The Mix 089: Dopplereffekt

In the world of electronic music, some acts are held in such high regard it’s akin to reverence. Dopplereffekt stand in that tier, boldly exploring themes and concepts that expand way beyond the dimension we all inhabit to bring a whole other level of inspiration to their creativity. The duo, Gerald Donald and To Nhan Le Thi, formed over 30 years ago in 1995, and remain at the forefront of forward-thinking, visionary electronic music. Their live performances are fuelled by spontaneity, harnessing the energy of the human/machine interface to create in-the-moment musical compositions informed by their expansive ethos. In the studio, it’s a similar outlook. Their creative output represents the relationship between sonics, conceptual philosophies and visual interpretation.

Like Drexciya, the preceding project Gerald was involved with alongside the late James Stinson, Dopplereffekt has a far deeper meaning and mythology than simply making music for the sake of it. With their latest release, a debut on German label Tresor, Dopplereffekt explore the concept of cosmotechnics. Their press campaign states: “Intended to be a 'total work of art' of abstract science and techno-politics, Dopplereffekt’s titles and music draw from theoretical physics. Philosopher Yuk Hui defines cosmotechnics as the reconciliation of technology and world, of the planetary and the local. The duo’s practice does not aestheticise machines; it asks how a machine might think cosmologically.” 

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With such a rich philosophy to take inspiration from, the new release takes us into the depths of Dopplereffekt’s realm. A world that blends elements of fantasy with the realities of a future where the lines between humanity and technology are increasingly blurred. 'Metasymmetry' is the title of the new EP and that is there where this interview begins… 

'Metasymmetry' plays with polarity, architectural precision versus dissolution. What does creative tension, in the midst of polarity, represent for you philosophically at this stage in your development?

They are symbiotic and serve as a positive feedback loop. Information is input and transformed into creative operation. These forces form a pendulum effect between these two poles.

Cosmotechnics asks how technology and world can be reconciled. How does 'Metasymmetry' expand or challenge your own cosmotechnical praxis compared to earlier Dopplereffekt work?

In this case, the concept describes how the Cosmos is a systematic unity arranged in structural hierarchies. One symmetrical system is nested within a larger and higher dimensional system. It has no conceptual comparison or connection to past works. This can range from geometries, physical phenomenon and atomic configurations and particles. 'Metasymmetry' states the entire universe is a unified symmetrical system. Balance of energy and matter.

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You’ve spoken before about machines “thinking cosmologically.” When you’re composing now, what does that actually mean in practical terms? How do you translate an abstract cosmology into a sonic decision?

Sounds themselves can represent various aspects of a realm or universe. Some events occur at regular intervals, whilst others occur randomly. An entire composition can represent a phenomenon or a set of phenomena, acting independently or in tandem. For example, a supernova has a specific set of waveforms it produces the moment it detonates, electrons when they flow to produce current. All physical events have signature fundamentals and harmonics, timbre and texture. Music is just a translation of physical reality into patterns and rhythm. Combined frequencies.

The EP arrives three decades after your first Dopplereffekt release, but it’s your debut on Tresor. What made this the right moment to formally intersect your practice with the label?

The objective is to reach higher dimensions. So this collaboration was a logical step for progress.

A recurring element in your work is the dissolution of fixed identity - race, state.. machine. How does 'Metasymmetry' extend this theme? Are there new boundaries you’re aiming to transcend?

The overall goal of this project is to enter higher multiple dimensions via the medium of sound, visual and concept. This objective is a continuum. The new boundary to transcend is the boundary of dimensional limits. It is not a musical project in the normal interpretation but an entire conceptual realm. A system of interconnected dimensions.

I saw Dopplereffekt perform at the British Library during the Drexciya-focused evening. Presenting future-focused music in that context - a literal institution of human history - created a striking contrast. How did performing in such a space shape your approach, preparation or sense of the work’s meaning?

Basically, we just adapted our presentation to the atmosphere presented. The conceptual basis was expressed purely by the work itself.

How does performing in a venue so steeped in historical memory, with the whole night dedicated to Drexciya, get you thinking about the project's heritage, particularly now that your practice has moved beyond that mythology?

DPKT of course had its origins from that original universe, but now it exists in its own independent universe, with its own identity and purpose. So participating in this event was akin to looking back at the origins of the universe, the Big Bang. Look back time, to time zero.

You’ve described the Dopplereffekt project as a “total work of art.” How do the visual, conceptual and sonic layers of Metasymmetry interact?

That description has been revised and updated. It is now seen, as stated earlier, as a complete multi-dimensional realm, a multiverse. It can also be considered “many worlds,” where the same event, in superposition, is realised in different outcomes in different universes.

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How does your live methodology evolve alongside your studio work, especially when the material deals with multiversal or non-linear ideas?

That question is difficult to respond to at this time, as we will have to await further developments in the future. It is taking form in stages, from theory to application.

Thirty years into Dopplereffekt, what questions are you still asking yourself when you sit down to create? And are those questions becoming simpler, more complex or something else entirely?

We do not ask ourselves any questions during the creative process. We just create and exist within the moment. Overthinking disrupts the creative process.

Can you tell us about your mix?

This collection of musical pieces was arranged to demonstrate the diverse spectrum of aesthetic and styles of electronic music and textures. The objective: a higher dimensional experience, a stellar gate.

Dopplereffekt's debut EP on Tresor Records, 'Metasymmetry', is out now, buy it here

Marcus Barnes is a freelance writer, follow him on Instagram

Tracklist:
1. Tangerine Dream - Sequent C' 
2. Alva Noto + Ryuichi Sakamoto - Microon III 
3. Surgeon - Dinah’s Dream 
4. The Midnight Episode - Romancer
5. Jeff Mills - Blue Print 
6. Jeff Mills - Transformation A 
7. Kraftwerk - Home Computer 
8. Surgeon - Golden
9. Jeff Mills - Perfecture: Somewhere Around Now 
10. Jeff Mills - The Keeping Of The Kept 
11. Underground Resistance - Amazon 
12. Jeff Mills - Condor to Mallorca 
13. Infiniti - Game One 
14. Underground Resistance - The Final Frontier 
15. Joey Beltram - Drome
16. Phase Feat, Dr. Motte - Der Klang Der Familie 
17. Thomas P. Heckmann - Amphetamine 
18. Dead Can Dance - The Host of Seraphim 
19. Hans Zimmer - Paul's Dream (Dune: Music from the Soundtrack)