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TRANSIT TRIBE (Album on Vinyl w/CD, released 11/2024 on 4Bit Productions, Vienna) (Extended Version on Tape,released 01/2025 on 4Bit Productions, Vienna) #2 in the Top 10 Rewind 2024 Dub & Reggae Charts selected by Steve Barker, The Wire Magazine (UK) Airplay: Steve Barker, On The Wire - Slack City Radio (UK), Solénoïde (FR), DJ Marcelle - Another Nice Mess (NL), Radio RDL (DE), WDR 3 (DE), WFMU, New York (US), Klangwelten Eldoradio (DE), Utility Fog FBi Radio, Sydney (AU), FM4 Im Sumpf (AT), Radio Jazz FM (PL), Battiti RAI3 (IT), CiTR, Vancouver (CA), Dublab, Tokio (JP), RCV Lille (FR), Zeit-Ton - Ö1 (AT) 4 Stars review: „Top drawer future dub explorations from Viennese avant-garde-electronicist / DJ Troyer. A collab-heavy set, with British poet Roger Robinson emoting over undulating bass synths (Lago di Garda) and balafon master Mamadou Diabaté providing melodic bounce to Latzfonser Kreuz.“ - SimonMcEwen, MOJO Magazine, December 2024 (UK) 4,5 Stars review: „If the Anthropocene had a dancefloor, "Transit Tribe" might just be its soundtrack - a richly textured, sonically kaleidoscopic journey where dub aesthetics meet global grooves and Alpine echoes. Ulrich Troyer, Vienna’s polymath of sound, delivers an album that feels like a musical passport, stamped with the traditions and innovations of collaborators from Burkina Faso to Tokyo, South Tyrol to Istanbul. Troyer’s career, spanning over two decades, has seen him exploring the fringes of genre, but dub remains his guiding star. In "Transit Tribe", the dub ethos isn’t merely a nod to reggae’s rhythmic roots but a philosophy of space, layering, and sonic expansion. Troyer invites us to a sonic feast where organic instruments like zither, balafon, and talking drum sit comfortably alongside modular synths and analog basslines. The result? A rich, warm, and deeply resonant album that feels both ancient and futuristic, as if past and future collided in a Vienna studio. The album’s lineup reads like a musical dream team: Mamadou Diabate, a virtuoso of the balafon and talking drum, brings West African rhythmic energy; Reinhilde Gamper and Martin Mallaun’s zither explorations evoke the spirit of the Alps; Osman Murat Ertel’s electric saz and theremin channel Istanbul’s electro-psych undercurrents; and Diggory Kenrick’s flute drips with classic dub sensibilities. Add the poetic voice of Roger Robinson, the fluid melodica lines of Mystica Tribe’s Takafumi Noda, and the percussive brilliance of Didi Kern, and you’ve got a recipe for transcendence. The tracks themselves are miniature worlds. “Vajolet”, featuring Lukas Lauermann’s cello and Wolfgang Pfistermüller’s warm bass trombone, sets the tone with a lush, cinematic opening. “Autostrada del Brennero” pairs driving rhythms with Kenrick’s airy flute lines, creating a groove-laden highway of sound. The hypnotic “Latzfonser Kreuz”, with Mamadou Diabate and Hamidou Koita, is a joyous celebration of rhythmic interplay, while “Lago di Garda” becomes a spoken-word meditation, thanks to Robinson’s evocative poetry. And then there’s the zither-centric magic of “Ancient Atoll”, a sprawling 10-minute odyssey that feels like a sonic map of an imagined land. Layers of vibraphone and marimba shimmer like sunlight on water, while the electronic undercurrents remind us that this is, indeed, a futurist's playground. But what sets "Transit Tribe" apart is its ability to balance the cerebral with the visceral. It’s music you can think to, dance to, and dream with. Each track is meticulously crafted yet feels alive, as if the instruments themselves are conversing in a language only Troyer could orchestrate. If you’ve ever wondered what the Alps might sound like if they danced to a dub rhythm or how a saz and a zither might harmonize over analog synths, "Transit Tribe" is a possible answer. It’s an album that dares to imagine a sonic utopia - and almost convinces us it exists.“ - Vito Camarretta, Chain D.L.K. (US/IT) „Ulrich Troyer ist ein in Wien beheimateter Produzent und Sound-Tüftler, der seit über 20 Jahren solo und im Rahmen unterschiedlicher Projekte Musik macht. Dabei lässt er sich kaum in ein Genre einordnen und ist mehr an filigranen Tönen und eigenwilligen Texturen interessiert als an Radio- oder Clubtauglichkeit. Am ehesten lässt sich ein Großteil seiner Produktionen unter „Dub" subsummieren, da der gezielte Einsatz von Raum, Delay, Echo und anderen klanglichen Manipulationen seine Arbeit prägt. So zieht sich der Dub-Einfluss als roter Faden auch durch sein aktuelles Album „Transit Tribe", das ursprünglich Ende letzten Jahres auf Vinyl erschien und nun noch einmal neu als Extended Version mit fünf zusätzlichen Bonus-Tracks auf Tape und digital aufgelegt wurde. Auf dem Album kommt eine beeindruckende Mischung an Musikerinnen und Instrumenten zusammen: analoge Bass-Synthesizer, Zither, Elektro-Saz, Flöte, Talking Drum, Klarinette, Cello, Marimba, Djembe, Posaune und noch vieles mehr - vereint durch organische Live-Drums und Dub-Effekte. Als „Ear Candy" kommen hier und da Field Recordings ins Spiel, etwa in den Tiroler Alpen gesampelte Kuhglocken. Die Single „Auto-strada Del Brennero", eines der Highlights des Albums, wird vom Flötenspiel von Diggory Kendrick veredelt. Auf der Extended Version ist die Nummer nochmal als alternative Version namens „Brennerau-tobahn" zu hören, auf der Taka Noda aka Mystic Tribe mit seiner Melodica als Leadinstrument brilliert. Während dieser und einige andere Tracks auf klassischen Reggae-One-Drops basieren, gehen etwa „Echoes Pt. 1" und „Pt. 2" mehr in Richtung Ambient, verbinden das Vibraphonspiel von Flip Philipp mit sanften Synthieklängen und verzichten (annähernd) auf Drums. Auf dem Titeltrack spielt das schleppende Live-Schlagzeug zusammen mit der Percussion (beides meisterhaft von Didi Kern eingespielt) die Hauptrolle, und es gibt sonst überhaupt nichts mehr außer einigen Effekten, Glocken und elektronischen Einsprengseln. „Europabrücke" stellt das virtuos-mys-tische Klarinettenspiel von Susanna Gartmayer in den Mittelpunkt, das eine fast schon filmische Atmosphäre und Suspense erzeugt. „Latz-fonser Kreuz" basiert auf kindlich anmutenden Offbeats, die vom herzergreifenden, melancholischen Gesang des aus Burkina Faso stammenden und eigentlich für sein Balafon-Spiel bekannten Mamadou Diabate getragen werden. Der vielleicht spannendste Track ist „Lago Di Garda", der die zerbrechliche Stimme des großen Sängers und Dub-Poeten Roger Robinson mit psychedelischen Synthieflächen, fiependen Effekten und schwer sequenzierten Drums kombiniert. Der Song klingt wie eine Vertonung des Gefühls, morgens um sechs aus dem Club ins Sonnenlicht eines neuen Tags zu stolpern. „Transit Tribe" ist ein Album, das Dub-Musik weiterdenkt, voller Überraschungen und Wendungen steckt, dadurch aber auch schwer festzumachen und wohl nicht ganz einfach zu verkaufen ist. Die extrem hochkarätige Besetzung und die unwahrscheinliche, heutzutage selten gewordene Liebe zum Detail machen es zu einem Liebhaberstück, das sich hervorragend dazu eignet, sich in den Echoschleifen zu verlieren und einfach nur treiben zu lassen.“ - Peter Lindorfer, Riddim Magazine 02-2025 „Avec Transit Tribe, Ulrich Troyer déploie une vision musicale qui transcende les frontières géographiques et stylistiques, s’imposant comme une œuvre manifeste de l’ambient-dub contemporain. Ce disque ambitieux et riche en collaborations internationales ne se contente pas d’explorer les échos familiers du dub traditionnel, mais les conjugue à une multitude d’influences – du jazz au reggae, en passant par le psychédélisme et les musiques du monde – pour tracer une carte sonore inédite. […] Une réussite éclatante qui confirme l’autrichien comme l’une des voix les plus audacieuses et visionnaires de la scène dub contemporaine. Écouter Transit Tribe, c’est accepter de se perdre dans un labyrinthe d’échos, de rythmes et de mélodies. Un labyrinthe où l’on aimerait ne jamais trouver la sortie.“ - Olivier Lehoux, Solénopole (FR) „UN PONTE PER L’EUROPA. “ - Roberto Mandolini, Rockerilla Magazine (IT) „Ulrich Troyer, maître du dub futuriste, nous guidera à travers son album Transit Tribe, une exploration poétique des frontières musicales, de l’Autriche à l’Afrique de l’Ouest, en passant par la Turquie. Ce voyage hypnotique est paré de collaborations prestigieuses et d’une approche innovante du dub minimaliste.“ - Olivier Lehoux, SOLÉNOÏDE RADIOSHOW, Solenopole (FR) „On his latest 7" preceding the Transit Tribe album due later this year, Viennese glitch-dub artist Ulrich Troyer brings us a tune featuring, and co-written by, the legendary Mamadou Diabate on vocals and talking drum, along with Hamidou Koita on vocals and djembe. Both are originally from Burkina Faso and now based in Vienna, teaming up for what the three describe as "dubbed-out Nyahbinghi-style electro-beats". It's an inspired combination, showcasing the nimble percussion and sweet vocals of the two guests.“ - Peter Hollo, Utility Fog FBi Radio, Sydney (AU) „Troyer’s craftsmanship, alongside his global collaborators, transforms simple instruments into vehicles for mystical exploration. With field recordings and analog synthesizers, the tracks feel as if they carry whispers from ancient trails - like soundscapes haunted by forgotten rites. The duality between the two sides mirrors a balance between ancient ritual and modern electronica, and Troyer successfully connects diverse musical traditions into something deeply atmospheric and meditative. Not just an album, "Latzfonser Kreuz / Feltuner Hütte" feels like a pilgrimage for the ears, each track like a step into unknown territories, where history, ritual, and digital sounds coalesce. You feel the altitude of the highlands in the layers of percussion, the isolation in Troyer’s expansive dub treatments, and the cultural cross-pollination in each carefully constructed soundscape. This release, balancing spirituality with experimental dub, could easily be the soundtrack to a trek through ethereal peaks. “ - Vito Camarretta, Chain D.L.K. (US/IT) „Sparse yet dense, confident experiments in bass frequencies and massive echo and reverb it’s difficult to resist the urge to nod along to, slow, heavy-headed, mellow to the max.“ - Christopher Nosnibor, Aural Aggravation (UK) „Ah, the romance of the open road! From Kerouac's fevered scribblings to Kraftwerk's sterile love letter to the Autobahn, the notion of the highway has long inspired a certain type of artist to look beyond the mundane and into the rhythmic hum of engines and the infinite possibility of horizons. Enter Ulrich Troyer with "Autostrada del Brennero", a two-track dub journey that swaps the endless plains of America's highways for the concrete curves of the Brenner Pass, channeling this motoric obsession into something altogether more... smoked out. Ulrich Troyer isn’t new to the game. He’s a seasoned explorer of soundscapes, one who knows his way around a dubplate as well as a synthesizer. With "Autostrada del Brennero", he’s crafted something that’s both a tribute and a reimagining of what travel music can be. Here, the road is not just a metaphor for life’s journey; it’s a literal thoroughfare, buzzing with the echoes of trucks, distant traffic hums, and the pulse of a city left behind. On "AUTOSTRADA DEL BRENNERO", the first track, Diggory Kenrick’s flute flutters like the wind through open car windows, a delicate counterpoint to the solid, unwavering bassline that drives the piece forward. There’s a meditative quality here, an invitation to zone out and let the miles (or kilometers, for our European friends) melt away beneath your wheels. Kenrick, with his experience in the revivalist reggae scene, knows exactly when to let his instrument take the lead and when to let it fade into the background, becoming just another texture in the evolving soundscape. If side A is a smooth cruise through the mountains, then "BRENNERAUTOBAHN" flips the script, courtesy of Takafumi Noda, a.k.a. Mystica Tribe. His melodica injects a bit of the unexpected into the mix — a slight detour, if you will. The track is rooted in technoid dub, but Noda’s influence pulls it towards something more organic, more tactile. The analog synths and drum machines provide a mechanical undercurrent, but it’s the melodica that adds a touch of humanity, like a lone hitchhiker thumbing a ride on this electronic odyssey. Troyer’s production here is pristine but not sterile. You can almost hear the sweat and the late-night studio sessions, the tweaking of knobs and faders until everything sits just right in the mix. It’s clear that this isn’t just a one-off experiment; it’s the product of someone who has lived and breathed dub music for years, who understands its roots as much as its future potential. Musically, "Autostrada del Brennero" may seem deceptively simple at first glance. But like all good dub, it’s in the details where the magic happens. The bass isn’t just heavy; it’s a gravitational force, pulling you deeper into the sound. The drums aren’t just a rhythm; they’re a conversation, each hit and echo speaking to the spaces in between. And then there’s the way the tracks seem to stretch out, as if time itself is being manipulated, much like the experience of a long drive where minutes blur into hours. This record exists somewhere between the physicality of a 7" vinyl and the conceptual space of a sound art piece. It's a record that might remind you of the long-form journeys of Basic Channel or the late-night drives soundtracked by King Tubby, yet it’s distinctly Troyer’s own. This is dub music as a mode of transportation — not just sonically, but mentally. It’s music that invites you to close your eyes and drift, to let your mind wander down the road it paves. If you're asking for my verdict, I would say that "Autostrada del Brennero" is not just for the dubheads. It’s for anyone who’s ever found solace in the repetitive thrum of a highway, who’s ever lost themselves in the blur of the landscape flashing by. It’s an homage to the romance of the road, but also a reminder that every journey is shaped as much by the company you keep as by the path you take. With contributions from Kenrick and Noda, Troyer has crafted a record that’s as much about collaboration as it is about solitary travel. It's a short trip—just two tracks—but one that lingers long after the needle lifts. Buckle up, and enjoy the ride.“ - Vito Camarretta, Chain D.L.K. (US/IT) |
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