My Frequencies, When We

My Frequencies, When We is the eighth album Stefan Schneider has released under his project Mapstation since 2000. Recorded between March and August of 2020 in Corona-induced isolation, the album has a sonic homogeneity that runs throughout.

For the first time in years, guest musicians are absent on this album. Schneider himself takes on vocal duties on the track "The City In" and has simplified his equipment list to include an analog tape loop device, Roland 808 drum machine, Novation Peak synthesizer, and a guitar.

While there are hypnotic African grooves on "Flute Channels" and the ingeniously rhythmic, imaginary world music of "Taro Zing Ta" that may remind listeners of artists like Jon Hassell, Marja Ahti, or DJ Residue, these do not encompass the full spectrum of the album. The rhythms are often rudimentary, akin to those found in folklore, with a tottering and stumbling quality.

Throughout the album, there are subtle nods to kraut-elektronik (such as Conrad Schnitzler, Cluster, Neu!) and discreet reconfigurations, with the aural current of the Rhineland serving as a backdrop.