Originally written by Sean Adams · 19 March 2014
This composer, songwriter and experimental musician is perhaps best known as that German dude who puts vibrators and ping pong balls into his piano, to create rhythms and grooves like no other. Hauschka's mixtape for DiS is not short of surprises. There are some big tunes, some slices of modern classical and a smidgen of ambient music to finish.
1) tUnE-yArDs - Bizness
Her music is very vibrant, airy and powerful. I love the video too.
2) St Vincent - Digital Witness
What a track.... I love brass!
3) Hilary Hahn Fords Farm - Composed by Mason Bates
What a great composition but I can't really decide on a favourite track, they’re all are wonderful pieces on this record.
(Please note: This wasn't available on YouTube, so we added Hilary's Tiny Desk Concert for NPR to the playlist)
4) Nicolas Jaar - Don’t Break My Love
This is a great track as it is somehow similar to my prepared piano beats and it is inspiring.
The connection between electronic music and the prepared piano music is somehow very inspiring.
I am a big fan of Nicolas Jaar's combination of dance and ambient elements.
5) Riceboy Sleeps - Daníell in the Sea
This is a beautiful project of Jónsi and Alex......I like listening to this to relax and drift.
Jelle Kuiper, Jónsi’s sound guy, did my sound on an American tour and this was always our opening music.
6) Dillon - Thirteen Thirtyfive
I like her voice and the minimal arrangements. For me this is music that stands next to James Blake.....where the minimalism of the arrangements puts a lot of focus on the voice.....if I were a vocalist, that would be my approach to my songs.
7) Glen Gould - Goldberg Variations
This, for me, is childhood, genius and punk in one. I love Glenn Gould’s Bach interpretation but also his approach to recording the piano.
I am a big fan of his openness to doing overdubs and in general, he seemed to walk on groundbreaking paths.
8) GAS - A1
Wolfgang Voigt is for me a pioneer in the combination of classical and electronic elements. He stands in my record discoveries right next to the Stars of the Lid and Rachel's.
It is very interesting to listen to music from a diverse background that somehow feels similar. But it is also nice to hear the techno background or the more composed background from the musicians.
Read our review of Hauschka's new album Abandoned City (out now) and stream the new album in full, here.
Tour Dates
Wed 26th March, London, Café Oto
Sat 10th May, Leeds, Howard Assembly Room
Wed 14th May, Reading, South Street Arts
Thu 15th May, Bristol, Colston Hall @ The Lantern
Fri 16th May, Manchester, Burgess Foundation
Find out more at hauschka-net.de
More Mixtapes by Musicians can be found here.