DESCRIPTION:
Album: Norton.
Year:2006.

In a nutshell:
• On the second album of his late solo work, the krautrock legend
Dieter Moebius († 2015) searches for flaws and uses them as a
creative impulse. As usual, he blithely ignores any mainstream
expectations.
In science, an experiment is defined as an attempt to methodically
gain information by systematically varying parameters.
The results then confirm or refute the hypothesis or the model of
the experiment. In art, however, confirmation is not of interest.
Far more exciting are the flaws. They can lead to completely
unexpected results or to new phenomena that had previously
been expected. In science, such moments are called discoveries.
In this sense, Nurton is experimental music. We can observe
Dieter Moebius on his quest for flaws, which he then uses as a
creative impulse. Rather than sonically imitating the instruments
of a band lineup or following a conventional song structure, he
departs from such rigid approaches. He gladly makes use of
noises and otherness to create variations, examine the results
and sculpt his songs. In doing so, he allows us to participate in
his quest to harness unexpected flaws and to share in his
frequent discovery of an inspiring sonic event found off the
beaten path.
Many tracks on the second album of his later solo work
commence with noise-like loops. Moebius then adds levels of
sound, layer by layer. Threatening industrial-sounding squeaking,
wheezing and sluggish pounding are joined by playful, digital
lead sounds or provided with a foundation using meditative drone
sounds. And almost imperceptibly, the piece lures us into a
comforting hypnosis that one wishes would never end.
On Nurton Moebius demonstrates his true greatness: From a
seemingly arbitrary initial loop, he almost imperceptibly creates a
hypnotic experimental atmosphere: linear, without escalation,
stoic, with clarity and to a hypnotic effect. In doing so, Moebius
uses bolder and more experimental lead sounds than on his
previous solo album Blotch, from seven years prior. The sonic
impression is more diverse and feels reconciled with the sounds
of digital synthesis. Only the last track of the album, fittingly titled
Das Letzte, provides a preview of the musical development that
would characterize Moebius’ solo releases to follow.