Assur Anshar Records and Rune Serpent Europa are pleased to announce the first vinyl reissue of the first album by Germans Der Prager Handgriff – “Arglistige Täuschung”.
Double colored vinyl + Insert, remastered, with 3 bonus tracks (300 copies numbered in transparent red and transparent turquoise), a record of rough industrial electronics, with bare and essential arrangements and pressing beats, among the pioneers and inventors of Old School Ebm.
“Arglistige Täuschung” by Der Prager Handgriff is an incredibly ambitious album that perfectly blends eerie atmospheres, intricate sound design and disturbing and frightening melodies. The German industrial group, known for their robust approach to music, concretized their efforts in this debut album back in 1993 after a few tapes, which proved to be a real commercial success for the record label with its sonic innovations and its post-DAF or Nitzer Ebb power and an underlying rawness that will remain the band’s trademark over the years.
A record that is both thought-provoking and captivating, from the first track “Tibet“, Arglistige Täuschung (translated as “deceptive deception”), the listener is immersed in a world of dissonance and dark beauty. It is a mood setter, preparing you for the psychological journey that awaits, without ever letting up.
The use of synthesizers is particularly masterful, with cold, metallic tones underpinned by warm, organic bass lines that give the album a sense of isolation and intimacy. One of the most notable features is the vocal delivery, which oscillates between haunting chants and a low bass voice. There is a sense of controlled chaos throughout the record, where sounds often seem on the verge of disintegration, but always held together by a singular and intense vision. It is dark, thought-provoking and bold, an album that will continue to reveal more with every listen.
In short, “Arglistige Täuschung” is a triumph. Der Prager Handgriff have created something absolutely unique: a compelling and multifaceted sonic experience that showcases their immense creativity and bold approach to music. This is a record that demands attention, patience, and a willingness to embrace the uncomfortable.
Side A: A1 Tibet / A2 Deutschland? / A3 Klaustrophobie / A4 Flucht / A5 Herbst
Side B: B1 Das Du / B2 Zivilisation / B3 Monsun / B4 Bilder Meiner Angst / B5 Großstadtliebe
Side C: bC1 Baskerville / C2 Wahnsinn / C3 Schwermetall / C4 Tollwut
Side D: D1 Prag / D2 Herzschlag / D3 Morgengrauen / D4 Zaesur
