A Day — A Beat Every day, wherever he is, Julian Sartorius records one beat—using whatever the day provides. Rules: no loops, no effects. Just drums, surroundings, and a field recorder. Overdubs are allowed; every sound is physically played. “The Beat Diary is an important body of work. It brings us one step closer to a permanent blurring of distinctions between sound and music, music and art, art and life… Luckily, the music is brilliant. Inspiring in many ways, the simplicity and humility of the exercise is a call to arms, pulling us further away from the conservative bang of the drum machine.” — Matthew Herbert The Bern-based drummer and sound forager began on January 1, 2011. Beats were posted daily from January to mid-July; the remainder followed later. No electronic effects, samples, or loops were used—only overdubs when two hands weren’t enough. Beat Diary is now available complete and in fitting analog form: 365 beats on 12 LPs, accompanied by 365 photos. It maps a year in motion—kitchens, Berlin streets, mountains, hotel rooms, backstage corners worldwide. Field recordings thread the pieces: light switches clicking, vacuum cleaners rustling, squeaky plastic toys, pianos rattling, electric toothbrushes buzzing, music boxes winding—ending with New Year’s fireworks. Outrageously inventive, the work nods to J Dilla, Aphex Twin, club culture, the Black Atlantic, Congotronics, and minimal music. The beats can knot your brain yet invite stillness—and make you move. In short: Beat Diary expands how we listen, effortlessly.