Benedikt Wieland — what are you doing here?

What Are You Doing Here? is the second single from Swiss / German bass experimentalist, improviser, and composer Benedikt Wieland. The song is a part of a series of singles the artist started releasing back in August of 2022. The series was launched to showcase the sprawling scope of the artist’s explorations and experiments with the electric bass.

What Are You Doing Here? was recorded in a cozy barn in a tiny Swiss village. The composition was inspired by the joyful sound of children playing outside of the barn, which was converted into a make-shift studio for a couple of weeks, and where this music was made. The sound of these beautiful, small beings exploding with happiness is a texture that is sprinkled throughout this recording. The piece starts off with a progression of soothing chords, which eventually morph into a soundscape that evokes something of a modern, left-field R&B tune. The song features Morris Kliphus on french horn, albeit heavily manipulated in post, and shifty drums laid down by Alexandre J. Maurer.