Six years ago, Mute and Spoon gifted the world with the magnificent Villa Wunderbar, a 2CD set from avant-garde composer and one of Can’s founding members Irmin Schmidt. The release compiles Schmidt’s solo and soundtrack work, with the first part being a collection of his solo work over the past 30 years. The second half, curated by long-term collaborator Wim Wenders, compiles Schmidt’s film and television soundtrack work and also features two Can remixes, ‘Alice’ and ‘Last Night Sleep’. Villa Wunderbar, previously only available on CD, will be released as a four-piece vinyl box set on November 22nd, with his latest work ‘Klavierstück V’ included as a bonus.

Villa Wunderbar is an absolute treat and you can hear it for yourself with this selection of six very different and very excellent tracks.

In other good news, Schmidt has announced three rare live solo dates in the UK and Europe, including an appearance at Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival on November 21st, that will see him perform the worldwide premiere of two unheard compositions and the UK premiere of “Klavierstück II”. He will also perform in Nantes on December 11th and at Glasgow’s Celtic Connections Festival on January 25th.

Photo: Steve Gullick

Brace yourself for Electro Violet, a retrospective 12 CD box set from avant-garde composer and one of Can’s founding members Irmin Schmidt. Due out on November 20th via Mute / Spoon Records, Electro Violet compiles Schmidt’s solo work from 1981 to today. It includes his film soundtrack work and theatre compositions, his Gormenghast opera, collaborations with Kumo (Jono Podmore) and Duncan Fallowell and his first solo album, Toy Planet from 1981, as well as other solo albums.

Take a listen to the previously unreleased track ‘Why Not’ featuring Markus Stockhausen on trumpet. Schmidt composed it for the soundtrack of Stephan Wagner’s 2012 film Lösegeld.

This Autumn will see the release of a 2CD set from Can founding member Irmin Schmidt. Entitled Villa Wunderbar, the release compiles Schmidt’s solo and soundtrack work, including two unreleased Can remixes, ‘Alice’ and ‘Last Night Sleep’.
CD1 is a collection of Schmidt’s solo work over the past 30 years and CD2, curated by long-term collaborator Wim Wenders, compiles Schmidt’s film and television soundtrack work.

The press release notes that “Schmidt’s sound-trips combine what normally competes and conflicts: rock, pop, jazz, classic, electronic, ambient, drum ‘n’ bass, waltz, eastern”.
Ahead of its release on November 4th via Mute and Spoon, Mute is offering a stream of six very different and very excellent tracks off Villa Wunderbar. We are in for a treat.