Flocks is the experimental duo of German, Berlin-based Werner Durand, a sax player, drone specialist and player of self-built wind instruments like buzz-clarinets or his PVC ney flutes and horns, and Uli Hohmann who plays on plugged, bowed and hammered frame drums, and other Middle-Eastern and Indian percussion instruments. Together as the Flocks duo, they play exotic  drones that incorporate influences from Krautrock and from Jon Hassell’s Fourth World’s aesthetics.

Both Durand and Hohmann, who are longtime friends, studied traditional Eastern and African music. Durand studied the classical music of Iran. Hohmann studied with Ghanaian master drummer Mustapha Twttey Addy and with Iranian percussionist Nemad Darman and as a professional carpenter he builds his own stringed instruments. Durand and Hohmann began to work together in 2014 with Dhrupad singer Amelia Cuni and released together the album Clearing and afterward decided to continue working as the Flocks duo.

The debut, self-titled album of Flocks was recorded in Berlin between 2017 and 2023 and features three distinct drones based on their self-built wind and stringed instruments, Persian percussion and subtle electronics. These drones rely on hypnotic, repetitive percussive patterns and imaginative melodic motifs that match timeless and sensual musical traditions with mysterious, futurist sounds. The music of Flocks sounds like archaic but highly seductive techno music resurrected from an unknown tribe in the jungle of nowhere but still radiates a strong psychedelic impact.

Eyal Hareuveni

Werner Durand (ur-sax, buzz-clarinets, PVC ney, horns, tenor-saxophone, blown kalimba, mouth harp, drones), Uli Hohmann (plugged, bowed & hammered frame drums, kanjira, riq, electronics)