Mark du Mosch
Most of the artists involved in the series say they prefer the sound produced from vintage analogue synthesizers, which is apparent from the dozens and dozens of them that appear in the pictures. “Vintage synths are more desirable with guys because they are typical ‘man-toys’ like cars and guns,” said Danny Wolfers, himself an owner of several dozen vintage synths. “They give a shallow mental fulfillment and most important: prestige with other synth collectors. When you get older you realise that you are just stuck with a room crammed with electronic junk full with dangerous heavy metals.”
Mr Pauli
But the photos of these rooms, as crammed as they are with vintage electronic “junk” are evocative of a feeling that in some ways, these men are crystallized in a bygone era, when all a guy needed to get by was a couple of drum machines, a few synths and a collection of Kraftwerk records stuck up on the walls.
By capturing so much of their environment, Langlade has been able to show the world something beautiful about a group that isn’t usually called out for its looks. Seen collectively, the series presents an incredible picture of solitariness. With just a few exceptions, the series is a group of men alone with their machines and equipment, seemingly perfectly content to have it that way. One gets the sense that these men have given up a lot to create music, and that there are a more than a few women out there who wish, just for once, that they’d come out of the basement and have dinner.
Lina Goldberg
Pictures: Paul Langlade
