Hiss and Whirr emerged as a natural evolution of the long-standing duo of Achim Kaufmann (piano) and Yorgos Dimitriadis (percussion and electronics). Since 2017, the two have been exploring the outer edges of improvised sound, as heard on their album Nowhere One Goes (Jazzwerkstatt). With the addition of Michael Thieke on clarinet, the dialogue expands into a new and vibrant sound world.

Thieke and Dimitriadis had just released their own duo recording, Diaphanies (Granny Records), while Kaufmann and Thieke have collaborated on numerous occasions — so the chemistry was already in place. The moment was right for the three to join forces in a trio that sounds like no other.

The ensemble operates like an aural magnifying glass, zooming in on subtle sonic details and intuitively deciding, in real time, what to bring into focus. Hiss and Whirr is an intricate weave of textures, resonances, and electronic timbres — an ever-shifting landscape that expands the sonic possibilities of the piano, drums, and clarinet.