Bersarin Quartett

Bersarin Quartett is not exactly comprised of a group of four people but is actually a project of a single mind that is of a  German electronic musician Thomas Bücker. I have been a huge fan of Bücker’s gorgeous compositions since his 2008 self-titled debut, which he released on Lidar. Four years later, he was picked up by the beloved Denovali Records, which has consistently appeared on these pages with their unique aesthetic that spans a variety of genres. And so I covered and praised this follow-up simply titled II, and then, in 2015, III, and then, in 2019, [finally] with a more memorable name, Methoden Und Maschinen. Suffice it to say that every single one of these releases ended up on my respective Best of the Year selections. So it should be of no surprise that I’m excited about Bersarin Quartett’s newly announced 5th album, coming out on December 15th,  titled Systeme. I’ve listened to the album many times now, and I can tell you that as an entire package, it brings together all my favourite elements of this particular contemporary genre and, of course, that of Bersarin Quartett’s. “While it still sounds popularly symphonic here and there, there are also many soundscapes that have an observing, almost unmasking effect.” This is particularly fascinating in Bücker’s more than successful attempt at electronic bass music, where he joins the ranks of another favourite musician of mine, Ben Lukas Boysen, seemingly blending neo-classical with neo-electronic styles, as will be evident in today’s exclusive track premiere.

The track “Neuronen” shows my love for experimental bass music. I thought that it might be good for the dramaturgy of the album to incorporate surprising elements from other musical genres – without completely abandoning the typical Bersarin Quartett sound aesthetic.

— Thomas Bücker

Once again, the full album is out on December 15th, 2023, via Denovali. And here comes my personal appeal to all those journalists and bloggers who have already closed their books for the year and compiled their favourite releases – you might want to wait a few more days and add this to your publications! And, if, like me, you’re as big of a fan of everything that Bücker touches, you may want to read up on this 2019 feature, In the studio with Bersarin Quartett diving deeper into the mind and production techniques of this Münster-based musician. Highly recommended!