Harmonious Thelonious - Plong

  by Maarten Schiethart

published: 22 / 12 / 2020

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Stefan Schwander, who is also known as Harmonious Thelonious, must be a bit of a recluse. He has played just a handful of gigs each year since he set off doing gigs in 2016. His entry in the Discogs database also fails to mention his fine remix for Khalab & Baba Sissoko's 'Kumu' on Wonderwheel. 'Plong', his seventh album and first for Hamburg's Bureau B, refines all the varying spheres that he has sucked in after first starting to play music and spin records. Inspired by tribal African sounds and urban rhythms that range in excessive quantities, he proves remarkably skilled. His moniker is, of course, a nod to the great Thelonious Monk, but Harmonious Thelonious' take on music equally reminded me of Jeff Mills, one of the recognised pioneers of house music. Fluent and dextrous, he masters sequences through evolving patterns, most notably on 'The Roller' where he tiptoes on the keys like Monk could have. Internet censors have let me know I can't use the word but these are genuine ‘banging’ tunes. 'Young Kong' - Andreas Dorau's favourite track off 'Plong' which he selected for his Bureau B Bandcamp compilation - indeed is a mighty belter of true techno momentum but it's the sequence into 'Interprétation de Rêve' that does the trick. Harmonious Thelonious' background lies in years of going to concerts, and seeing blues punk bands like The Gun Club to name but one. Unlike many DJs, he doesn’t have the attitude of “Sod you. I'm the Star here. Adore Me, Me, Me.” I don't mean to be disrespectful but he also does look like a lorry driver. Wondrous Harmonious Thelonious! Every home should have his record on the turntable.

Track Listing:-

1 Original Member of a Wedding Band
2 Höhlenmenschenmuziek
3 Geistertrio Booking
4 Abu Synth
5 Mumba
6 Young Kong
7 Interpretation de Reve
8 The Roller
9 Totentanz

Label Links:-

http://www.bureau-b.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/bureaub/videos
https://www.facebook.com/bureaub
https://twitter.com/bureaublabel

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