Peter Frohmader

About

In the shadowed recesses of Germany’s sonic underworld, Peter Frohmader carved out a niche that was as deep as it was dark. His work, often released under the spectral pseudonym Nekropolis, beckons listeners into a realm where nightmarish compositions echo with the foreboding weight of gothic soundscapes. Active from 1958 until 2013, Frohmader's contributions to the European progressive electronic scene are revered for their ability to evoke a sense of the otherworldly, drawing inspiration from the likes of Carl Orff, Magma, and the darker edges of Black Sabbath's oeuvre. Frohmader's oeuvre, distributed across various formats with a preference for the intimate cassette and the enduring LP, showcases a catalog that is both cavernous and meticulously constructed. Releases like "Nekropolis 81 Volume I-IV" find a home on VINYL ON DEMAND, while tapes such as "Spheres" and "Jules Verne Cycle" are held in the grip of the Nekropolis label, each piece a testament to his ritualistic approach to sound. His collaboration with Richard Pinhas serves as a tectonic meeting of minds, further expanding the liminal boundaries of his auditory vision. Visual artistry intertwined seamlessly with his sonic output, as Frohmader painted with sound and vision alike, crafting a complete sensory experience. His compositions are not mere tracks but sprawling landscapes, inviting the listener to traverse through corridors of sound that flicker with a glacial chill and resonate with subterranean echoes. With a modest but devoted following, Frohmader held a mirror to the darker side of electronic music, reflecting its potential to explore the bottomless depths of human emotion and existential dread.