Klaus Schulze: Deus Arrakis (2022)

Klaus Schulze - Deus Arrakis

KS Album 60

Track Listing:

1.	Osiris	18:18
2.	Seth	31:47
3.	Der Hauch des Lebens	27:08

Notes:

(1) Wolfgang Tiepold plays cello on "Seth".

(2) Eva-Maria Kagermann makes vocal sounds on "Der Hauch des Lebens".

Rating: 4½ Stars

This is the 60th solo album recorded by Klaus Schulze. It was announced on 4th April 2022, but sadly he passed away three weeks later on 26th April, making it a posthumous release. I was in hospital at the time, clicking away the boredom on my mobile phone, when I read the news. I can't begin tell you how much it hurt me. I already knew that he'd been ill for years, but it was still an unexpected shock.

The album is based on the "Dune" novels by Frank Herbert. I admit that I've never read the books, so I'm unable to piece together the connection. I know that Arrakis is the name of the primary planet in the books, but I don't know the significance of Osiris and Seth.

Today is only the second time I've listened to the album. I listened to it as soon as I received it when it was released in June. After this I put it on one side while I was reviewing his other albums in order.

"Osiris" is probably the closest music Klaus has ever made to space music. I don't want to say space rock, because it's far from rock music. Its majestic building synthesizer chords build in intensity, until they're finally joined by a subtle sequencer rhythm.

Some music takes its time to grow on me. I remember that I didn't like "Seth" when I first heard it. It starts off with space music once more, but the sequencer kicks in early, more prominently than in the first track, and Wolfgang Tiepold's cello lifts the music to a different plane. Is it spiritual or just hypnotic? I can't say. What I can say is that it's a piece of music best listened to in complete darkness. 

"Der Hauch des Lebens" (engl. "The Breath of Life") returns to the realm of space music. That's an appellation I would never have given to Klaus Schulze's music at any time during the last 50 years, but it fits now. Are we drifting through space or wandering on a barren planet? It's more of the latter. The sequencer begins after eight minutes, but rather than dominating the music it gives emphasis to the synthesizer sounds. It drifts out as effortlessly as it began.

Among Klaus Schulze's fans, the praise for this album has been ecstatic. Some have even called it his best album. I think they're saying that for emotional reasons. Looking at it objectively (as objectively as I can) it's a very good album, but not up to the quality of his classic albums made in the 1970's. Or maybe it will grow on me even more when I listen to it again.

Is this his final album? That depends on Klaus Schulze's friend and publisher KDM. Does he have more tapes that would be suitable for release? Maybe, maybe not, because I assume that he's already released the rest. What I do know is that over the years he's given many pieces of music free on CD-Roms to subscribers of his monthly magazine, "The KS Circle". I'm hoping that all of these will be released in a future box set.