdramaturgie: barbara greiner produktion: christina ciupke, gefördert durch den regierenden bürgermeister von berlin, senatskanzlei – kulturelle angelegenheiten, mit freundlicher unterstützung der uferstudios
Recently released on his own label Shameless Productions, CLARK2 is the “longest, deeper and more epic” sequel of CLARK (released in 2005). Besides the hypotheses and the precise analysis by our collaborator Stuart Bruce, we decided to have a talk with this brilliant Berlin-based forger of thought-provoking and imagination-boosting electronic music.
Chain D.L.K.: Good morning, Boris! How are you? How are you spending these weird days?
Boris Hauf: Hi, thanks for the call. I‘m honored. Personally, I love being home and with the family. The slowing down of life, in general, is very welcome. Overall though, it’s pretty scary. It would be ideal if humans could learn from this experience: re-evaluating current healthcare and education systems, developing alternatives to capitalism and finally taking climate change more seriously, for instance.
Boris Hauf ‘CLARK2’ cover artwork by Julian Lars Gosper
Chain D.L.K.: You’re displaying some words and reviews on Clark that often quote dystopia. Do you think that your sound could stay with dystopia if you think we’re experiencing a dystopian world?
Boris Hauf: The concept of CLARK2 was about notions of the terrestrial present and extraterrestrial future. It’s about digital natives born into climate collapse and automation, the degree to which we relinquish control to avoid work, and the future that lies ahead of us and our children. The included layer of the pandemic reality is a timely addition. Titles and concept are all ante-corona. I come up with CLARK titles together with my Shameless companion, Julian Gosper, who lives and works in Vancouver and does all the Shameless artwork. Our claim is that a subtle nod in naming may create deep resonance with audiences.
Chain D.L.K.: Can you talk about the project Clark and how its second act related to the first act? Would you say it’s an enhancement, a sort of implementation, or what?
Boris Hauf: CLARK has been my electronica alter ego since 2005. So hopefully both enhancement and implementation. CLARK1 (Shameless, 2016) was a re-issue of a solo I made in 2005 for the UK label Sijis. My studio skills were different back then and so was the compositional focus. The 2016 remix, remaster, and re-titling were informed by fantasies of extraterrestrial pasts. Super weird fun fact: track #6 is called Corona. CLARK2 (2020) was recorded over a much longer time period, with different instruments in a different studio in different times.
courtesy of Frank Mueller
Chain D.L.K.: ‘Island Destinity’…what a great opener! It looks like the rendering of some cosmic reverie. What did you have in mind while composing it? Any word about the equipment and settings you used to forge such an awesome suite?
Boris Hauf: Thanks! “Island Destinity” was the last track I composed for CLARK2. The album originally started off as a single LP. After spending some time with the finished tracks it felt like it was missing a counterweight…the first part. I was drawn to the idea of the opener being something epic and symphonic in form and structure. What makes the piece special in my ears is the breath and pacing. Mentally and emotionally, I redefined the already finished work as an LP2 of a double album and sent Julian an idea for an LP1. He started working away on the artwork. There was a lot of going back and forth between us. The music informed the artwork and vice versa. It’s always like that in our collaborations. Regarding equipment: Synths, samplers, and heaps of outboard effect boxes. In terms of production, I learned a lot from these past years as keyboarder and multi-instrumentalist for the legendary Austrian indie rock band Naked Lunch. Recording with and peeking over the shoulders of artists producing on that level has been very inspiring also for my own production techniques.
Chain D.L.K.: We can’t help but agree with the eco-friendly choices for the promotion of the album…are they somehow related to the concept of the album?
Boris Hauf: Yes, it’s a substantial part of the album concept. And, also the direction I am taking the label. If possible I deliver the LPs in person, by bike or tram. If not I’ll ship it eco-friendly, carbon neutral. I am very happy to have found a pressing plant that also works to these standards.
Chain D.L.K.: We know, and we appreciate you as a very polyhedral sound artist and musician! Which role would you assign to Clark and its sequel in your artistic growth?
Boris Hauf: Polyhedral, I like it. Thanks. As I mentioned before – CLARK is my electronica solo “persona”. It’s an essential part of my work and evolution as musician.
Chain D.L.K.: Both in Clark and Clark2, there’s a strong stylistic connection to evergreen glories of 70s electronic music knights as well as a strong conceptual hook to sci-fi sonorities…how do you relate to 70s electronics and sci-fi?
Boris Hauf: I love that stuff, in all its complexities as much as in its simplicities. Clark2 sounds even more like 70s electronica when you listen to it on vinyl. I was really pleasantly surprised by the similarities when I first heard the test pressings.
‘Mirrorism’ (music: Boris Hauf, video: Thomas Binder-Reisinger, taken from CLARK2, Shameless Records, SHLP07)
Chain D.L.K.: Besides ‘Island Destinity’, whose length justifies it covering the whole A-side, are there any grouping criteria of tracks for their placement on particular sides?
Boris Hauf: The sequencing is something I worked on in close collaboration with my amigo Max McCormick (also mentioned on the album cover). The idea was to create some type of unity with what we perceived as the three different layers going on in the tracks: 1. metaphysical 2. transitional 3. phenomenological interactive. Max wove the layers together in a pattern and we were both quite blown away by the sequence that emerged.
Chain D.L.K.: Is there any track that you reforged many times before the final editing? If so, why?
Boris Hauf: Almost 33% of the tracks were played as are and just needed some tweaking. 33% experienced some detailed production work and 33% were literally “reforged” (great word) – because they needed it.
courtesy of Frank Mueller & Julian Lars Gosper
Chain D.L.K.: The track entitled ‘Humans’ is the one richest in glitches… I guess it’s not a random choice! :)
Boris Hauf: :)
Chain D.L.K.: With regard to the match between sometimes weird titles and sonic content, what can you say of ‘Can’t Get Jobs’ or ‘A Palace Not Infinite’?
Boris Hauf: The path to matching titles and sonic content had various trajectories (construing titles with Julian and bouncing off his artwork, sequencing strategies together with Max, …) so it’s hard for me to say exactly how those two combinations came up.
Chain D.L.K.: Did you perform or are you going to perform Clark2 on live stages? If yes, are you thinking of some visual content as well?
Boris Hauf: I’ve performed “A Palace Not Infinite” many times on stage. Usually with guest musicians, always drummers. Steve Heather, Morton Olsen, Didi Kern, … to name a few.
I was invited to perform CLARK2 in its entirety at the 2020 Vienna Popfest. It would have been bombastic. Such a shame it can’t happen. The marvellous Katharina Ernst would have been my duo partner for that gig.
The other plan that fell through in summer 2020 was to tour Europe eco-friendly by train and only play house concerts at friend’s places.
Thomas Binder-Reisinger has made some wonderful videos for both CLARK releases, so I am planning to use them in live performances.
‘Humans’ (music: Boris Hauf, video: Thomas Binder-Reisinger, taken from CLARK2, Shameless Records, SHLP07)
Chain D.L.K.: Any work in progress?
Boris Hauf: There are ideas for CLARK3, particularly in enhancing the collaborative aspects. But honestly, I find the whole Corona pandemic thing less inspiring than the tons of emails I get telling me that “now’s the time to be creative”. I’m really happy I had so many projects and releases lined up to help me stay focused and busy throughout this time of immobility, ’cause right now – I’m not feeling crazy creative…
Released mid (first) lockdown my latest full length double LP solo release has been getting a lot of love. thanks for all the support.
“Admirable excursion that contemplates half a century of electronics of terrestrial and sidereal environments in eighty minutes” – BlowUpMagazine
“If time looked like music, it could be close to Boris Hauf’s new album, CLARK2. The 12 titles are an immersion in a space suspended from the celestial arches of a universe larger than our imagination. – Roland Torres
“All this scratchin’ is making me glitch.” -Kevin Press
“It’s rare that a single album in one style can justify and maintain an 80-minute duration, especially one with such a minimalist approach as this has at times- but it’s a testament to the balance and control that’s been put into this that it really is worthy of it. It’s filmic and grandiose, yet never over the top. Brace yourself for a beautiful musical deep space science fiction adventure on this one.” – Stuart Bruce
The recent killings of and the ongoing state-sanctioned violence against people of colour in the US and around the world are horrific tragedies. This Juneteenth (June 19) Bandcamp will donate 100% of their share of sales to the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, a national organization that has a long history of effectively enacting racial justice and change through litigation, advocacy, and public education. Juneteenth is an American holiday commemorating the emancipation of the last remaining enslaved African Americans in 1865. Brent Gutzeit is releasing a compilation I’m very proud to be a part of. All proceeds go to BLM, NAACP and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
line up: CASEY RICE, MICHAEL ZERANG, FRANCISCO MEIRINO, THEO KATSAOUNIS, BORIS HAUF (exspiro), DREKKA, PaVda (HAL RAMMEL/LINDA BINDER), MARC RIORDAN, OUR WRONGS (Kenny Sanderson/Adam Jennings), LEIF ELGGREN, AL MARGOLIS, KAREN CONSTANCE AND BLUE SPECTRUM, FIRE-TOOLZ, JESSE GOIN, EMIL BEAULIEAU, TV POW, DAVE REMPIS/TOMEKA REID/JOSH ABRAMS TRIO, DOLINE KARST, BEN VIDA, PBK, TV POW (Featuring Sharkula, Precise & Ben Carter), RAGLANI, NICK MAZZARELLA and TOMEKA REID, PAVLOS VAKALOS & NICOLAS MALEVITSIS, DARIN GRAY, PHARMAKUSTIK, K2 (Kimihide Kusafuka), TIJUANA HERCULES, CHRIS HERBERT, MATT LUX’S COMMUNICATION ARTS QUARTET, RAINBOW NOTHING (Plastic Crimewave/Andrew Paine), KEN VANDERMARK, JESSE KUDLER, GABIE STRONG, KEITH FULLERTON WHITMAN, WEASEL WALTER, JIM DORLING, IAN FRASER, SARAH HENNIES, BEN CARTER, , EMMETT KELLY (Cairo Gang), SIGTRYGGUR BERG SIGMARSSON, FRED LONBERG-HOLM, ZOOTS HOUSTON, CHRIS BROKAW, KATHERINE YOUNG, JASON ROEBKE, THE SINGLEMAN AFFAIR, BEN BILLINGTON (Quicksails), JIM BECKER, ANDREW SCOTT YOUNG, RYAN WEINSTEIN, GX JUPITER LARSEN, DAN FANDINO, RUNAR MAGNUSSON, TIM KINSELLA, PRECISE, J. SOLIDAY, JULIAN KIRSHNER, SIMON JOYNER, TIMOTHY RENNER (Stone Breath), DJ DOUGGPOUND, MYKEL BOYD, DREAS, CINCHEL, CHRIS POTTINGER, MICHAEL GENDREAU, VADIM SPRIKUT (Drowned), BENJAMIN, JEB BISHOP, FRED WELLS (I Kong Kult), NICK HOFFMAN, HEIKKI RUOKANGAS, MIKE BULLOCK, MATT SCHNEIDER (Moon Bros), SAM WAGSTER, BRIAN LABYCZ, KAZUYA ISHIGAMI, LASSE MARHAUG, JOSH ABRAMS, TODD MATTEI, BRENDAN MURRAY, CRANK STURGEON, AITIS BAND, KENDRA AMALIE, WILLIAM TYLER, JIM BAKER
Boris Hauf 2 white LPs in gatefold Music by Boris Hauf at Lost Collie, Berlin Mastered by Todd Carter at bel_Air, Chicago Design by Julian Lars Gosper, Vancouver Many thanks to Max McCormick Supported by ske-fond.at
“It’s rare that a single album in one style can justify and maintain an 80-minute duration, especially one with such a minimalist approach as this has at times- but it’s a testament to the balance and control that’s been put into this that it really is worthy of it. It’s filmic and grandiose, yet never over the top. It’s a modern take on the halcyon 70’s days of experimental electronic music, with a few fresh details, and it’s executed brilliantly.” – Stuart Bruce
“If time looked like music, it could be close to CLARK2. The 12 titles are an immersion in a space suspended from the celestial arches of a universe larger than our imagination.” – Roland Torres
“I don’t know, it makes my eyes hurt.” – Naima
CLARK2 is produced at an ECO friendly factory with green, sustainable bio-mass driven technology and green power. We offer carbon neutral shipping only or deliver our LPs in person by bike. No shrinkwrap. No physical promo.
BED (Michael Hartmann & Boris Hauf) T Shirt and download
composed, recorded, mixed, mastered, paid for by Michael Hartman & Boris Hauf T-shirt design by Julian Lars Gosper
Bed is Boris Hauf and Michael Hartman – Do Less More Often is the music they made. This music is about finding a path through the mundaneness of the day-to-day to create purpose and meaning. It is about finding a meaningful way to pass the time, making music with your friends. There are mostly synthesizers, there are subtle pulses and pounding beats, there are gentle drones and harsh noises, there is light and dark, and there is a way to stay connected across distance, time, and clutter. There is the optimism of family and friendship pushing against the cynicism of the oligarchy.
All proceeds from t-shirt sales minus bandcamp, paypal and shipping fees will be donated to The Greater Chicago Food Depository (Chicago sales) and Berliner Tafel e.V. (Berlin sales) to help feed people during these strange times.Our T-shirts printed on Next Level Apparel shirts which are produced environmentally friendly, and sweat-shop and child labor free.
I hope you and yours are all well in these intense and super weird times.
The idea was to release CLARK2 in late April 2020 and then travel through Europe to play house-concert type private record release shows. Well, that won’t happen. Still not sure how I’ll ‘present’ the record but will keep you updated via this channel.
In the mean time I have some wonderful videos to share with you over the next weeks. All by the amazing Thomas Binder-Reisinger.
Thanks for your time, Boris
““Mirrorism” has more than a shade of early Tangerine Dream about it, revelling in gradually unfolding analogue synth arpeggiations that are dizzying at first then blossom into a new calm- the sound of a composer with a great deal of understanding both technical and emotional.” – Stuart Bruce
Music: Boris Hauf Video: Thomas Binder-Reisinger
Album: CLARK2, Shameless Records, SHLP07 2 White Vinyl LPs in Gatefold Cover
In light of the dystopian humanitarian crisis in the Aegean region Shameless Records is releasing a benefit album.
All proceeds of this album go directly to the Greek NGO Infomobile, providing refugees with information concerning their rights in Greece and Europe. Infomobile offers legal advise through street work, printed guides and social media, and in individual cases strategic legal and humanitarian aid. They document human rights violations and publish reports to create awareness in the civil society, to increase political pressure for change and establish new tools for legal aid before authorities and courts.
To the European leaders we say: STOP THE BORDER DEATHS! STOP RACIST POLICIES AND VIOLENCE! OPEN THE BORDERS!
The beautifully designed digital collages that adorn this release, each reworking elements of 1920s posters advertising American national parks, apparently inspired musical outlines for the eight pieces here. Postmarks are the pianist D Bayne and the saxophonist Boris Hauf, who on this, their second album, are joined in places by the Viennese guitar experimentalist Martin Siwert. On the whole these are slow, moodily beautiful piano and sax improvisations, with Bayne’s forthright, oftener minimally repetitive piano providing a framework over which Hauf drifts smoky, semi-melodic lines. Siewert’s contributions are few and far between, but add an abstract electronic coloring that does just enough to keep the album, away form middle ground jazziness. Difficult to firmly categorizes, National Parks often veers close to tuneful politeness but retains an atonal edge throughout that undermines everything and provides a nervous and intriguing quality to the music.
– The Wire
Blow Up
Boris Hauf (saxophones) and D Bayne (piano) are Postmarks – assisted here by guitarist Marin Siewert who superimposes a layer of static electricity in intimate dialogue with the acoustic instruments. Inspired by America’s national parks and the way in which they were represented on postcards of the 30s, the album is full of lyrical passages that enhance a sound material organized with rigor and intelligence. (7)
– M. Busti, Blow Up
monsieur delire (Francois Couture)
Second CD from Postmarks – pianist D Bayne and sax player Boris Hauf (ex-Efzeg, among other projects) – with guest Martin Siewert on guitar and electronics. Delicate, thoughtful, quiet improvisations (they were in part pre-planned from what I understand), rich in abstraction. From time to time, an electronic tone cuts through, allowing the listener to refocus his attention, which tends to start wandering during this record. Not entirely convincing, but an interesting release.
–monsieurdelire
Le son de grisli
They are inspired by maps Americans national parks published in the 1930s and 1940s – to each his scores – saxophonist Boris Hauf and pianist D Bayne made the trip to Vienna for Martin Siewert recorded their project – the Austrian may also intervene on guitar or electronics. A slow saxophone, timid and defeats piano notes and feedback Tension: So much for the opening ballad disgrace what Bandelier National, which does not communicate its nonchalance parts which follow. Is that the pianist has decided otherwise: borrowed, that he abuses Accessories interventions, arpeggios harped or leaks without ideas. And as Hauf follows suit while Siewert is not far from silent, we are eager to finish.
Le son de grisli (Guillaume Belhomme)
Postmarks is a duo with saxophonist Boris Hauf and pianist D Bayne. Their first album Western Ave was recorded in Chicago (2005) and released as a limited- edition CD on Luminescence Records. The 100 copies were packaged in unique covers, each a handcrafted collage from 1920s Chicago postcards by T. Kellers of STUDIO TWELVE 3. For National Parks, Hauf and Bayne went to Vienna, Austria to record with guitar-experimentalist Martin Siewert. Musical outlines for the pieces were inspired by U.S. national parks and their representation in iconic posters from the 1930s and 1940s.
A new piece by Karen Christopher and Sophie Grodin called CONTROL SIGNAL will be premiered this Thursday. I’m contributing (live) music.
In celebration of the premiere I made a 20 min remix-piece-kind-of-thing of all the musics I composed for the piece. Download it here: borishauf.bandcamp. Download is ‘pay as you wish’. Meaning you could pay, if you wished to do so. I hear it’s pretty easy (not complicated) to ‘pay as you wish’. Someone actually already did it. (paid for the download). Anyway, you can also just download it for free. (if you wish).
And – if you are in London and want to come please check the vitals below.
Thursday apparently is pretty much full so come on Friday (if you wish.)
Would be great to see you there.
CONTROL SIGNAL
By & With: Karen Christopher & Sophie Grodin
Sound: Boris Hauf
Light: Marty Langthorne
Dramaturgy: Litó Walkey
Premiere: 10 & 11 October, 2013
Chelsea Theatre, London,
0207 3521967 downloads for your listening and harddrive-space-decreasing pleasures. I’ll be putting more stuff up there in the near future – you’re welcome to come back for more. Enjoy.
SUPER AWESOME MUSIC for a SUPER AWESOME PIECE by Litó Walkey and Carlos Pez, 2008
released 01 January 2008
Composition, Production, Keys, Saxes – Boris Hauf
Strings – Daniella Strassfogel, Bo Lie, Derek Shirley
Drums – Steve Heather
Mastering – Todd Carter @belairsound
