june 3rd, 2026 at KM28, Karl-Marx-Str. 28, 12043 Berlin
FLOCKS
release concert for „Lagoon“ (out on may 22nd)
New album by FLOCKS, the duo of drone specialist WERNER DURAND and percussionist ULI HOHMANN. Musical landscapes that move between traditional as well as experimental sounds with influences from Krautrock and JON HASSELL’s „fourth world“ aesthetics.
WERNER DURAND has made himself a name with various projects with Dhrupad singer AMELIA CUNI, playing with URBAN SAX, ARNOLD DREYBLATT, HENNING CHRISTIANSEN, DAVID BEHRMAN, ELLEN FULLMAN, CATHERINE CHRISTER HENNIX, as the co-founder of THE 13th TRIBE, ARMCHAIR TRAVELLER and TONALIENS (with ROBIN HAYWARD and HILARY JEFFERY) plus numerous solo albums, released on labels like Black Truffle, Unseen Worlds or Edition Telemark. Having studied saxophone as well as Indian / Persian flutes, the Berlin based DURAND is a highly reputated protagonist in the drone scene, famous for his self-built wind instruments like buzz-clarinets or his PVC neys & horns.
His partner in FLOCKS (and longtime personal friend) is ULI HOHMANN whose early encounters with music from Asia, India and Africa led to studies with the Ghanaian master drummer MUSTAPHA TETTEY ADDY and later Tombak and Daf with NEMAD DARMAN (Iran). HOHMANN played in a couple of projects that explored the language of classical Persian music, and started building his own stringed instruments (being an educated carpenter). In 2014 he joined DURAND and AMELIA CUNI for the album „Clearing“, and 2018 DURAND and HOHMANN decided to continue as a duo: FLOCKS was born. On “Lagoon”, the duo further explores the aesthetics it has crafted on its selftitled debut (2023, on the now defunct ZEHRA imprint): DURAND and HOHMANN shape drone-y soundscapes based on their self-built wind- & stringed instruments, Persian percussion and subtle electronics, drawing additional inspiration from Krautrock (listen to the irresistible, hypnotique, ever-changing rhythmic pattern of the title track) as well as JON HASSELL’s „fourth world“ aesthetics, placing the duo nicely between tradition and experiment!
The press about the debut “Flocks”:
“The music of Flocks sounds like archaic but highly seductive techno music resurrected from an unknown tribe in the jungle of nowhere but still radiates a strong psychedelic impact.” Eyal Hareuveni / Salty-peanuts.eu
KM28
Karl-Marx-Straße 28
12043 Berlin
doors: 20.00
start: 20.30
tickets at the door
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april 16th, 2026 at Galiläakirche, Rigaer Str. 9, 10247 Berlin
SABA ALIZADEH
release concert for „Rituals of The Last Dawn“
Saba Alizadeh, the groundbreaking voice in contemporary Iranian music who blends classical Persian traditions with avantgarde experimentation presents his new album on Karlrecords. Born in Tehran in 1983 as son of the world renowned tar and setar virtuoso Hossein Alizadeh, Saba Alizadeh established himself not only as a true master on the Iranian spike fiddle kamancheh but also as one of the groundbreaking voices in contemporary Iranian music, blending classical Persian traditions with avantgarde experimentation.
His music, praised by The Wire as “a bridge between the ancient and the contemporary”, turns sound and image into powerful narratives of memory and resistance. Over the past years, Alizadeh (who relocated to the Netherlands a few years ago) has appeared at key festivals and venues such as Reeperbahn Festival, CTM, Flow Festival, Berliner Philharmonie, and Kölner Philharmonie, solidifying his reputation as a singular live performer.
After the critically acclaimed releases „Scattered Memories“ (his international debut, released on Karlrecords in 2019), „I May Never See You Again“ (2021) and last year’s „Temple of Hope“, his new album fascinates again with a unique artistic voice, weaving together centuries-old sonic heritage and the urgency of the present through deeply immersive, meditative landscapes in two epic pieces.
“Rituals Of The Last Dawn” may feel like a sad or resigned title (compared to the positively fierce Temple of Hope), but at the same time the highly meditative music provides a lot of contemplative strength. Appealing to an open-minded “world music” audience as well as fans of current streams of ambient or drone in its most subtle forms, Alizadeh’s latest work is a strongly needed soul food in bitter times.
On stage, Saba will present his new work as a duo with Pietro Caramelli who also collaborated on the recent album.
Galiläakirche, Rigaer Str. 9, 10247 Berlin
Preorder your ticket here
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march 26th, 2026 at West Germany, Skalitzer Str. 133, 10999 Berlin
SIMON BERZ & SCHNEIDER TM
release concert for Simon Berz’s new album „Tectonic“
Simon Berz is a transdisciplinary drummer, sound artist, and music educator based in Switzerland and Berlin. Working at the intersection of improvised music, sound art, and performance, and deliberately crossing boundaries between disciplines, his aesthetics are shaped by a sustained engagement with natural materials, particularly stone, and their sonic transformation through electronic manipulation.
„Tectonic“ is a summary of his geological sound explorations across continents. From Iceland to Indonesia and Bali, from New Orleans to China, in caves and at shores, Berz carried his millions-of-years-old basalt stones as both instrument and collaborator. On Java, he met Baron, a builder of stone gamelan instruments. At the Pacitan Tabuhan Cave (Indonesia) he performed with Misbach Bilok and Wukir Suryadi (Senyawa) who work with corals as instruments. Berz brought these encounters and “field recordings” to the Stöðvarfjörður studio in Iceland, where he recorded with his “Tectonic” set-up, drums, and electronics. The music was later mixed in Berlin by Dirk Dresselhaus (Schneider TM).
The resulting album moves from club-driven tracks to ambient passages, from gamelan-inspired textures to HipHop-like beat patterns. It resists easy categorization while staying direct and physical in its impact.
Schneider TM is a multidimensional music project by Dirk Dresselhaus that oscillates extensively between adventurous electronic pop music and experimental, sometimes improvised freeform music while occasionally bringing these and other opposing elements together. The evening ends with an improvised duo set by Simon Berz & Schneider TM.
West Germany
Skalitzer Strasse 133
10999 Berlin, Kreuzberg
doors: 20.00 Uhr
start: 21.00 Uhr
tickets at the door
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october 2nd, 2025 at West Germany, Skalitzer Str. 133, 10999 Berlin
MICHAEL VORFELD & PERIODE
release concert for Vorfeld’s new album „Glühlampenmusik“
Michael Vorfeld
is a musician and media artist, plays percussion and self-designed string instruments, and realizes electroacoustic sound pieces. He works in the field of experimental, improvised music and sound art, realizing installations and performances with light and sound, and working with photography and film. In addition to his solo activities, he is a member of various ensembles and collaborates with artists who work in many different art forms, e.g. Burkhard Beins, Mazen Kerbaj, Ute Wassermann, Reinhold Friedl, to name a few. Based in Berlin, his list of activities includes numerous concerts, performances and exhibitions in Europe, America, Asia and Australia. Michael Vorfeld participated in the documenta 8, Kassel with the sound performance group “Heinrich Mucken“.
Since the mid-1980s, Vorfeld has been researching the interplay of light and sound, he experimented with all kinds of incandescent lamps in relation to various light-controlling devices and used many different types of microphones and pickups to „eavesdrop” into the acoustic potential of the various light events. The result of this research is „Glühlampenmusik“ (Light Bulb Music), an electro-acoustic and audio-visual performance where sounds are generated through the use of different light bulbs and actuating electric devices.
First performed publicly in the Labor Sonor series at Kule, Berlin in January 2005, and released in 2010, his new volume of „Glühlampenmusik“ (Karlrecords 2025) celebrates its 20th anniversary of these sonic adventures that can range from sparse abstractionism to almost “clubby” pulsations.
Periode
are Thomas Winkler and Andreas Reihse. Reihse is a Berlin based musician, known as founding member of Kreidler. Winkler is a Berlin based artist and musician.
Andreas Reihse overtures and underlays Thomas Winkler’s hypnotic guitar pickings with the digital grid of infinity that Winkler repeatedly tries to touch and to break through. There is hardly any singing.
Periode’s sixth release „Grapes of Nothingness“ is due in January 2026 on Karlrecords.
West Germany
Skalitzer Strasse 133
10999 Berlin, Kreuzberg
doors: 20.00 Uhr
start: 21.00 Uhr
tickets at the door
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Phonothek #12
July 12th, 15.00 – 16.30
August 23rd, 15.00 – 16.30
Amerikanische Gedächtnis-Bibliothek, Berlin
The Berliner Landesbibliothek regularly hosts a so-called „Phonothek“ where a local record label is given a platform in the foyer of the Amerikanische Gedächtnis-Bibliothek (nera Hallesches Tor). For edition #12 it’s my turn – 3 dates, the first on july 12th, then on august 23rd and one in september (tba). It’s a kind of silent disco with headphones, I will spin some records picked from the Karl catalogue … Starts 15.00, 90 minutes, free entry.
Details here
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April 26th, 2025 at After, Köpenicker Straße 187-188
Listening session Martina Bertoni „Electroacoustic Works For Halldorophone“ & conversation
Doors: 19h
Music starts 20h (ca 55 minutes), conversation
Drinks before and after
Listening session for Martina Bertoni’s latst album „Electroacoustic Works For Halldorophone“, for which the Berlin based musician used the electronic instrument at EMS Stockholm to create four pieces that are massive in scale and incredibly intimate, sonically restrained and emotionally overwhelming.
After the listening session there’ll be a Q&A with music journalist Kristoffer Cornils.
Free entrance.
Limited space, please come in time.
After Köpenicker Straße 187-188, U Schlesisches Tor
courtyard back left corner ground floor
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May 29th, 2024 at After, Köpenicker Straße 187-188
Xenakis birthday: listening session „Persepolis“ & conversation
Doors: 19h
Music starts 20h (ca 55 minutes), conversation
Drinks before and after
After is thrilled to present one of the milestones of electroacoustic music, the mindblowing Persepolis by Greek-French composer, architect, and mathematician Iannis Xenakis (1922–2001) in collaboration with Karlrecords. The session will be followed by a conversation with zeitkratzer director and acknowledged Xenakis expert Reinhold Friedl.
“Persepolis” is the longest electroacoustic composition by Xenakis who ranks among the most influential 20th century avant-garde composers. Commissioned by the Persian Shah for the Festival of Arts Shiraz-Persepolis, the piece was part of a multimedia performance – Xenakis‘ so-called “polytopes” – which premiered in 1971 as a multi media event including flare lights, laser beams, groups of children walking around with torches and 51 loudspeakers to project the music open-air in various locations within the ancient ruins of Persepolis, the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire. The socio-political context in which the work was commissioned, developed and presented has been subject to heated discussions in both worlds – the growling of Xenakis’ multilayered sound representing “the history of Iran” would soon emancipate itself from the imported speakers it was played on and grew in a few years to overthrow the regime of its very commissioner and install the Islamic state which is still in power today.
Xenakis had realized “Persepolis” on 8-track analogue tape in the Studio Acusti in Paris and released a stereo reduction on vinyl in the famous Philips series “Prospective 21e Siècle” in 1972, adding the new subtitle “We bear the light of the earth”, his most hymnal title ever.
Out of print for decades, the LP – especially the Japanese edition from 1974 – became one of the most expensive collector’s items of electroacoustic music. There were some later CD versions with different durations – one too long due to a wrong sample rate, another shortened by 3 minutes due to other reasons. The Perihel series curated by Reinhold Friedl on Karlrecords presents a new version (KR044), which will be played tonight: mixed from the original (!) master 8 track tapes by longtime zeitkratzer sound engineer Martin Wurmnest and mastered by Rashad Becker at D&M, Berlin, which, in addition to the aspect of fidelity to the source, puts the listener in the center. Xenakis‘ adventurous music can now finally be enjoyed in its full sonic range and dynamic.
Limited space, please come in time.
After Köpenicker Straße 187-188, U Schlesisches Tor
courtyard back left corner ground floor
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