A 1000 Keys
| A 1000 Keys | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 30 September 2016 | |||
| Length | 75:31 | |||
| Label | Editions Mego | |||
| Thomas Brinkmann chronology | ||||
| ||||
A 1000 Keys is a studio album by German record producer Thomas Brinkmann. It was released on 30 September 2016 through Editions Mego.
Background
Thomas Brinkmann is a German record producer.[1] For A 1000 Keys, he translated the sounds of a grand piano into binary codes and sequenced them.[2] The album consists of 18 tracks,[3] clocking in at 75 minutes.[4] All tracks on the album are named after three-letter codes for various international airports.[5] The album is dedicated to composer Conlon Nancarrow.[6] It was released on 30 September 2016 through Editions Mego.[7]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| No Ripcord | 6/10[4] |
| Pitchfork | 6.9/10[6] |
| PopMatters | [3] |
| Resident Advisor | 3.4/5[2] |
Philip Sherburne of Pitchfork commented that "There are no melodies here, just a steady, MIDI-driven pummel of chord clusters: Imagine a set of pistons suspended over the keys, striking over and over until the ivory cracks and the ebony splinters."[6] Marc Masters of Resident Advisor stated, "As ruthless as it can be, the music is a fascinating demonstration of what repetition can do when left unattended, as if the creator has exited the room."[2] He added, "There are some interesting variations in Brinkmann's attack, but many are so small they feel like illusions conjured by all the numbing monotony."[2]
Juan Edgardo Rodríguez of No Ripcord wrote, "A 1000 Keys has the uncanny ability to both fascinate and infuriate those who choose to stay for the entire recording."[4] John Garratt of PopMatters commented that "it's entirely too easy to lose focus amongst all the ramshackle rhythms and atonal figures."[3] He added, "The Editions Mego label has long been good for a conceptually musical challenge for our senses, but A 1000 Keys proves that you can't nail it cold all the time every time."[3] Jedd Beaudoin of Spectrum Culture stated, "it's all hopeless and monochromatic, inescapable but not in the way one hopes for."[8]
Track listing
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "PSA" | 3:12 |
| 2. | "LHR" | 5:48 |
| 3. | "SYD" | 4:36 |
| 4. | "VIE" | 6:58 |
| 5. | "JFK" | 5:50 |
| 6. | "KGD" | 7:24 |
| 7. | "TLV" | 3:26 |
| 8. | "TBS" | 3:24 |
| 9. | "SFO" | 0:44 |
| 10. | "MEX" | 3:27 |
| 11. | "HEL" | 0:44 |
| 12. | "CGN" | 3:35 |
| 13. | "LAS" | 8:11 |
| 14. | "YWG" | 4:37 |
| 15. | "LED" | 2:17 |
| 16. | "NRT" | 3:59 |
| 17. | "MAD" | 5:52 |
| 18. | "KIX" | 1:27 |
| Total length: | 75:31 | |
Notes
- "LHR", "YWG", and "MAD" are not included on the vinyl edition.[9]
References
- ^ Bush, John. "Thomas Brinkmann". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d Masters, Marc (15 September 2016). "Thomas Brinkmann - A 1000 Keys". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b c d Garratt, John (30 September 2016). "Thomas Brinkmann: A 1000 Keys". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 29 May 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Rodríguez, Juan Edgardo (13 October 2016). "Quick Takes (September 2016)". No Ripcord. Archived from the original on 4 November 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Coultate, Aaron (5 July 2016). "Thomas Brinkmann returns to Editions Mego with A 1000 Keys". Resident Advisor. Archived from the original on 1 May 2019. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ a b c Sherburne, Philip (30 September 2016). "Thomas Brinkmann: A 1000 Keys / A Certain Degree of Stasis". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 9 December 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Lozano, Kevin; Minsker, Evan; Monroe, Jazz (5 September 2016). "The Pitchfork Guide to Upcoming Releases: Fall 2016". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ Beaudoin, Jedd (7 November 2016). "Thomas Brinkmann: 1000 Keys". Spectrum Culture. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2025.
- ^ "A 1000 KEYS | Thomas Brinkmann". Bandcamp. Archived from the original on 28 June 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2026.
Further reading
- "Thomas Brinkmann, "A 1000 Keys"". Brainwashed. 28 August 2016.
- Cuzner, Russell (3 October 2016). "Out With The Old Withholds The New: Rum Music By Russell Cuzner". The Quietus.
External links
- A 1000 Keys at Discogs (list of releases)
- A 1000 Keys at AllMusic