Conrad Schnitzler + Wolf Sequenza - Consequenz III

Consequenz III marks the long-awaited continuation of Conrad Schnitzler’s visionary collaboration with Wolf Sequenza (aka Wolfgang Seidel), now available once again on vinyl. Originally released in 2006 in Japan under the rare title Consequenz 2+, this collection of tracks was nearly lost to time—only a handful of copies ever reached Europe. Now, Bureau B brings this essential chapter of Schnitzler’s work back into the light, restoring it to its rightful place alongside Consequenz and Con 3 as part of a trilogy that captures one of the most distinct and accessible phases of his vast and experimental catalog.

Recorded during the early 1980s, Consequenz III represents Schnitzler and Seidel’s closest approach to pop structure without ever compromising their avant-garde spirit. Each of the eleven tracks is tightly constructed, rhythmically propulsive, and clocking in around three to four minutes—a concise, almost minimalist framework for the duo’s interplay of synthetic texture and machine precision. Yet despite its surface accessibility, this is not pop in any conventional sense. There are no vocals, no traditional melodies, and no clear narrative—just an intricate dialogue between repetition, rhythm, and electronic abstraction.

Wolfgang Seidel, a founding member of Ton Steine Scherben and a crucial figure in Berlin’s underground music scene, performs with razor-sharp precision, earning the nickname “Wolf Sequenza” for his metronomic accuracy and mechanical grace. His rhythmic sensibility acts as both anchor and counterpoint to Schnitzler’s fluid, abstract electronics, creating pieces that feel simultaneously rigid and alive—rhythmic études that blur the line between composition and experiment.

Asmus Tietchens, who provides new liner notes for this edition, notes how Consequenz III “balances between strict, abstract seriality and contemporary electronics,” embodying Schnitzler’s restless pursuit of form within freedom. It’s a record that can almost be danced to—but just as easily studied, dissected, and admired as a document of two minds exploring the intersection of structure and spontaneity.

With its meticulous production, rhythmic pulse, and icy analog textures, Consequenz III stands as both a rediscovery and a revelation. It offers a rare glimpse into Schnitzler’s pop-adjacent tendencies while reaffirming his uncompromising experimental ethos. Decades after its original recording, the album still feels startlingly modern—proof that Schnitzler’s sonic universe remains far from fully mapped.

For fans of: Cluster, Tangerine Dream, Harmonia, Pyrolator, Asmus Tietchens, and early electronic minimalism.