99.

Ekkehard Ehlers
Plays
(Staubgold, 2002)

Pretty much a card carrying member of the musical avant-garde, Ekkehard Ehlers work has always seemed bent on stretching the boundaries of sound. Both intellectually charged and musically raw, Plays is a tour de force that never lets its experimentalism overshadow its physicality. As a series of pieces that are both dedicated to and inspired by various artistic individuals, each track on Plays inhabits a space unique from any of the others. The ten expansive sound puzzles vary in length and tonality, but due to Ehlers expert ear, never become dull or draining, which is an impressive feat no matter what genre you’re working in.

-Thistle