Schutz Dieter - Voyage [VINYL]

Bureau B once again dive into the Sky archive, unearthing another overlooked masterpiece long due for rediscovery. Originally released in 1985, 'Voyage' finds Dieter Schutz venturing beyond his Berlin School roots into a realm of lo-fi immediacy and New Age naivety. Every instrument is played by Schutz himself, except for the drums on "Above", which are performed with syncopated zeal by Michael Fecker. While its textured synthscapes and wistful melodies may echo the aesthetics of 2010s Vaporwave, 'Voyage' captured a longing for another world, not through borrowed nostalgia, but through a contemporary vision of escape. Here, Schutz's music is lush yet unpretentious, full of warmth, curiosity, and the gentle imperfections of handmade sound, his combination of organic and synthetic instruments marrying to summon faraway landscapes -- Amazonian forests, sunlit coasts, and cosmic night skies. Born in Flensburg in 1955, Schutz was a natural multi-instrumentalist, beginning with accordion, recorder, and acoustic guitar before moving into rock and contemporary pop. He played lead guitar in regional bands before co-founding Zest, all the while composing electronic music in his home studio. By 1981, his debut album 'TransVision' had found a home on the pioneering Innovative Communication label, paving the way for a series of solo works on Sky Records. Dieter's 'Voyage' embarks from "Amazona", where soft acoustic jangle, electronic harp and distant hand percussion paint a lush, optimistic rainforest scene, accented by field recordings and wordless vocals. "In Dreams" drifts in next, its digital birdsong and pizzicato synth hovering over a descending bassline, forming the foundation for reedy textures to build a hypnotic, evolving melody. The playful yet off-kilter "Bizarre" shifts the mood, blending warbling electronics and lo-fi synths with funk-tinged rhythm guitar that twists between bluesy riffs and Tuareg-inspired melodies, evoking the experimental grooves of Spike or Peaking Lights. A more dramatic turn arrives with "Fireland", a polyrhythmic exploration in 6/8 time replete with deep, sonorous basslines and roving arpeggios, before Dieter sets controls for the heart of the sun and lifts the album skyward via the cosmic funk of 'Above', driven by punchy synth bass, syncopated drums, and mystical lead synths. The title track, "Voyage", perfectly encapsulates the album's essence, its drum-box bossa rhythm supporting warm, rhythmic synths and a wistful melody that balances the thrill of adventure with the quiet ache of homesickness. With "Exotic Nights", the atmosphere turns humid and mysterious, as swirling toms, steady bass, and chiming keys conjure moonlit tropics and the scent of frangipani, enriched by floating vocals and an air of movement. The tender "Little Plant" follows, its coastal kosmische shuffle and warm, lively fretwork radiating childlike wonder and serenity. "The Coast" maintains the melancholic nocturnal hush, with arpeggios and accordion drifting over the distant sound of waves. Finally, "Back Home" brings the journey to a balmy close as strummed guitar, lilting bass, and desert spiced flute refrain intertwine with hand percussion and dub-like effects. Even decades later, "Voyage" still resonates as a unique sonic expedition, both deeply personal yet universally evocative. Schutz's gentle yet adventurous spirit permeates the album, making it a perfect soundtrack for those drawn to the horizon -- whether real, remembered, or dreamt.