[dunkelbunt]
[dunkelbunt] - Photo by Gernot Weyss
[dunkelbunt]
  • country:Austria
  • style(s):Balkan, Electronic
  • label:Chat Chapeau
  • type:Composer/Songwriter, DJ/Remixer
  • gender:male
  • instrumentation:instrumental, vocal
  • artist posted by:Chat Chapeau

Line up

  • Ulf Lindemann (turntables)

Links

During the last three years, [dunkelbunt] has recorded the album MORGENLANDFAHRT, to be released in May 2007 on Viennese urban-world label chat chapeau. MORGENLANDFAHRT is a mix of Dub, Reggae, Bossa, Jazz, Electronics, Trip Hop and Break Beats woven with a Balkan twist. Numerous co-operations with both Viennese and international musicians from the Balkan and Klezmer scenes have enriched many of the tracks on the album, namely performers like 5'nizza, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Amsterdam Klezmer band, Harry Stojka, Oestblocket, MC Killo Killo, Orient Expressions and many more.

With MORGENLANDFAHRT, [dunkelbunt] combines the many facets and faces of Southeast European music with various stylistic elements of electronic- and world music. The results of these efforts are fusions one may call Balkan-Dub, Balkan-TripHop or simply Balkan-Electronics

But MORGENLANDFAHRT is more than a mere musical melding of genres. It tells of a bicycle trip from Vienna to Istanbul in 2005, which provided the inspiration for the album. Travelling through 7 countries during his trip, [dunkelbunt] aka Ulf Lindemann got to know not only the lifestyles of locals but also the places where the music originated. The background sounds, which connect the tracks of the CD, were nearly all recorded on his trip with a small stereo microphone. For example: sunrise and birds in the verdant plains by the Danube (Hungary), evening twilight in the meadows of the Danube (Serbia), on the horse and carriage (Romania), children and the sounds of the waves at the beach on the Black Sea (Bulgaria), at the fish market (Istanbul).

[dunkelbunt] is not only well known for remixing international artists such as Balkan Beat Box, Unified Gecko, Fanfare Ciocarlia, Orient Expressions, Harry Stoijka, Niftys, Eastenders, Deladap and many more. Within his long-running "Balkan Hot Step" Club Night, [dunkelbunt] has been setting audiences ablaze with his eclectic world music mix and is now considered to be above reproach within the Viennese Balkan scene.

MORGENLANDFAHRT is also a result of Ulf's move from Hamburg to Vienna in 2001. Initially inspired by the rich electronic music scene in Vienna, he quickly encountered the special Viennese musical diversity ranging from the traditional music from the Balkan to the Orient. This historically grown "Melange" of cultural influences from the near and far eastern neighbours has ever since been a specialty of Vienna which gives it an open-minded and pulsating character. Something you can inhale everyday at Vienna's famous Naschmarkt with it's babel-esque mix of languages, foods and goods to buy.

It was this side of Vienna which let Ulf discover his second passion: he mixes and blends exquisite spices from India, Africa, South America and Europe. Both following old recipes and inventing his own he creates Berbere (Ethiopia), Tandori Masala (India), Cinq-epices (China), bread herbs (Austria), herbal salt and many more.

In a certain way cooking and composing seems to be something very similar to [dunkelbunt]. Basically he simply uses different ingredients: herbs or instruments, sounds or colours, taste, smell, or look. It all comes down to the search for an harmoniuos whole. Nuances will come with the seasoning. Food is both one fort he body, the other fort he soul.

Although the musical essence rests upon the South-eastern corners of Europe, sounds from all around this planet are to be enjoyed: from Vienna to the Balkans, through Anatolia and the Middle East, India, North Africa, not to mention South America, to Jamaica and straight to the swinging North American Thirties.

"When DJing I am travelling around the world together with my audience carried on by the music. Timelessly we are dancing through Countries and Continents getting drunk with the infinite beauty of the music. I consider myself an intermediary searching for soulful music and its magic to share it with other people."