On his debut for Hands in the Dark as Läuten der Seele, Christian Schoppik paints surrealistic aural landscapes that disorient as much as they transport listeners. Using German Heimatfilme samples as the basis for a collection of 12 dark and whimsical loop collages, Schoppik uses ageless hues and sonic connections. “Gedanken Der Mückenlarven In Der Regentonne Bei Vollmond” twists acoustic instrumentation around ghostly voices exploring the silk surfaces of antique wall textures. It’s music that dives into our dreams to pull back the curtain and reveal it’s really a mangled nightmare.
“Strahlenkranz Schweinfurt” is the other side of the river, though, where pastoral whims become a way of life. Organic drones built from ebullient brass and hushed, hazy strings cascade across wildflower meadows to chase the sun from its perch. Schoppik’s worlds grow strong in the tiny details. Läuten der Seele is churning up gold in the magic hour on his debut album and if we’re not careful, it’s going to run away from us all.
Läuten der Seele’s self-titled debut will be released on February 11 via Hands in the Dark on digital and vinyl. The original pressing of 200 copies is already sold-out, but a second pressing can be pre-ordered directly from the label.
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