“Rhythms and desires seem to have many lives.” This quote stems from Max Spielmann and Johannes Vetsch, taken from the leaflet accompanying Intenta. The compilation features 17 tracks released between 1981 and 1993 from a scene for electronic music in Switzerland. Spielmann and Vetsch were part of this scene themselves. In the quote, the two musicians refer to the re-emerging interest they have been receiving for music they produced under the alias Elephant Château back then. In 2020, these words remind us that the re-issues of 30 to 40 years old music and archival material may not represent a standard procedure in everyone’s perspective.
The astonishment expressed in Spielmann and Vetsch’s quote and similar reactions may be a bit more comprehensible if one considers the “period of transition” covered by Intenta. The tracks Matthias Orsett and Maxi Fischer brought together for the collaborative effort of Geneva-based record shop-cum-imprint Bongo Joe and their own Decalé label are witnesses of a juvenile playfulness. And for the perspective of an originator of such a playfulness, the outcome from back then may not feel adequate a few decades later.
Orsett and Fischer, who compiled Intenta together, did receive quite a few of these bewildered reactions. More often than not, the musicians they reached out to thought the request was a joke. Orsett and Fischer, on the other hand, have been “digging” their way through 80ties sounds for some time now—no joke to be found there. With their label Decalé, they have been focusing on reissuing French music from said period. At first, they wanted to keep their effort for Intenta on the francophone side of things, as Fischer lives in the Basque Country in France and Orsett in Lausanne in Switzerland. But soon enough they discovered gems beyond their side of the “Röschtigraben.” Ultimately, they widened their focus on all of Switzerland.
For the compilation, it is a good thing that Orsett and Fischer looked and maybe worked past possible restraints from the originators of the sounds. They visited all protagonists, had extensive conversations, and finally, did receive lots of support for their project from the musicians as well as their families and relatives (the latter was especially important as two musicians passed away during the process of compiling the release).
Over the 17 tracks, Intenta shows a playfulness in the best sense. Even better: it is a playfulness that may not come to mind immediately when thinking about “experimental” music in the 80ties. But again, this may only be a question of perspective. Maybe the various “serious” wave re-issues we experienced in the past few years did make us forget about all the fun one can have with experimentation?
On the compilation, even the by now known again industrial pioneers UnknownmiX sound like they recorded their music on some Balearic island rather than in greyish Zurich. And yes, the idea to spread love-making by means of a computer may have been quite daring in the early ‘80ties, as Carol Rich tells us about her track “Computered Love” in the leaflet. Still, the tracks’ sonic qualities are rather in line with a presumption of innocence than a daring venture in abstract sounds. Such a seemingly innocent character of the tracks runs through the whole compilation.
Orsett and Fischer are reluctant to name their highlight from Intenta. Rather, they like to point out a special case, namely “Subway.” Its originator Peter Phillip Weiss, one of the very first musicians Orsett and Fischer reached out to, created a special version for the compilation, combing elements from an original and an instrumental version.
For us, on the other hand, two tracks did stand out: Claudine Chirac’s “Etudes” and Carlos Perón’s “Her Heäd Is Bräkin Intu Foör (Primal Version).” The latter wouldn’t feel out of place in a footwork set by Jlin in 2020, while the former descends in a way-too-young-to-be-sad organ hymn. Well, we will leave it up to you to find out your own highlight on Intenta—something you can do here, as we are exclusively streaming the whole compilation ahead of its release.
Intenta—Experimental & Electronic Music from Switzerland 1981-1993 is out this Friday on Bongoe Joe Records and Decalé. Apart from the music, the compilation features extensive background information on all artists in a 24 pages strong booklet.