Album: FB01
Author: Frans de Waard
Publication: VITAL WEEKLY (source)
Date: 05/27/2006

The name Frank Rothkamm first popped up in Vital Weekly in 1998, when he released a miniCD on Flux Records (which I believe is his own label) of rather outdated ambient music, which sounded however quite nice. On Flux Records he was also responsible for a couple of weird and conceptual releases, such as a 12" on piano tuning. Since then he released a couple of more things, but nothing with great speed or urge.

Rothkamm is also the designer of the 'data processing instrument system IFORMM, deployed since the summer of 2002 for the realization of pure electronic music'. In the booklet of 'FB01' there is a lengthy text on electronic and computer generated music, which is a bit beyond me, but then again, I was never good at doing math's.

The twelve pieces on the CD however are quite nice. Very classical in approach. 'Synthesized only through mathematical operations on sine waves' it says, and it sounds like a pure electronic piece from the Cologne studios in the fifties in combination with more freely sci-fi soundtracks from the sixties, such as the one from 'Forbidden Planet'. Rothkamm however chooses the format of a popsong, marking an important difference with the lengthier works of years and years ago.

It's certainly great music, but at twelve tracks it is also a bit long. The classic format of eight tracks (LP length) would have made this into a perfect thing. Now it's certainly three tracks too long.

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