Rhythm Ace & Slingerland

A concept by Albert Oehlen and Sven-Åke Johansson

Rhythm Ace & Slingerland, which was recorded during a concert conceived by Albert Oehlen with percussionist
Sven-Åke Johansson at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg in May 2019.

The idea originated from Johansson’s visit to the artist’s studio in 2018. Oehlen showed the drummer his collection of rhythm machines, American and Japanese, from the 1960s onwards. Oehlen explains “I collect old drum machines because I fnd the contradiction fascinating that you collect devices that can do as little as possible. A drum machine is more attractive to me the more limited it is.”
Johansson responds to Oehlen’s musings and collection by creating the performance for Rhythm Ace & Slingerland. Johansson says of the performance “the situation was an extension of my being and also that of this device. It is a win for both: man and machine. So the experiment was successful.”

This new album, a co-production by
NI VU NI CONNU and Galerie Max Hetzler, Berlin 2020

Artwork: Albert Oehlen
Liner notes by Max Dax
Letterpress sleeve: Die Lettertypen

Digital download and poster included
nvnc-lp021