DAAU

‘Musik für animierte Tonspurfilm’, the twelfth album by Die Anarchistische Abendunterhaltung (or DAAU, as they are commonly known), is the soundtrack to a series of short, abstract animation films by Rudy Trouvé, who also acted as a creative director during the recording process.  The music originates from acoustic improvisation sessions by accordionist Roel Van Camp, clarinetist Han  Stubbe, double bass player Hannes d'Hoine and percussionist Jeroen Stevens. These took place according to conceptual guide lines set by Trouvé. Sometimes the starting point was a play on words or a random chord sequence, sometimes a specific atmosphere, but the playing field  was always kept deliberately limited. Hence, the musicians were forced  to build a musical structure with minimal means.

The result was cut on cassette, after which the Antwerp enfant terrible,  known from his work with dEUS, Kiss My Jazz, Gore Slut and I H8  Camera among others, happily hit the tracks with a virtual sledge  hammer.  DAAU's pieces were cut up, sampled, drastically restructured  and pasted together again, a method that had been applies earlier on the  retrospective album 'Hineininterpretierung'(2017).  On top of that audio collage, the musicians added new electronic layers,  using a digital accordion, synths, bass guitar and electric marimba. The ensuing raw and abrasive sound came about through the way the  tracks were recorded.

Being the lo fi obsessive that he is, Rudy Trouvé made sure the music did not sound too neat: an aesthetic choice, in which white noise, for instance, became an integral part of the music.  Some songs, such as 'Skyscraper', sound remarkably frivolous and show  a lightness that was exceptional on DAAU's previous records. This playful aspect marks the influence of ‘master of ceremonies’ Rudy Trouvé, who has always taken pleasure in sailing against the current.