Burnt Friedman launches Risque

The new label from the German artist commences with a two-track single.

It was not so long ago that Burnt Friedman was last found delighting our ears alongside Uwe Schmidt with the most recent album from their Flanger project. After a ten year gap the Lollopy Dripper album arrived in a melting pot of micro samples, jazz licks and intricate rhythmic incantations. Of course Friedman is no stranger to unusual rhythms, having made it something of a personal mission to break away from standard Western timing and head into pastures new, aided and abetted in no small part by Jaki Liebezeit on their celebrated Secret Rhythms albums. 2014’s Cease To Matter found the German musician working with vocalist Daniel Dodd-Ellis on an album very much cut in the mould of his solo work, but there has not been a great deal of lone wolf material from Friedman since the Zokuhen album in 2012.

While Nonplace has been Friedman’s personal label since 2000, he now deems it appropriate to start a new project under the name of Risque. The label comes to life with a two-track single from Friedman entitled Masque, and the style should place regular Friedman listeners in a comfortable, familiar place. The approach seems to be a more stripped back, meditative concern that sustains its dubby mood throughout on both “Masque” and the B side “Peluche”. Rumour has it there will be further activity from Friedman with a new Flanger EP and accompanying tour due in May, but for now you can hear clips of this latest transmission from the planet Burnt right here at the Risque Records website.

Masque by Burnt Friedman is out now on Risque.

Tracklisting:

A. Masque
B. Peluche

Burnt Friedman on Juno