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 the 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 virtuously 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 a 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 from 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 its 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 include Lawrence’s Music For Plants (2020) and Christian Naujoks, Nocturne (2024).
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Ben Kaczor & Niculin Barandun - Pointed Frequencies
DialLP48 / November 29th 2024
Written & Produced by Ben Kaczor & Niculin Barandun
Mastering: Isabel Schr*er (Scape) • Mixed by Laurent New
Artwork: Inga Danysz•Poem by Carla Patricia Kojich
Graphic Design: Sandro Weber (Atelier MAeve)
Vinyl pressing: R.A.N.D. Muzik
Distribution: Kompakt (physical), Wordandsound (digital)
Promotion: Thomas Braun thomas@braunpromotion.at
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Mit freundlicher Unterstützung vom Fachausschuss Film & Medienkunst BS/BL und RegioSoundCredit
