The Squid's Ear Magazine


International Nothing, The: In Doubt We Trust (Ftarri)

The duo project of Berlin-based clarinetists Kai Fagaschinski and Michal Thieke, (Magic I.D., Christof Kurzmann, Splitter Ochester) in their 5th album of timbre-rich, harmonically fascinating and slowly evolving reed interactions, returning to their core duo after their previous quartet album, here presenting a large rich and beautifully weaving work.
 

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Personnel:



Kai Fagaschinski-clarinet

Michael Thieke-clarinet


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Label: Ftarri
Catalog ID: ftarri-216
Squidco Product Code: 25467

Format: CD
Condition: New
Released: 2018
Country: Japan
Packaging: Cardboard Gatefold
Recorded at ausland, in Berlin, Germany, on August 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, 2017, by Michael Thieke.

Descriptions, Reviews, &c.

"After a four-year interval, The International Nothing has come out with a new album! The International Nothing is the duo project of Berlin-based clarinetists Kai Fagaschinski and Michal Thieke. Both musicians are well known as improvisers, but in this project they perform their own compositions.

The International Nothing's previous releases, all on the Ftarri label, are the debut album Mainstream (2006); Less Action, Less Excitement, Less Everything (2010); and The Dark Side of Success (2014). The Power of Negative Thinking, an "extra edition" in which Fagaschinski and Thieke performed with a bassist and drummer under the name "The International Nothing (... and something)," was released in 2016 on the Polish label Monotype Records.

In Doubt We Trust, a return to the duo format, is the fourth album under the project name The International Nothing. Each of the three earlier releases consisted of several tracks, but this album is made up of a single work of 37 min. 37 sec. As in the earlier albums, the distinctive warm, round tones of the clarinet slowly and quietly interweave and inter-resonate. And in this recording, the unique sonic beauty and feeling of tension that could be called the "International Nothing sound" is superbly organized within the extended length of 37-plus minutes.

Even more compelling than their previous releases, In Doubt We Trust is The International Nothing's new masterpiece!"-Ftarri


Artist Biographies

"The Berlin-based clarinetist and composer/performer focuses on a subtle musicality of sound and noise phenomena. As an autodidact he has developed dubious manners on his instrument. His music is rooted in abstractness, including increasingly an insidious expressivity and a pre-melodic quality. He works on the borderline of composition and improvisation, with a preference for long-term collaborations.

His projects are The International Nothing - clarinet duo with Michael Thieke (cd: Mainstream, ftarri 2006 / less action, less excitement, less everything, ftarri 2010 / the dark side of success, ftarri 2014), los glissandinos with klaus filip (cd: Stand clear, creative sources 2005), the magic i.D. - Song Project with margareth kammerer, christof kurzmann & michael thieke (cd/vinyl: Till my breath gives out, erstwhile 2008 / i'm so awake - sleepless i feel, staubgold 2011), duo with Burkhard Stangl (cd: Musik - ein portrait in sehnsucht, erstwhile 2009), the dogmatics with Chris Abrahams (lp: The sacrifice for the music became our lifestyle, monotype 2012), here comes the sun with gunter schneider & barbara romen (cd: Here comes the sun, mikroton 2012), Kommando Raumschiff Zitrone with Christof kurzmann (cd: First time ever i saw your face, quincunx 2006), duo with Bernhard Gal (cd: Going round in serpentines, charhizma 2005), rebecca with michael renkel (cd: Rebecca [two variations], charhizma 2003), No Furniture with Boris Baltschun and Axel Dörner (cd: No furniture, creative sources 2003), and (exceptionally) solo.

Kai has been the commander of Raumschiff Zitrone from 2000 to 2006, joined by christof kurzmann in 2002. Recently both commanders have been retired and closed the legendary raumschiff zitrone which has presented concerts of countless international artists. In 2001 he co-initiated together with gregor hotz and conrad noack berlin's experimental music platform www.Echtzeitmusik.De.

Kai was artist-in-residense at quartier21 (part of museumsquartierwien, vienna) in 2004. As a result of fruitful collaborations and good friendships vienna feels like a second home for him."

-Kai Fagaschinski Website (http://kylie.klingt.org/bio.html)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.

"The Berlin-based clarinetist/composer/performer Michael Thieke is equally at home across a broad range of musical environments, such as experimental song forms, collectively composing projects, improvising collectives, and music on the fringes of jazz. He is exploring the minutiae of sound, timbre and noise, with a particular interest in microtonality and related sound phenomena, and with a preference for long-term collaborations and collective work.

Some of his current Projects are: The International Nothing (with Kai Fagaschinski cl, CD on ftarri), The Magic I.D. (with Christof Kurzmann, Kai Fagaschinski, Margareth Kammerer, CD/LP on ErstPop and staubgold), The Pitch (with Boris Baltschun organ, Koen Nutters b, Morten Olsen dr, LP on gaffer), Der lange Schatten (with Håvard Wiik p, Antonio Borghini b), Voutchkova/Thieke (with Biliana Voutchkova vl), Splitter Orchester, Toulemonde/Thieke (with Olivier Toulemonde acoustic objects), Hotelgäste (with Derek Shirley b, Dave Bennett g, CD on schraum, LP on self), Michael Thieke Unununium (with Luca Venitucci acc/p, Martin Siewert g, Christian Weber b, Derek Shirley b, Steve Heather dr, Eric Schaefer dr, CD on charhizma), motif (with Atle Nymo sax, Håkon Mjåset Johansen dr, Eivind Lønning tp, Ole Morten Vågan b, Håvard Wiik p), Porta Chiusa (with paed Conca cl, Hans Koch cl), Spirit Songs (with Mike Cooper voc/g, Elio Martusciello el, Fabrizio Spera dr, Luca Venitucci acc/el.), Roman Tics (with Burkhard Beins, Luca Venitucci, CD on Cathnor), Cowards Bend The Knee (Live Music in different setups with the film Cowards Bend The Knee by Guy Maddin), Gebhard Ullmann's The Clarinet Trio (with Gebhard Ullmann bass clarinet, Jürgen Kupke clarinet) and Uli Gumpert Workshop Band."

-Michael Thieke Website (http://www.michael-thieke.de/e/biographie.htm)
3/13/2024

Have a better biography or biography source? Please Contact Us so that we can update this biography.


Track Listing:



1. In Doubt We Trust 37:38

Related Categories of Interest:


Improvised Music
Free Improvisation
European Improvisation, Composition and Experimental Forms
Duo Recordings
Recordings by or featuring Reed & Wind Players
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