Deus Arrakis

Deus Arrakis
Studio album by
Klaus Schulze
Released1 July 2022
Recorded2021–2022
StudioMoldau Studio, Hambühren, Germany
Length77:23
LabelSPV
ProducerTom Dams
Klaus Schulze chronology
Next of Kin
(2019) 		Deus Arrakis
(2022)

Deus Arrakis is the forty-seventh album by Klaus Schulze.[1][2] It was released on 1 July 2022. It is the final album Schulze made before he died of renal failure in April 2022.[3][4]

The album was inspired by the 1965 Frank Herbert science-fiction novel Dune, and instigated by Schulze's recent collaboration with Hans Zimmer on the soundtrack for Denis Villeneuve's 2021 film adaptation. Dune was a longtime source of fascination for Schulze; he also made an album in 1979 inspired by the book, as well as a song for Herbert on his 1978 work X, a concept album of six "musical biographies."[5][4]

Reception

Steve Krakow of the Chicago Reader said that Schulze sounded "newly energized" on Deus Arrakis, and praised the "pure-synth space daze" of the music, which includes several long, ambient soundscapes including the 32-minute "Seth." He called the album's closing composition, "Der Hauch des Lebens (The Breath of Life)", a "fitting epitaph" for an artist who knew that he was dying while working on this music: "To appreciate the slowly unfolding sonic colors of this visionary, atmospheric piece, you need patience, but your effort is well rewarded. Like any journey, whether in sci-fi or in life, it moves between realms of pure bliss and darker terrain."[4]

Ludovic Hunter-Tilney of the Financial Times wrote that the album's "three lengthy instrumentals are a masterclass in old-fashioned cosmic music."[5]

Henry Schneider of the website Exposé Online praised the album highly, calling it Schulze's "best release in decades, if not his entire career. ... Deus Arrakis is a wonderful posthumous achievement for the father of electronic music."[6]

Track listing

All tracks composed by Klaus Schulze.

No.TitleLength
1."Osiris (Part 1–4)"18:28
2."Seth (Part 1–7)"31:47
3."Der Hauch des Lebens (Part 1–5)"27:08

Personnel

  • Klaus Schulze – electronics
  • Tom Dams – electronics
  • Wolfgang Tiepold – cello on "Seth"
  • Eva-Maria Kagermann – voice noises on "Der Hauch des Lebens"

Charts

Chart performance for Deus Arrakis
Chart (2022) Peak
position
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[7] 168
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[8] 2
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[9] 44
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[10] 21

References

  1. ^ Scharf, Natasha (8 April 2022). "Listen to the first new music from Klaus Schulze's Deus Arrakis". Loudersound.
  2. ^ Pareles, Jon (29 April 2022). "Klaus Schulze, Pioneering Electronic Composer, Is Dead at 74". The New York Times.
  3. ^ Willman, Chris (27 April 2022). "Electronic Music Pioneer Klaus Schulze Dies at 74". Variety.
  4. ^ a b c Krakow, Steve (17 June 2022). "Electronic music master Klaus Schulze leaves us a riveting posthumous record". Chicago Reader. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  5. ^ a b Hunter-Tilney, Ludovic (1 July 2022). "Klaus Schulze finds cosmic beauty in the sci-fi-inspired Deus Arrakis". Financial Times. London. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  6. ^ Schneider, Henry (12 October 2022). "Reviews: Klaus Schulze — Deus Arrakis". Exposé Online. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  7. ^ "Ultratop.be – Klaus Schulze – Deus Arrakis" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Klaus Schulze – Deus Arrakis" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  9. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 14 July 2022.
  10. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Klaus Schulze – Deus Arrakis". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 July 2022.

External links