Kosmischer Läufer

Hello again,time to dust the cobwebs off this shambling mess I write on,so back with a spacey whoosh I bring to your attention Kosmischer Läufer - The Secret Cosmic Music Of The East German Olympic Program 1972 to 1983. This is actually volume two I present to you,volume one released in June last year, I am only recently aware of this project and after finally getting around to listening to it I cannot recommend it enough (thanks to Apllywarch and his Tumblr for making me aware of this). I will let you read on with the biography of one Martin Zeichnete and the ideas which helped create this music.

 In East Germany in the early 1970’s Martin Zeichnete worked as a sound editor for DEFA, (Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft), the state-owned film studio. Like many young East Germans of the time he would listen furtively to West German radio at night and became infatuated with the Kosmische Musik or ‘Krautrock’ epitomised by the likes of Kraftwerk, Neu! and Cluster emerging from his neighbouring country. Martin, a keen runner, hit upon the idea of using the repetitive, motorik beats of this new music as a training aid for athletes.
After sharing his concept with colleagues Martin was taken from his studio to East Berlin, quizzed by the authorities about his ideas and, fearing the worst, was surprised to find himself put to work by the Nationales Olympisches Komitee immediately. Installed in a cold Berlin studio with the few electronic instruments the state could supply, (Martin asked for a Moog but was refused), he began one of the strangest journeys in music. Know to the government as State Plan 14.84L, Martin and his fellow musicians informally called it ‘Projekt Kosmischer Läufer’ (Cosmic Runner).
For the next 11 years Martin would be spirited to Berlin to work on tracks with little notice. He created hours of music fusing traditional rock instruments with synthesizers, early drum computers, tape slicing and looping techniques he and his engineer formulated themselves. His output included tracks for running at various paces, warm up pieces, ‘ambient’ music to play in gyms during training and pieces for artistic gymnastic routines.

Suffice to say you should get a hold of these two volumes if Kosmische Musik is right up your strasse (sorry), much more can be found on the website,including an interview with  Martin Zeichnete himself and details of how to get a hold of the music.