Minimal darkness, like a starless night sky, Aubrite is a contradiction; meteorites leave a trail of light, and the tones here are dark. Much like the soundtrack to space footage, Thomas Köner captures the essence of naught, and allows that to go deeper. Like the vacuum that surrounds us, the beauty of Aubrite is in its expanse - an expanse that is hinted at and furthered by the listener's own interpretation. 

Dark, heavy, and in your face is a typical approach for experimental music. Thomas Köner does the opposite by leaving it at an arm's reach and keeping it minimal. By putting less on display, the composition is allowed to take on nearly any form the listener desires. Textures that may or may not be there are now a valid part of the mix. Aubrite feels like an installation; something that needs to be felt and lived in instead of heard. Sprawled over 2 LPs, this work encapsulates the vastness of space, darkness and time all with restraint and subtlety. Perfectly suggestive, sounds on display imply sounds that are not composed, and the work builds its own shadow complement. Much like a jazz commenter may say, "it's the notes they're NOT playing," Aubrite thrives on the suggestion it builds. What else is here? What is behind this black curtain? Where is the listener in all this? The distinct lack of locus gives this piece the massive scope that is on display, and certainly gives the work the room to take any direction desired. And the direction on Aubrite is simple - ALL. The progression of sound is in all directions at once, constantly growing, leaving the listener two choices: choose a path and see what develops or just let it all unfold and be engulfed in the (near) nothingness.

Originally released in 1995, Thomas Köner's Aubrite gets its first vinyl release via Mille Plateaux. Giving this minimalist juggernaut (typing that feels wrong) the real estate to spread over matches the composition on display and adds gravity to the formless, free-floating sonic show. This is a dark wonder, a free flight through space and time, and a treat for those looking to drift wherever their minds will take them.