Name: Blau
Brand: Conrad Schnitzler

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

BB103LTD

Colour

Blue

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Limited Anniversary Edition: embossed, reverse board, hand numbered.

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2024-06-14

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Shellshock

Tax rate GB

Standard:20

UPC / Barcode

4015698599183

Total Cap

Blue LP

Artist

Conrad Schnitzler

Genre GB

Krautrock

Label GB

Bureau B

Bureau B is an independent record label, music publisher, and booking agency based in Hamburg, Germany. Founded in 2005 by Gunther Buskies as a sister label to Tapete Records, Bureau B specializes in releasing a diverse range of electronic and avant-garde music. With a focus on reissues and new productions, the label has built an extensive catalogue that includes iconic albums from the Krautrock genre of the 1970s and early 1980s. They also release recordings by influential artists such as Die Wilde Jagd, Kreidler, Toulouse Low Trax, and more.

Known for their commitment to preserving classic electronic music, Bureau B has been rereleasing albums from renowned artists like Cluster, Faust, Moebius, Roedelius, Plank, Schickert Schnitzler Tietchens Tyndall. In addition to these reissues, they also release works by similar artists including Blenner Heldon Pinhas Rev or NDW Plan Pyrolator.

With their impressive catalogue and dedication to promoting innovative music across various genres within the electronic spectrum - from pop to avant-garde - Bureau B continues to be a prominent force in the global music industry. Their contributions have solidified them as an authoritative figure in the world of independent labels.

Conrad Schnitzler (17 March 1937 - 4 August 2011) was a pioneering figure in the German electronic music scene for three decades. He studied under Joseph Beuys in the mid-1960s and later joined Tangerine Dream, contributing a unique conceptual approach that helped propel the band to legendary status. After leaving Tangerine Dream, Schnitzler formed Kluster with his friends Moebius and Roedelius, releasing three albums before embarking on his solo career. Over the years, he released numerous albums and recordings on various labels worldwide. Sadly, Schnitzler passed away from stomach cancer in 2011, leaving behind an impressive body of work.
Schnitzler's influence on electronic music cannot be overstated. His experimental style and avant-garde compositions pushed boundaries and challenged conventional norms within the genre. From his early collaborations with Tangerine Dream to his prolific solo career, Schnitzler consistently demonstrated an unwavering commitment to innovation and artistic exploration.
Despite facing health challenges towards the end of his life, Schnitzler remained dedicated to creating music until the very end. Just four days before his passing, he completed his final work—a testament to his passion and enduring legacy as one of electronic music's true pioneers.

Newest Listed Items

Conrad Schnitzler (1937–2011), composer and concept artist, is one of the most important representatives of Germany’s electronic music avant-garde. A student of Beuys and Stockhausen, he founded Berlin’s legendary Zodiak Free Arts Lab, a subculture club, in 1967/68, was a member of Tangerine Dream (together with Klaus Schulze and Edgar Froese) and Kluster (with Dieter Moebius and Hans-Joachim Roedelius) and also released countless solo albums. - The blue album from 1974 and was Schnitzler’s second solo LP. On the red album, Conrad Schnitzler laid down the direction his musical artistry would take. The blue album (“Blau”) offered confirmation of his intent. Maybe the “Rot” and “Blau” tracks were recorded in the same session. Structure, sound and timbre of both LPs are so similar as to suggest that this was the case (an unverified assumption nevertheless!). Far more important than this historical pedantry is the fact that Schnitzler included two brand new compositions on “Blau” which followed on seamlessly from the previous album. Quite simply, he had found his way, a course from which he would not stray as long as he lived. The so-called Berlin School (Berliner Schule) – with Conrad Schnitzler one of their number – had developed its own style of minimalist music. Clearly distinct from Anglo-American pop music, and no less removed from the minimalist art music of Steve Reich or Philip Glass, the focus here was on electronics and elementary rhythmics. The Berlin musicians showed no great interest in instrumental or vocal virtuosity, nor were they in thrall to exuberant interleaving of rhythm. With the aid of synthesizers and studio technology, they were bent on breaking into territory hitherto considered the province of a privileged elite, clouded in mystery and secrecy, resonating with uncharted sounds and noise. “Blau” is an archetypal example of this very phenomenon. Courage, the pioneering spirit and artistic brilliance can be detected in each part of the album’s two infinite sequences. Inspired by Joseph Beuys, Schnitzler propagated those very tones beyond the musical realm, detached from tradition, the only tones capable of catalyzing the utterly stagnant pop music and new music scene of the day, injecting them with fresh impulses. Questions of harmony, melody and strict form were well and truly rejected by Schnitzler. His aural crystals shine like pearls on a string. Schnitzler uses his ropes of pearls to weave new, fantastic patterns which constantly shift like kaleidoscopes to reveal unexpected facets; they are signposts to spatial and temporal infinity. Schnitzler’s style was really too idiosyncratic ever to set a precedent, but he was, and still is, one of the most significant inspirations for pop music in more recent times. Already a figure of prominence, perhaps he will one day be elevated to the status of a legend. Tracklist A1 Die Rebellen haben sich in den Bergen versteckt B1 Jupiter

Blau

Music GB

Discover Blau by Conrad Schnitzler on Bureau B. A pioneering electronic music masterpiece from 1974. Vinyl records available.