BEUTHEN O.S — Kraftwerk Oberschlesien

Debut album by Beuthen OS presents a broad palette of sounds and genres, shaped by a wide range of influences.The main title refers to the powerplant's original name, built in the early 20th century as one of the most innovative cathedrals of modernity. Powerplant Oberschlesien was once the beating heart of Upper Silesia's industry, supplying electricity to the entire region the artist originates from. Long after its greatest era, the site remains in ruins, covered in dust yet still echoing the monumental legacy of this landscape.The first track was created using recorded sounds from the Silesian powerplant, combined with synthesizers and acoustic instruments that simulate the machinery. Its slow drum rhythm is built from a self?recorded sound captured in a local press plant, while the summing layer of the artist's voice adds a human presence to the machines, shaping them into a long, droning narrative.The second track, "Der Nebel", is a collaborative work with Laura Schen and DJ Saint Pierre. Each layer was contributed separately, forming a single narrative : the mist that hangs over the industrial region, created by evaporations from surrounding lakes and swamps, mixed with pollution from factories, drifting over the city, the streets, the parks, and the graveyards.The third track, "Mariupol", is named after the city in southern Ukraine. The terrible moments experienced by people hiding deep within iron?industry structures during the attacks, the bombarding, inspired the artist to dedicate this track to that bitter chapter of human history, shaping its sound into a spirit of resilience and sorrow.Side B opens with "Religion Kills", the ritualistic part of the release. It reflects on the dark side of religion, how it is used to discriminate, divide, torture, and lead to the worst acts of violence. Religion should not divide or separate people. The track is built from acoustic and modular synthesizer sounds, creating a dark atmospheric landscape, as if observing a bloody ritual deep in the forest at night, carried by the haunting voice of Darja Kazimira.The fifth track, "War In The Air", comments on the current global situation. Instead of "Love In The Air," it reveals how pathetic and tragic these times have become. Ego and money have brought the world into a state where the worst scenarios seem possible. Modern war sounds merge with primitive war drums, didgeridoo war?horn textures, and Darja's voice, forming a sonic depiction of this dangerous and senseless reality.The release closes with "On The Peak", where Beuthen OS softens the atmosphere of his narrative, offering a more relaxing yet still powerful ending as vast and steady as the mountains themselves. After many meditative hiking trails throughout his life, he finally reached the Pyrenees, recording the sound of silence at the roof of the European mountains. The wind, the water from the ice melting into the lake, all bring the senses to a deeply meditative level. A train passing at one of Europe's highest altitudes adds a subtle industrial touch to this droning creation.