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In the spring of 2022, I approached the German label MIG with a suggestion to reissue “Narrow Gate to Life”, the classic fourth album by Berlin-based electronic musician Rolf Trostel. As the label was unfamiliar with Trostel and had been unable to locate him, I helped establish contact, with some assistance from Bernd Kistenmacher, who had originally released the recording in 1995 as part of Musique Intemporelle’s M.I. Collection. I was pleased to see these efforts bear fruit when MIG announced, around October, that the reissue would appear in November. Unfortunately, despite several attempts on my part to contact Mr. Trostel for additional background information and insights into the album, these enquiries remained unanswered. So, what does “Narrow Gate to Life” have to offer? Recorded live on 22 October 1983 at the Spanish cathedral of St. Pere de Galligants in Girona, the album presents a fascinating collection of atmospheric electronic music, rich in mysterious undertones and subtle, evocative currents. It is a fine example of Berlin School and cosmic electronic music, with the distinctive digital timbres of the PPG Wave Computer playing a prominent role. Trostel himself prefers to describe the music as sacred electronic music, a designation that certainly has merit. His original concept was rooted in biblical themes, expressed through the language of vintage electronic instruments, giving the music a spiritual dimension that sets it apart from more conventional approaches to the genre. Emerging some 26 years after its original release, this reissue has been expanded with a bonus track, “Kyrie 777”, which also serves as the album opener. However, this addition is not particularly essential, as the piece, featuring Gregorian chants, had already appeared on the “Manikin’s First Decade 1992–2002” compilation, released in 1992. All in all, “Narrow Gate to Life” remains a compelling document of early 1980s electronic music, combining the atmospheric expansiveness of the Berlin School with a distinctly spiritual sensibility. Its reissue offers a welcome opportunity to revisit a somewhat overlooked work in Rolf Trostel’s catalogue, even if the bonus material adds little that is genuinely new. |
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