Planam

DIE WELTTRAUMFORSCHER - Herzschlag Erde/Verdunkelt Die Sinne

Right on time for its 30th anniversary, Herzschlag Erde, cassette debut album of Die Welttraumforscher, is being re-released in a collaborative effort between the labels Planam and A Tree In A Field. The new, limited vinyl edition includes a large-format, 20-page booklet as well as the previously unreleased follow-up album, Verdunkelt die Sinne. Die Welttraumforscher is one of Switzerlands most enigmatic musical projects, with a catalog that not only spans more than 30 albums, but also films, stories and countless illustrations. These documents are the only proof that Die Welttraumforscher actually exists. Small creatures with big, gentle eyes, more reminiscent of friendly ghosts than of scientists (Forscher), are depicted with child-like innocence and painstaking attention to detail. Their universe also includes such characters as the Moon Pope, Kip Eulenmeister and Leguan R_ɬ§tselmann. Together, they experience weird adventures with a touch of science fiction, metaphysics and dadaism. As Die Welttraumforscher themselves put it: We are working for the next world. No wonder that those of us stuck in the here-and-now are not always able to make sense of it. The man behind this phantom band is only mentioned in the small print: Lyrics, music and illustrations by Christian Pfluger for Die Welttraum-forscher. Not unlike musical kindred spirits The Residents, Pfluger remains in the shadows, creating a mystique. However, instead of concealing or disguising himself at shows, he just very rarely plays live at all. This veil of mystery, the borderline-esoteric mysticism, plus the fact that the lyrics are almost exclusively in German, might explain to some degree why Die Welttraumforscher have always led a niche existence. Among musicians, however, they have already gained cult status. Mouse on Mars, Neoangin, and Harald Sack Ziegler are just a few known admirers. Together with other musicians, they released a remix LP on Felix Kubins Gagarin label in 1999. Other well-known aficionados are Dieter Meier (Yello) and German astronaut Hans-Joachim Roloff. Herzschlag Erde sets a musical and artistic course that has remained largely unchanged in the following 30 years. New, affordable technology such as the 4-track-cassette home studio made it possible to record music alone and with simple equipment; We work with what we have, not with what wed like to have. Technological constraints are compensated by an unbounded imagination, yet the final result remains playful and intriguing. The opening track, Traum der Welt (i.e. Dream of the World), is also a manifesto of sorts: ...they are [...] coming to us. Die Welttraumforscher, music from the far end of our thoughts, Neither-Nor sounds, and dance ambushes. Edition limited to 350 copies including a large (20 page) booklet with sinister photos, surreal drawings and lyrics in German and English. -Planam

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After nearly a decade of false starts, multiple game plans veering off the rails, and a handful of shattered hopes and/or dreams, the odyssey is finally complete—the new Fusetron site is here.

This is the first phase of a multipart rollout that will span the next few months: the currently browsable stock includes miscellaneous new releases from the past 8+ months (we have a lot of catching up to do), plus approximately a third of our backstock. Note that we’ve reduced/slashed prices on many titles and will continue to do so in order to make room for new stock. We’ll also be expanding / tweaking / improving / debugging the site itself (for example, we still have work to do on the automated international postage system, not to mention the inevitable inventory discrepancies that come with transferring an ancient and massive database to a new system).

Over the next few months, as we take inventory, clean house, and delve into our storage, we will be uploading thousands of additional items, gradually, on a near-daily basis. This will include the majority of the LPs, as well as many titles, in all formats, once thought long-gone. Many currently “sold out” items are likely to resurface.

Finally, once our general backstock is up (probably in the next two or three months) we’ll begin making our extensive stockpile of rarities available online for the first time: tons of random out-of-print titles, "deadstock," warehouse finds, secondhand collectibles, etc., accumulated over the past few decades.

Frequent/returning customers will be getting early access to these items. Details to follow on how this will work (a priority mailing list? a 'frequent flyer'-like program?), but it will not be based on dollars spent. We want to reward those who consistently support us, especially in the discogs marketplace era (to those who show up trying to poach five copies of a one-off rarity, and nothing else, ever… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ).

So—we suggest you take some time to dig through the site—even we’ve been surprised by what’s been turning up, and there’s much more to come.
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