Bureau B present a reissue of Tyndalls debut album, Sonnenlicht, originally released in 1980 on Sky Records. The two electronic sonic inventors Jürgen Krehan and Rudolf Langer founded Tyndall in the year 1980, naming their duo after a light scattering phenomenon in physics. Armed with an impressive array of instruments, devices, and home-made synthesizers, they created free and easy electronic music in the style of the Berlin School (Berliner Schule), much to the liking of the legendary Sky Records who released their debut album. The Tyndall effect becomes visible, when light beams are deflected by microscopic particles in suspension. This explains the patterns of light we see when the sun shines through mist or fog for example. The very name of Tyndall evokes a bigger picture -- in the same way as celestial light was a common feature of canvasses in Romanticism and the Renaissance: a dramatic symbol for the overwhelming beauty of nature. Musically speaking, the album fits seamlessly into the Sky Records canon of the period. It nicely illustrates how synth pop sounded in those days: luxuriant indulgence in synthetic sounds, arpeggios, bass sequences, carefree melodies, accompanied and powered by synth escapades and a computer beat. Tyndall owned the very first CR-78 drum computer in Germany, provided by the manufacturer Roland before the official street date when they heard it was to be used on an LP recording. Today the CR-78 is regarded as a drum computer classic. The duo also deployed a formidable range of analog instruments: several semi-modular Roland System synthesizers, a Hohner String Melody String Machine, and electric pianos. This list also formed the basis of their live arsenal for the many concerts they played. Sonnenlicht reflects their cheerful, nonchalant journey into new territory. Sonic explorations and sweet melodies spread out over octave basses, delays, and arpeggio patterns. The musicians were not afraid to add layers of noise or effects -- albeit not quite to the same extent as they would on their next album, 1981s Traumland (BB 287CD/LP). - Bureau B.
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.
