Baldruin – Portal

Wounded Knife has a special ability to release material from really good artists that are all in peak form. With this newest release by Baldruin on beautiful clear vinyl, there is no doubt this label is going to solidify itself as a top go to label for both artists and listeners.

Balduin music is so unique and intelligently tasteful. Instead of side long pieces, Johannes Schebler‬ takes a more concise path. Tracks are shorter and varied but play through as a whole. I first heard Johanne's talent in the world of meticulously crafted music scenes when listening and writing about Baldruin's sold out cassette on A Giant Fern label titled Miniaturen. The new lp Portal on Wounded Knife follows in this terrene adding a bit more girth to track length and opening new sound venues.

Johannes operates like a surgeon in a 1940's scary black and white movie. The silver colored tray is set next to the body with every gleaming metal tool imaginable precisely laid out on it. You look and wonder what they all could be for. The music on Portal has been created with such a wide assortment of sounds, all shrunk down to fit inside a few minutes span. These sounds create feelings of wonderment. How do they all work together. Maybe there exist a higher understanding of them, like the surgeon of old had. Everything has a purpose and will go into play as needed. This could be the magic Johannes holds in his palms. He understands nothing can be forced, only used when needed and the put away possibly for another time.

Portal plays through with tones heard in alien jungles. There is definitely beauty listening in any direction. But sometimes behind these strange dark leaves and prehistoric flowers there is a deviant creature making itself known. On this expedition, the scenery is constantly changing with quickly flowing shifts in flow and turbulence. Not ever causing the listener to stumble, maybe only changing their pace enough to slow down and listen more deeply. And as the tracks play on and when your mind gets caught in the trance, a voice emerges from the depths. It sounds like it is laboring to speak and this pushing forth of words causes chills at times. This sound journey moves on. Even though your self preservation skills are tested, you are never at odds with Portal. The music is after all a thermos of your favorite warm beverage, enjoyed in sips providing comfort in it's completeness.

There are copies of this available from Wounded Knife. Two Hundred and Sixty were pressed on luminous clear vinyl. All of the packaging and art work parallel the refined sound and grooves they were formed on. This is Wounded Knife's first vinyl record as well as Baldruin's. I am sure this will be sold out soon.

Here is all the press received for Portal from Wounded Knife's site



























Links
Wounded Knife site - bandcamp - facebook
Baldruin - bandcamp - facebook