The Puppetmastaz founder’s monochrome electro songs have fallen out of space and time.
About 30 years ago, Max Turner and Chilly Gonzales founded the Puppetmastaz in Berlin, a wild, crazy hip-hop spectacle with rapping hand puppets. Gonzales became a superstar, the puppets are still touring the world, but Turner hasn’t been heard from for 20 years. He spent some time in India, studying Carnatic singing and composing songs on the guitar, which he has now implemented on his laptop.
Turner’s sound architecture makes do with surprisingly few ingredients: in addition to his contemplative singing, a few decorative synth pads and (presumably digitally generated) antique chugging rhythm machines are enough. Far from the hysteria of Puppetmastaz, SEED OF THE UNKNOWN carries you through atmospheric songs at a relaxed pace. “I love you time, I love you space,” he sings in “Time and Space”which also fits into the creed of this supposed analog reverie.
Turner takes his time – with this album and on this album. In eleven monochrome electronic songs he deals with questions that one has when one lives like that – for example, what it would be like to never die (“Forever’s Child”). On SEED OF THE UNKNOWN there are no songs, but songs. Songs that sound strangely familiar, but have probably never been done with this consistency and rigor before.
