Projekt reissues the final two albums from Solitaire – Out now
Projekt reissues the final two albums from Solitaire
The albums “Fearless” (1995) and “Nocturnes” (1997) by the ambient group Solitaire are now digitally available for the first time. Following the passing of Elmar Schulte, a founding member of Solitaire, in late 2022, Projekt collaborates with his widow and Ruediger Gleisberg to release the full catalog digitally on a pay-what-you-want basis on Bandcamp. The two albums come in one single download.
These mid-90s albums by Elmar and Ruediger showcase a blend of progressive electronics. Notably, parts of three tracks from “Fearless” were featured in the 1998 vampire movie “Blade,” starring Wesley Snipes. The inclusion of electric guitar, unique samples, and a dynamic groove in “One Small Step…” drew the attention of director Stephen Norrington, leading to the incorporation of Solitaire’s music in the film.
Background on Solitaire
Solitaire was established in 1989 by Elmar Schulte and Ruediger Gleisberg in Paderborn, Germany. The duo initially met in a music store and soon started working on music together in an old apartment. Their first album, “Altered States,” was released in 1990 on Musique Intemporelle, a label based in Berlin. Shortly after the Berlin Wall fell, on November 11th, 1989, Solitaire performed their first concert in Berlin to a full church.
Following their debut, Elmar and Ruediger pursued separate paths until they reunited for “Fearless” and “Nocturnes.” “Fearless” combined ambient, ethno rhythms, and psychedelic sound collages in an experimental production. Despite initial doubts about its appeal, the album achieved success, with three tracks featuring in “Blade” as mentioned. “Nocturnes” followed a similar production style and was released on Arya, an offshoot of Italy’s Amplexus label. Both albums featured guest musician Amir Baghiri, who later gained recognition in the ambient music scene.
After Elmar Schulte’s death in 2022, Ruediger, in collaboration with Elmar’s widow, remastered and reissued their final two albums.
Since youâre here âŠ
⊠we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading Side-Line Magazine than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. Unlike many news organisations, we havenât put up a paywall â we want to keep our journalism as open as we can - and we refuse to add annoying advertising. So you can see why we need to ask for your help.
Side-Lineâs independent journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce. But we do it because we want to push the artists we like and who are equally fighting to survive.
If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps fund it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as 5 US$, you can support Side-Line Magazine â and it only takes a minute. Thank you.
The donations are safely powered by Paypal.
