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SEQUENTIA LEGENDA
Sequentia Legenda (Laurent Schieber) shares its own vision of the Berlin School with passion, sensitivity and sincerity. The sound worlds are an invitation to dream, an immersion, an introspection, a waking look beyond the horizon. It is a return to the sources, a vibratory energy for the listeners who wish to give themselves the time and freedom to enter into resonance.
1-How would you describe music in a single phrase?
Music is a bridge between the inner world and the outer world.
2-How was your approach to the Berlin School?
I discovered the Berlin School through Klaus Schulze’s iconic and timeless album Mirage. It was love at first listen — the musical spark that set everything in motion for me.
3-What is the overarching concept behind Mintaka, and what sparked the initial idea for this record?
This trilogy, entitled MINTAKA, draws its inspiration from the three guiding stars of Orion’s Belt: Mintaka, Alnilam and Alnitak. The initial spark for this project came from a fascination with the stars and their symbolic resonance, combined with a deep desire to suggest a profound musical exploration.
For me, every note and every subtle vibration is an invitation to awaken, to remember, and to journey through one’s inner world, ultimately finding one’s own luminous center. My intention is not to impose a specific interpretation on the listener, but rather to encourage them to simply let the music guide them, just as one might follow the light of the stars across the night sky.
4-Looking back at your journey so far, could you share a few key milestones that have defined your musical career?
Among the fundamental moments of my journey was discovering Klaus Schulze’s Mirage during my teenage years. It was a major revelation and the initial impulse that set my musical path in motion. Another decisive step was finding my own artistic expression within the Berlin School, gradually refining my personal approach to sequences, sonic textures and atmospheres.
Since then, each album has represented a new stage in this evolution. Some milestones have been particularly meaningful, notably the recognition I received at the Schallwelle Awards and the joy of seeing my music resonate with listeners around the world. But perhaps the most significant milestone is simply being able to continue creating music after all these years — still driven by the same fascination I felt when I first encountered Mirage.
5-Deep silence or beautiful noise?
A sound vibration — a deep inner silence.
6-What’s the most beautiful part of being an artist?
The privilege and joy of being able to share my emotions with others.
7-What’s next for you?
I’m currently working on my next album, AQUA PRIMORDIA — a trilogy exploring the memory of ancient waters, planned for release in 2027.
MARKUS GUENTNER
Markus Guentner is one of the defining architects of contemporary ambient music. For more than twenty-five years, the German composer, producer and electronic artist has helped shape the subgenre of Pop Ambient music. Characterised by melodic motifs and evocative atmosphere, his style has influenced generations of electronic musicians.
1- What inspired you to make music?
I've been passionate about music for as long as I can remember. My older sister introduced me to the sounds of the '80s at a very young age, and that sparked a lifelong curiosity for new and different music. In my early teens, I discovered electronic music, from techno and electro to electronica. Because it's so closely tied to club culture, I became fascinated by DJing and started playing at 13.
When you listen to and play a lot of music, it feels like a natural progression to start composing and producing yourself. I dropped out of school at 16, already sure that a "normal career" wouldn't make sense for me. By then I had a residency at a club in Regensburg, and from that point on, making music took up more and more of my life.
I knew almost immediately that this was what I wanted to do. Before long, my music was getting positives responses and being released by labels like Festplatten Records, Kompakt, and Ware, and music became my whole life.
2-When you’re creating music, where do you start?
I rarely start with a concrete idea. Most of my pieces grow out of a moment. I listen to field recordings, play around with synths and effects, and at some point I realise how I can build on this. I’ll add something, take something away, push it a little further, and understand where an effect nedds to be placed.
So a lot of the inspiration and emotion of that moment naturally flows into the music. I'm less interested in making something sound a certain way and more interested in letting it sound the way I feel, and the way it wants to emerge in that particular moment.
3-What inspired you to put out a 25th-anniversary edition of In Moll?
It actually came about through a very nice encounter with an old friend, Rafael Anton Irisarri. We met up in Munich at the end of 2024 as he was passing through Germany. It’s a relatively short drive from Regensburg to Munich and so I was happy to see him again. At some point in our conversation, he pointed out to me that In Moll was soon going to be 25 years old. He considers it to be one of the best and most influential ambient albums. He suggested to do something special for it and offered to release a 25th anniversary edition on his Black Knoll Editions label.
For me, it was almost a little shocking at first that a quarter of a century has already passed! But it’s really been so incredible to see how much has happened because of this album. So many artists and friends have been inspired by it, and for me it was really the start of a long and creative journey. It also marked a moment in time for electronic music and ambient music, and for Kompakt and it’s Pop Ambient series. After all this time, I think it's fair to say it's a timeless album, and I agreed with Rafael that it deserves a 25th anniversary edition to celebrate.
4-What is the main instrument—or instruments—you use when composing your music?
Interestingly, my “instrument” is the field recorder. I never had any classical training or learned a traditional instrument, so I taught myself through experimenting and listening. Field recordings and effects form the foundation of my pieces, and from there I layer in sounds and textures from a soft synth or keyboard, and sometimes my guitar, depending on where the piece takes me.
5-Deep silence or beautiful noise?
Definitely deep silence! :-D I can certainly appreciate “beautiful noise,” but that’s where “active listening” comes into play for me. I immediately start thinking about what I could do with it and where it might fit. But I love silence, I love stillness, and the simple feeling of not having to listen.
6-Could you recommend 1 album to listeners who want to discover your music?
That’s actually quite difficult, because my albums are very different from one another. Some are quieter, more atmospheric, others more experimental, and some are a bit darker.
If I had to pick one, it would be the "Trilogy Mix" on A Strangely Isolated Place. It's technically three albums, the trilogy Theia, Empire, and Extropy, but it gives a good overview of what I do."
7-What’s the most beautiful part of being an artist?
For me, it's the freedom to express myself musically however I want. That has a lot to do with the fact that I don’t depend entirely on music for my income. I don’t have to make music to survive financially. I don’t have to please anyone. When your music is released and people respond with such beautiful and heartfelt feedback, that's really the most wonderful part of it."
8-What’s next for you?
I've been working on In Moll for so long that I haven't had the time or space to think about what's next. I also like to let things happen naturally. I try not to force myself to create something just for the sake of it. I’ll wait for the right time, or more precisely, for it to happen in my time. But of course I'll keep going, and I'm sure new and exciting projects will emerge along the way.