BEN KACZOR & NICULIN BARANDUN Pointed Frequencies LP
mending space entering streams of mist for visible becomes the rays of light, time touches the equilibrium in transition echoes of ephemeral breathing to the floating forest folding futures present wake the dust in obscurity the sea brings, waves of casted silver softly crawls, into moss we sink shallow winds in atoms kissing, harvest nights forgotten lights. strain the end of new beginnings - Carla Patricia Kojich
Ben Kaczor and Niculin Barandun reveal their debut album on Dial Records, dedicated to the healing properties of sound. Pointed Frequencies contains six mesmerizing compositions and comes along with two video shorts by the artist Marie Sutter. The collaboration between Niculin Barandun and Ben Kaczor started in 2022 with a carte blanche for an audiovisual show at Digital Art Festival Zurich. While working on the performance, a common understanding of sound aesthetics emerged and the foundation for the duo’s project was laid. At that time Ben Kaczor studied sound therapy. Niculin Barandun was intrigued by the concept, and it became subject of the album's creation. The intention behind Pointed Frequencies is to explore the therapeutic potential of binaural beats and solfeggio frequencies, providing listeners with a healing experience. These elements are subtly integrated into the recordings, becoming a freeform blend of experimental and ambient music. A contemporary approach suspends the esoteric background common in this field. Instead, the focus is on crafting a unique sound that is appealing to those seeking a more accessible form of musical recreation. With the dynamics of free improvisation, Ben Kaczor and Niculin Barandun create virtuosly interwoven sound structures. Ambient timbres evoke the presence of the room and create an experience of wordless thinking. An immersive journey invites the listener to sense of intimacy and movement. Calmness and contemplation, beauty and melancholy meet unconventional and stochastic scenes of dramatic character. The exquisite visualizations for the live performance as well as two experimental short-films are supplied by artist and director Marie Sutter. Fluid abstractions of light move inside her structural compositions. Sutter’s videos reflect the brooding energy and nascent forms of Pointed Frequencies perfectly. A poem by writer Carla Patricia Kojich is embedded in the titles of the tracks. Artist Inga Danysz created the cover artwork and the graphic design comes by Sandro Weber (Atelier Maeve). Pointed Frequencies marks the 25th anniversary of Dial Records, founded in the winter of 1999/2000. While the label is best known for it’s club-oriented music, Dial has a long tradition in releasing experimental music and ambient, starting with the album by Gluehen 4 (2003) followed by Phillip Sollmann’s Something Is Missing (2006). Recent releases in this regard are Lawrence’s Music For Plants (2020) and Christian Naujoks, Nocturne (2024).
1. mending space entering streams of mist for visible becomes the rays of light, time touches 05:14
2. the equilibrium in transition 06:17
3. echoes of ephemeral breathing to the floating forest 02:44
4. folding futures present wake the dust in obscurity 07:54
5. the sea brings, waves of casted silver softly crawls, into moss we sink 04:21
6. shallow winds in atoms kissing, harvest nights forgotten lights. strain the end of new beginnings 04:52