photo by (c) Marija Jociūtė
Vienna-based solo artist Sundl, the alter ego of musician and producer Christian Sundl, active member, since the early 2000s, of the Austrian capital’s underground music scene as Lady Lynch and Black Fox Dance drummer, as well as co-founder and director of the cassette label Wilhelm show me the Major Label, shifts to a fully spelled out “Four” for his fourth studio album.
This evolution in album titles mirrors the transformation of Sundl’s sonic landscape insofar, as Four is more „pronounced“ than his previous work. While remaining true to his signature approach of blending samples, retro sounds, guest vocals and instruments, the various elements are more distinct, each standing out in its own right.
Paying homage to both the dark 1980s (a haunting cover of Dead Can Dance‘s “Mesmerism” feat. Terz Nervosa is also included) as well as the vibrant Viennese underground scene, the album, mixed and mastered by Philipp Forthuber, through its dynamic and sometimes hypnotic synthesizers and drum machines, takes the listener on a journey where Deckard from Blade Runner drives Kit from Knight Rider to Manchester’s Haçienda.
WL//WL is pleased to premiere the DIY visuals for the equally atmospheric and cinematic greyish electronica-laced third excerpt “How Sweet,” featuring Veronika Adamski on organ.
Grounded on a hypnotic carpet of crisp and dry steady drum patterns and rolling low ends, pulsing emotive layers of shivering synth spirals laced with warm melancholic chiming tones and brassy organ chords, surround magnetic spoken word vocal samples, taken in August 1992 by poet Linda Pastan at Middlebury College, to expand and echo, while mesmerizing with arcane and suggestive frequencies.
Unusual black-and-white visuals by Christian Sundl himself use artificial intelligence to create an otherworldly realm where parallel timelines merge to form ghostly imagery. The setting is an old brick-lined stairwell where one man stands in place and the other moves back and forth. The trace overlays generate a blurry shapeshifting aspect to the figures, making them look like shadowy spectres or monsters.
SUNDL’s incoming 4th album, “Four,“ is due out, in Cassette & Digital formats, on 11th January 2025 via CUT SURFACE & Wilhelm Show Me The Major Label.
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photo by (c) Milena Wuketich
