Krzystof Zimmermann – Waiting for an Answer (Few Quiet People, 2012)

Published April, 2012
by Easterndaze

Krzystof Zimmermann’s latest release Waiting for an Answer is packed with field recordings mainly from his current residence, Gothenborg, Sweden, but you can also hear some sounds from Taiwan. Released on the Few Quiet People imprint, it follows in the tradition of this label which is focused on sonic experiments and more abstract sound collages. Krzystof himself is a schooled musician and by his own words, deals with music in a broad spectrum. His release proves he means it.

Krzysztof Zimmermann – Waiting for an Answer 2 by FewQuietPeople

Waiting for an Answer is a smart combination of field recordings with musical instruments and drone collages. It is interesting as a sound diary and also as a lecture in sound manipulation of field recordings. Some of its moments are just beautiful. The second track Departure 1 combines field recordings of the Centralstation in Gothenburg with piano recordings. The beeps scattered through the entire track give it a strange urgency. As if they would remind you of your departure, saying goodbye, all the friends which you left behind, but also that something new and exciting is behind the corner.

Krzysztof Zimmermann – Street Crush by FewQuietPeople

Gothenborg’s street life and harbour and their stories can be heard in the other tracks. The most exotic location is the Cheng-Huan temple in Taiwan. You can hear the difference, the mystic energy of the reverbed chants in the background and noisy overlays push the track Who Answers – Errs to a completely different territory than the rest of the record. A different location requires a different approach when writing a sound diary.

Oh how we h8in people talking during live shows..

The thing that made me a little upset during listening, was an obvious usage of some well known VST’s like dblue glitch, a free tool frequently applied by loads of electronic musicians these days. It’s a little annoying to hear those sounds in the record, as they are overused which decreases the feeling of unique listening.

But this is probably the only bigger drawback of the record. Waiting for an Answer is a great sonic voyage into the world of Krzystof Zimmermann with precise and sensitive sound manipulation and a great feel for choosing the right mood of the environment. Highly recommended for every audio escapist. 

by Andrej