Kahlschlag, the multi-award-winning debut film by director Max Gleschinski, combines elements of the thriller genre with a fatal love story in which a woman is torn between two men who have been close friends since childhood. In cool images, it tells of the horror that builds up in the province, which seems so harmless, and poses the question of good and evil in every human being. As of today, not only is the film available on Blu-Ray and DVD as well as on all VoD portals, but also the accompanying soundtrack by Axel Meier has been released on the Artkeim² label and can be found on Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer and many other music download and streaming portals.
The atmosphere and the rhythm of the film “Kahlschlag” are enhanced by the striking, sometimes threatening, sometimes gentle film music by Axel Meier. In his work, the Berlin-born freelance drummer and multi-percussionist combines musical worlds in his very own, sensitive way.
To work on the soundtrack, Axel Meier withdrew for a fortnight to a studio in the mountains of southern Switzerland. Here he worked on the composition and recorded the entire film music himself with percussion instruments. He did not use any electronic instruments, the sound is an acoustic fusion of various analogue drum sounds. Carried by atmospheric marimba sounds, contrasts are formed again and again in the music – sometimes with brutal drum beats or with vibraphone melodies that range from screeching to dreamy. In this way, a very organic sound is created that takes the viewer and listener on a journey into their innermost selves and at the same time makes the growing threat in the film plot tangible.
About Axel Meier
Axel Meier, drummer and multi-percussionist, was born in Berlin. His musical career began at the age of 6 on the piano and led him to the drums at the age of 12. He studied popular drum sets and classical percussion at the Rostock University of Music and Theater and thus began to sharpen his artistic expression.
In his work he connects musical worlds with one another in his very own, sensitive way. He fuses classical music with pop music or connects Arabic musical cultures with jazz – he feels most comfortable right between the chairs! Whether on large classical stages such as the Philharmonie Berlin or the CRR Konzerthaus in Istanbul, in small jazz clubs, on theater and musical stages or as a workshop lecturer for the Elbphilarmonie Hamburg or the Grandhotel Heiligendamm. On his way he worked among other things with greats like Steve Hackett (Genesis), Robyn Schlukowsky and Nils Landgren. He has won several competitions, some of them international, and has already traveled across Germany, Europe and Asia with his drumming.
Selected press comments
“Together with musicians from all over Europe, he connects tonal worlds with each other on this evening and shows which influences shape him as a musician.” (Ostseezeitung)
“Axel Meier’s quickly timed drum set (…) oscillates between Turkish tradition and modern art of improvisation.” (Tagesspiegel)
Kahlschlag | Trailer (German) ᴴᴰ | Artkeim²
More information about the movie: Kahlschlag
More information about the drummer & multi-percussionist: Axel Meier
