Frank Bretschneider is a musician, composer and video artist known for his precise sound placement, complex, interwoven rhythm structures and minimal, flowing approach. Described as ”abstract analogue pointilism”, “ambience for spaceports” or “hypnotic echochamber pulsebeat”, his subtle and detailed music is echoed by his visuals: perfect translated realizations of the qualities found in music within visual phenomena.
Bretschneider (1956) was raised in Karl-Marx-Stadt (Chemnitz since 1990). After studying fine arts and inspired by science fiction radio plays and films he began experimenting with tape machines, synthesizers, and modified guitars in 1984, as well as exploring the possibilities of exchange between visual art and music by using film, video and computer graphics.
In 1986, after establishing his cassette label klangFarBe, Bretschneider founded AG Geige, a successful and influential East German underground band.
Though limited to the East before the wall came down, they were invited to perform across Germany and internationally after 1989 and released three albums before splitting in 1993.
In 1995, Bretschneider and fellow AG Geige member Olaf Bender founded the Rastermusic record label which eventually merged with Carsten Nicolai’s noton to form raster-noton in 1999.
Most of Bretschneider’s early solo albums - about half a dozen - were under the alias Komet, the first, SAAT, appearing in 1996. Since then Bretschneider has released his work (in addition to raster noton) on various labels including 12k, Line, Mille Plateaux or Shitkatapult, and contributed to some well-known compilations like CLICKS & CUTS on Mille Plateaux and raster-noton’s 20’ TO 2000 series.. SUPER.TRIGGER his previous album for raster-noton and an absolute trove of percussive tensions was out in July 2013.
He is releasing his music and performing at music/new media festivals worldwide.
> frankbretschneider.com/
> raster-noton.net