This article is based on an interview which took place at Steve Roach’s desert habitat [Tucson, Arizona]. Questioning and article by Darren Bergstein.

Rapid Eye Movements: Temps Perdu? - Lost in Time Forever

“We don´t spend so much time discussing what is going to happen; we just leave out time and do whatever the best thing seems to be” in one brief instant, the French half of Temps Perdu?, Catherine Ledit-Grützmann, manages to perfectly sum up the modus operandi of the German electronic duo Temps Perdu?. Their name literally translated as “lost time”, and, like being immersed in a sensory deprivation tank while your subconscious hurls fusillades of hallucinations at you, the fourteen tracks on Athanor, the pair´s remarkable debut, has a similar psychological effect. A cornucopia of xenomorphic textures and ersatz, machineborn ritualisms, what separates Athanor from the rest of the inhabitants occupying the proto-ethnic sphere is that they eagerly incorporate dusty industrial motes or the urban pulse of techno´s into their electronic forests.

“I´m primarily influenced by electronic music. Rock or classical music never really touched me” says German-born Dirk Grützmann, Temps Perdu?´s instrumental core. Although both Catherine and himself co-compose all the band´s work, Dirk´s fingers are the first to push the buttons and establish the motifs. “I prefer dark atmospheres, new sounds, experimental sounds. What´s funny is that I started on the old analog synths about two years after I bought them; Catherine “discovers” the machines and suddenly plays with the knobs. She tries to find touching melodies on acoustic instruments like flute, hand drums and cymbals”. It´s no secret then that Athanor is made up of a wide variety of styles, genres and nuances. “One of my most important influences is Jon Hassell” says Dirk “When Power Spot came out, it was something which really pushed me to do more music. Before that I was heavily into industrial stuff: Chris & Cosey positioned saddle-to-saddle with Greinke or Hassell (such as on “Aku Aku”). The coming together of such seemingly incompatible directions reveals the creative mucleus of Temps Perdu?´s music.

“Both Catherine and I have a lot of the same interest in culture, travel, the same view of life” says Dirk. “This helps us to find common ground for our music. I do need a certain atmosphere to compose in, though we usually start with percussion, things from the kitchen, the bedroom. We begin with acoustic instruments, then blend in electronics. I lay down a foundation of sorts, and then Catherine come in and ad-libs. But we do function as one complete unit; we complement each other perfectly”.

Catherine shares Dirk´s feelings regarding their unspoken musical bond. “Things seem to be intuitive. Sometimes Dirk has a very precise idea of what he wants to do, but he has to start with a track, regardless, with sequencers, to allow it do something, for something to happen”. And when they gel, when things do happen, you get spooky treatses like “Degreee Absolute”, or the febrile merging of galactica and jungle hedonism to be found on “Abraxas”.

They´ve even slashed boundaries on last year´s provocative Twiligth Earth compilation, which brought such experimental souls as O Yuki Conjugate, Alio Die, Paul Schütze and Jorge Reyes, among others together beneath an umbrella of peculiarly uncharacteristic performances. “The Twilight Earth project came about as a means to bring all these wonderful people together on one record. It was created as a means to communicate, to have a tool to communicate with our favorite musicians”. Catherine vehemently concurs. “It was a very heavy job, but a very good experience, with everyone sharing their ideas, especially the ones that arose out of this “fourth world” area. Everyone´s contributions are somewhat similar but most originate at the same time. The music does not fit into one simple area”. That continued cross-pollenization should be further evident throughout their work-in-progress: a follw-up to Athanor, and a second Twilight Earth collection.

Which, literally translated, means Temps Perdu? are interested in just misplacing time; they mean to shatter the chronological embryo entirely. i/e