Description

A quietly influential figure among electronic and experimental circles since the late 90s, Berlin based sound artist Hanno Leichtmann has been developing a sprawling and idiosyncratic vision both as a creator and curator. 

With a keen sense for charting new territories, Leichtmann’s work spawns a multitude of languages that go from delicate ambient excursions to techno explorations or abstract sceneries on numerous sound installations, releases on such esteemed labels like Entr’acte, Karl Records, Arbitrary or The Tapeworm and collaborations with artists like Valerio Tricoli or Jan Jelinek. A reflection of his keen sense of discovery.

Centered around the Villa Aurora Organ, an intriguing and mostly unknown  instrument built in 1928/29 by the Artcraft Organ Company in Santa Monica, California, ‘Outerlands’ presents a deeply personal approach to the instrument’s particular properties, very much in line with Discrepant’s ethos. Consisting of a pipe organ, a wall mounted marimba and a two octave tubular bells/chimes ensemble, remotely controllable by MIDI, the Villa Aurora Organ’s rich palette of sounds is translated into 12 short tracks capable of conveying the mesmerising spirits of minimalism, exotica and devotional music.

Starting with the ecstatic sound of the pipe organ, ‘Lucero’ sets up the hypnotic mood for ‘Outerland’s excursions through moments of spiralling repetition – ‘Tramonto’ -, blissful contemplation – ‘Sunset’ or ‘Notteargenta’ – or underlying tension – ‘Coperto’. ‘Espera’ amps up the unease, with queasy organ tones lurking beneath marimba harmonic motifs that wouldn’t sound out of of place on some survival horror movie, while ‘Miramar’ or ‘Revello’ bring an uncanny sense of familiarity through its repetitive melodies. 

Drifting seamlessly through a variety of moods that somehow feel connected – the outerlands are within you, if you allow yourself to let go.

Credits

Music written and produced by Hanno Leichtmann.

Recorded during October 2021 by Hanno Leichtmann and Jeff Palmer at Villa Aurora, Los Angeles. Mixed in March 2023 by Hanno Leichtmann in Berlin.

All sounds recorded on the Villa Aurora Organ, built in 1928/29 by Artcraft Organ Company, Santa Monica, California. This cinema style organ consists of a pipe organ, a wall mounted marimba and a two octave tubular bells/chimes ensemble. All sections of the organ were MIDI equipped in 2010 and are therefore also remote controllable. Some of the recordings were processed with a ER – 301 sound computer.

Mastering by Rashad Becker.

Cover Art by Gonçalo F. Cardoso and Hanno Leichtmann.

Back design by Caro Mikalef

Special thanks to: Claudia Gordon, Friedel Schmoranzer and the whole Villa Aurora team for their kind support.