12k presents Status, the result of two of the genre’s most talented, and diffferent, composers; Frank Bretschneider and Ralph Steinbrüchel, sharing their sounds and styles. Status began in the Spring of 2003 when they designed their own sound sequences and samples and sent the material to each other, waiting and hearing what the other will create out of it. They played this game for nearly 2 years, sending sequences and tracks back and forth until both of them were satisfied with the result.

When the minimal 120bpm rhythmic structures of Frank Bretschneider and the austere sonic minimalism of Steinbrüchel get together, a rare piece of atmospheric rythmics is created. Sometimes very melodic, sometimes abstract, sometimes very rhythmic, sometimes nearly pop, and always minimal. Detailed, fragile and full at once Status shows where rhythmic and abstract music can get together, how different sonic worlds combine to create a unique listening experience.

Bretschneider is a founder of Germany’s art/music collective Raster-Noton and has released some of the most engaging albums of the decade. Following last year’s Gold (raster/noton) and the stunning Aerial Riverseries (Whatness, 2002), Looping I-VI (And Other Assorted Love Songs) is Bretschneider’s 2nd 12k cd, following Rausch (2000) and appearances on 12k’s critically acclaimed compilations. His music can also be found on such well-known labels as Mille Plateaux, Audio.NL, Fällt, and Bip-Hop.

Steinbrüchel, born in 1969, studied Communication Design at Central Saint Martins School in London, where he acquired a Masters of Arts and Design with distinction. He now lives and works as a musician and graphic designer in Zurich, Switzerland. In 2002 his composition Zwischen.raum (Domizil15, Zurich, 2002) was distinguished with the Max Brand Award for Electronic Music (phonoTAKTIK.02 Festival, New York). In the same year he received a compositional scholarship from “Pro Helvetia”, Arts Council of Switzerland, to work on his release Circa (Line_012, New York, 2003). In March 2004 the Mini CD-Rom –00:dedaih, which contains an audio/visual installation by Steinbrüchel/Brusa, was published on the label synchron (sync03). In the fall of 2004 his second solo cd Skizzen (Binemusic, Bine 006CD) and the collaboration ATAK004 with Kim Cascone (USA) and Jason Kahn (CH) were also released.