"Stadtlandfluss" is the first Klangwart record since 1999?s "Zwei" which came out on Staubgold?s sister label Klangstelle in 1999 and which is going to be re-released on Staubgold not too long after this new release. Klangwart is the duo of Staubgold label chief Markus Detmer and Timo Reuber who is known better under his last name, under which he released three albums already on Staubgold.

Klangwart play ambient electronic music loosely in the tradition beginning with the dreamier Krautrock bands, going via mid 90s glitch and arriving at today?s drone based ambient releases. "Stadtlandfluss" is made up of one long track which is divided into several tunes on the CD, probably for better listening of different passages. It begins rather ambient. The first real remarkable elements are the clicks on "IO? that you also hear on the Staubgold website. Then there?s also some whispered Polish or Russian vocals. It only begins to get real interesting on "Telemann? and "Strom" which belong together. There, Reuber and Detmer start to get a little nastier and out of their comfort zone which suits the album well. Then the crescendo ebbs down again on the last tune "Mein Herz, mein Haus," which again features the Polish or Russian vocals.

"Stadtlandfluss" is actually a work in progress piece of Reuber and Detmer which they play live from samples made by Timo Reuber. The version captured on the CD comes from a live recording in Cologne. It?s not a bad album at all, but a little more variety here and there would have added some more longevity. Actually, the last album "Zwei" was maybe even a little better than "Stadtlandfluss." 6/10 -- Stephan Bauer (6 August, 2008)