MASAYOSHI FUJITA, JAN JELINEK — Schaum

Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – Schaum Faitiche’s FAIT-13LP arrives as a 12-inch vinyl that revisits the collaborative chemistry first documented on their debut, faitiche03. The repress, dated for 2026, situates the duo’s second album within a label catalogue that has recently issued Jan Jelinek’s “Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records” (FAIT-BACK01LP) and the tape-only “faitiche edition no.3” (FAIT-EDITION-03). Earlier releases such as “Kosmischer Pitch” (FAIT-BACK06LP) and “Take me, I’m yours” (FAIT-42LP) illustrate Faitiche’s commitment to experimental ambient and electro-driven works, making “Schaum” a natural continuation of that aesthetic. The record opens with “Cin”, a piece that immediately evokes the fluidity suggested by the album’s title – foam and froth – and sets a contemplative tone that carries through the side. “Helio” follows, extending the atmospheric palette while maintaining the same spacious ambience, and “Urub” deepens the texture, offering a subtle shift that prepares the listener for the more personal statement of “What You Should Know About Me”. The B-side begins with “Vague, Yet”, a track that mirrors the elusive quality of the opening side, and “Botuto” continues the dialogue between Fujita’s prepared vibraphone and Jelinek’s looping electronics. “LesLang” and “Parades” close the record, each reinforcing the album’s overarching sense of fragmented space and dense background texture. Within the artists’ discographies, “Schaum” builds on the improvisational framework first explored on the 2010 debut and on Jelinek’s recent “Loop-Finding-Jazz-Records” (FAIT-BACK01LP). The use of prepared vibraphone, augmented with percussion elements and toys, alongside tightly woven synthesizer loops, reflects the duo’s ongoing interest in merging acoustic improvisation with small-scale electronic devices. The album’s liner notes reference a passage from Robert Müller’s novel Tropics, underscoring the thematic preoccupation with tropical, speculative soundscapes that Jelinek has previously pursued in radio pieces such as “Kennen Sie Otahiti?” and “Dialoge zur Anthropologie”. In the current climate of ambient and experimental releases, “Schaum” stands out for its deliberate balance of organic preparation and digital manipulation. The record offers a nuanced listening experience that rewards both deep home listening and thoughtful set placement, providing DJs with a source of textural depth that can be layered under more rhythmic material or used as a meditative interlude. For collectors, the 12-inch format preserves the tactile qualities of Fujita’s vibraphone preparations and Jelinek’s loop work, making the pressing a valuable addition to any archive of contemporary ambient and electro-experimental vinyl. The record’s sequencing, from the opening “Cin” through the concluding “Parades”, encourages a continuous, immersive journey that mirrors the fluid imagery of foam and river described in the accompanying notes. Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – Schaum, Faitiche, FAIT-13LP, 12-inch vinyl, 8 tracks. Tracklist: A1. Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – Cin A2. Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – Helio A3. Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – Urub A4. Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – What You Should Know About Me B1. Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – Vague, Yet B2. Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – Botuto B3. Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – LesLang B4. Masayoshi Fujita & Jan Jelinek – Parades