Staubgold used to be based in Cologne, but has recently moved to Berlin. This is the most concrete change but it shouldn’t hide the fact the label also broadened its musical horizons, by making more and more room for more song-oriented acts such as Sun or Rand and Holland. And Staubgold is more than another German label: artists from all over the world release albums through them. Another important event in Staubgold short but eventful period of activity: the launch of Quecksilber, a sister-label focusing on (even more) experimental works.

Tempo, technik, teamwork is a double CD. An edit version of Minit’s Now right here kicks things off, the droney soundscapes of the Australian duo should be familiar to musiquemachine’s regular readers. No less familiar should be The kat cosm’s take on folktronica, Rand and Holland’s minimal pop, Kammerflimmer Kollektief’s (cold) jazz and Sack un Blumm’s playful “toy-electronica”. Let’s focus a bit more on the artists not (yet) covered here as well as on the unreleased stuff.

Mapstation’s collaboration with Ras Donovan should please those who like their dub mixed with electronics, but I’m not one of those, so I ain’t much impressed. Way, way better in the collaboration between Thilges3 and Asim al chalabi on Izdiucz (previously unreleased), a superb meeting of subtle electronic work and the oud. Up next is another unreleased piece, Help yourself by Sun, a very nice and melancholic couple of minutes spent thanks to the sober acoustic tones of Oren Ambarchi and the voice of Chris Townend. Wechsel Garland and World Standard is the encounter of a German and a Japanese musician, both renowned for their taste for melodies. This can be heard on Donde lion wine, nice pastoral cut featuring strings and piano. Up next is my favourite track of the album (amongst those I heard for the first time with this album), and it’s by Die welttraumforscher, a sublime (to be confirmed though) folky pop band singing in German. When is the new full-length out? For those who havn’t heard it yet, the collaborative album by Faust and dälek is a must. Anyone who listen to t-electronique, one of the stronger tracks of the album will be convinced: heavy bass and beats, dälek’s great rhymes and the added weirdness of the Faustian legend… Also featuring is the much anticipated work of Ekkehard Ehlers and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ John Fruiscante. Surprisingly, it appeared last year that the guitarist liked Ehlers work. Ehlers was subsequently invited to perform live in Berlin with the RHCP. The result is a little bit disappointing: taken alone, Fruiscante’s guitar work and Ehlers’ sonic “tapestry” are great, but it doesn’t work as a coherent whole. Maybe next time?

The second CD focuses more on the Quecksilber catalogue. The loop orchestra, Michael J Schumacher, Scott Horscroft, Reuber and [3/TAU] appear, but it’s not very satisfying: their music needs to be heard alone, in a more detailed way, via full albums. Paul Wirkus’ work seems very interesting: voice à la Alan Vega, deep, ominous bass, clicks and cuts, very tense atmosphere.

Kammerflimmer Kollektief offers the listener a very nice moment of quiet jazziness to be catalogued as one of, their better work (might have been a good idea to include it on the Hysteria CD, it would have improved the whole impression I got). The other two standout tracks come from albums that are still widely available: Kelien Welt, from Faust’s Hans-Joachim Irmler fabulous solo album and Flypaper III from the Oren Ambarchi and Keith Rowe album, Flypaper.

Tempo, technik, teamwork is a very nice selection of what Staubgold label has to offer. A nice way to get to discover this compelling label.