Zone 2

STEAMBOAT SWITZERLAND

Dominik Blum - Bösendorfer Imperial, Electronics
Marino Pliakas - Accoustic Guitar, Electronics
Lucas Niggli - Drums Percusionspan.

Grob  2007  

"Steamboat Switzerland show how avantgarde and hardcore CAN fit together. The said «hardest working band in the noisebiz» synthesize contemporary music, hardcore, 'prog' and noisy improv in awe inspiring live performances."

Zone 2 is the fifth CD of the power trio Steamboat Switzerland and the fourth that the Swiss musicians have released on GROB (2001: Budapest, GROB 315; ac/dB [Hayden], GROB 316; 2005: Wertmüller, GROB 655). Steamboat Switzerland – Dominik Blum, organ; Marino Pliakas, e-bass; Lucas Niggli, drums – are a rousing live band who have developed an absolutely individual way of playing and expressing themselves out of their examination of sludge metal, post-serialism and free jazz. Their records, however, differ greatly from their live repertoire, already classic (the band has given many hundred concerts in the ten years it has existed). Their studio albums are recorded live, and sometimes come together from concert recordings, but they follow a strict design that the band has either not tried out, or done so only temporarily. And just as the albums do not even try to mirror the live situation, neither do the live performances contain the program of the current CD. Zone 2 isn’t an exception: it is simply the first recording which is primarily played on acoustic instruments; the amplification is not foregrounded. Marion Pliakas changes to the acoustic guitar, Lucas Niggli plays a reduced drum set and Dominik Blum can be heard on piano. The music – one continuous piece – is improvised.