ROHA is the first solo album by Andreas Trobollowitsch.
Previously a member of the duos Nörz and Acker Velvet, he produced two highly acclaimed albums, released through Schraum (Berlin) and Monotyp Records (Warsaw), and in collaboration with David Schweighart, he composed the soundtrack for the 1920’s cinema series Digi Wave for the Filmarchiv- Austria.
As in his previous works, the production process of ROHA is based on improvisations to be used as basic materials. The actual pieces, as heard in the album, were developed by a later process of selecting, combining and cutting these basic materials. Although using a similar approach, the works in ROHA are considerably more straightforward, rawer, and rhythmical than his previous endeavours.
Focused on the colour of sound, ROHA oscillates – in the field of electroacoustic music – between experimental, minimal and metal music. Each piece has its specific and clear compositional idea, which makes them accessible, without forfeiting surprising twists. From somewhat exotic instruments to the no-input mixing desk, this album is mechanical, while remaining intensely human and analogue, not including any digitally-produced sounds.
Some of the pieces start from a single sound-source: 1’11” from feedback produced by a electric bass; zain from double bass; klavirzinho from a piano loop that gradually transforms until almost disappearing in a wall of sound; in ratt, ssbeat and i.ii. the textures are far more complex and orchestral, with high and low pitches, strenuous squeaks from where minimal melodies emerge; tuul is based on unexpected cut-ups, while tapco blends several recordings of double bass with white noise and drums that not only provide rhythm as also sonic complexity.
Highly detailed and thorough, ROHA is a very organic album, built from diverse materials, in a densely textural patchwork.
credits
released March 8, 2016
All instruments played by Andreas Trobollowitsch
except drum samples on tapco by David Schweighart and double bass samples on zain by Manuel Brunner.
Recorded by Manuel Brunner and Andreas Trobollowitsch.
Mastered by Martin Siewert.
Photos by Cinthia Mendonça.
Cover by Miguel Carvalhais.
While I set the opening track as my favourite, the entire album that shimmers, with perfection of space and hesitance before each cadence enveloping one in echoes and nuance, emotion and mood. Astonishing solo piano work, in a world where we come to expect all sounds in our music, to again achieve such wonder through simplicity is remarkable indeed. A treasure. Egg Wizard
Funny, we buy things, put them in, and sometimes rediscover incredible gems we've lost- this is a particular example.......two brilliant artists capable of tempering each other, lifting each other- in short, doing what a collaboration is supposed to do .......we are in the midst of soaking in this gem........ss/tm editions vaché
This stunning, beautiful project from Fujian duo Southeast of Rain 东南有雨 blends field recordings with rippling notes from the pipa. Bandcamp New & Notable Feb 8, 2021
An otherworldly release uses modulated frequencies, feedback, & field recordings to explore the sensation of unperceived natural phenomena. Bandcamp New & Notable Oct 29, 2020