7K! launches a new series – Plunderphonia
Plunderphonia is a new series of musical projects that create original music by “plundering” unexpected historical sources and genre blueprints. Developed by !K7 founder Horst Weidenmüller, the debut Plunderphonia album has been recorded by Grammy nominated artist PC Nackt – collaborator with Apparat and José González and creative head of The String Theory and Warren Suicide.
Continuing a theme explored in Henrik Schwarz’s 2018 Plunderphonia concert, which re- appropriated 700 string sequences, PC Nackt’s new album re-uses classical piano compositions that have been selected by music supervisor Hania Rani.
Plunderphonia has had a long gestation. “It started in 2015”, says Weidenmüller. “A string arranger on !K7 had been writing highly emotional music and I was amazed by its intensity.” He decided to launch a sub-label, 7K!, to explore new classical and undefined music. “I started talking to friends about how we could use existing compositions to create new music. At the time I was also working with Henrik Schwarz, so I explained my idea of Plunderphonia to him. He said ‘I’ve got a project that’s similar to what you are thinking about’.” Schwarz’s project used classical string samples and re-arranged them into new compositions. It was an ideal starting point. Like the DJ-Kicks series, Weidenmüller wants each Plunderphonia to be led by a different artist. But he soon recognized that the project needed a team approach. “I realized it’s overwhelming and difficult to find one person with all the required skill sets.
The versatility and free-mindedness at the heart of PC Nackt’s approach to production and collaboration make him the ideal candidate for the first contributor to 7K!’s upcoming Plunderphonia project, which will see contemporary musicians and producers remix, re-edit and reinterpret archive works. PC Nackt’s contribution will focus on classical piano composition, including pieces by Schubert, Scarlatti and Bach.
After Hamburg Nackt flew to LA to record a String Theory session and stayed on to mix the Hamburg recordings. “I went into a bubble editing the record. I decided to go for the most beautiful version of this album, because, whatever I do, you will always feel my edgy side anyway.” Venice Beach proved an ideal backdrop. “Everyone is so nice and smiley, which of course also translated into the sound. Then and there, Plunderphonia became a global project filtered by a plurality of perspectives and approaches .”
“I’m very excited to see how people will react to it. Our world is very territorial and yet music is floating magically above any definition,” concludes PC Nackt. “Through Plunderphonia I’m sharing my personal sense of wonder and opportunity. It’s an invitation to overcome prejudices and create sustaining experiences in life.”
Written by Ben Osborn
Continuing a theme explored in Henrik Schwarz’s 2018 Plunderphonia concert, which re- appropriated 700 string sequences, PC Nackt’s new album re-uses classical piano compositions that have been selected by music supervisor Hania Rani.
Plunderphonia has had a long gestation. “It started in 2015”, says Weidenmüller. “A string arranger on !K7 had been writing highly emotional music and I was amazed by its intensity.” He decided to launch a sub-label, 7K!, to explore new classical and undefined music. “I started talking to friends about how we could use existing compositions to create new music. At the time I was also working with Henrik Schwarz, so I explained my idea of Plunderphonia to him. He said ‘I’ve got a project that’s similar to what you are thinking about’.” Schwarz’s project used classical string samples and re-arranged them into new compositions. It was an ideal starting point. Like the DJ-Kicks series, Weidenmüller wants each Plunderphonia to be led by a different artist. But he soon recognized that the project needed a team approach. “I realized it’s overwhelming and difficult to find one person with all the required skill sets.
The versatility and free-mindedness at the heart of PC Nackt’s approach to production and collaboration make him the ideal candidate for the first contributor to 7K!’s upcoming Plunderphonia project, which will see contemporary musicians and producers remix, re-edit and reinterpret archive works. PC Nackt’s contribution will focus on classical piano composition, including pieces by Schubert, Scarlatti and Bach.
After Hamburg Nackt flew to LA to record a String Theory session and stayed on to mix the Hamburg recordings. “I went into a bubble editing the record. I decided to go for the most beautiful version of this album, because, whatever I do, you will always feel my edgy side anyway.” Venice Beach proved an ideal backdrop. “Everyone is so nice and smiley, which of course also translated into the sound. Then and there, Plunderphonia became a global project filtered by a plurality of perspectives and approaches .”
“I’m very excited to see how people will react to it. Our world is very territorial and yet music is floating magically above any definition,” concludes PC Nackt. “Through Plunderphonia I’m sharing my personal sense of wonder and opportunity. It’s an invitation to overcome prejudices and create sustaining experiences in life.”
Written by Ben Osborn
