VITAL WEEKLY
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number 602
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week 47
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Vital Weekly, the webcast: we offering a weekly webcast, freely to download.
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AL MARGOLIS/IF, BWANA - AN INNOCENT, ABROAD (CD by Pogus Productions) *
CARL STONE - AL-NOOR (CD by Intone Music) *
UPSILON ACRUX - GALAPAGOS MOMENTUM (CD by Cuneiform)
LUKAS SIMONIS & TAKAYUKI KAWABATA - NEWS (CD by Z6) *
THE CLAUDIA QUINTET - FOR (CD by Cuneiform) AVOID AUDIO - THE IDEA IS BEING
KILLED BY ANOTHER THOUGHT (CD by Heils Kabaal Records)
SOUS HYPNOSE (CD by Ant-Zen)
TONIKOM - EPOCH (CD by Hymen Records)
GAVIN BRYARS/PHILIP JECK/ALTER EGO - THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC (CD by
Touch)
P. JØRGENSEN - LETS THE SUN DRAG ITSELF OUT (CD by Monotype Records) *
JOHN CHIRSTOPHER SHILLOCK - INVISIBLE JAZZ (BOOK & CD by Musical Comedy
Editions)
KORA ET LE MECHANIX - EXCURSIN FORTE (CD by Nextera) *
NIELLERADE FALLIBILISTHORSTAR - SKRANKVERK (CD by Dystoniaek) *
Y-TON-G/ASMUS TIETCHENS/KOUHEI MATSUNAGA - YAK (CD by Monochrome Vision) *
MERZBOW - PEACE FOR ANIMALS (CD by Quasi Pop) *
MERZBOW - LIVE DESTRUCTION AT NO FUN 2007 (CD by No Fun Productions)
CLINE/GIFFONI/LICHT/RANALDO - NOTHING MAKES ANY SENSE (CD by No Productions)
*
EDWARD SOL - WRONG ACTION (3"CDR by Quasi Pop) *
BOB MARSH - VIOVOX (CD by Public Eyesore)
PHIL MINTO & YAGIHASHI TSUKASA & SATO YUKIE & HIGO HIROSHI - NIPPARA-TOKYO
(CD by Public Eyesore)
GIRAFFE - HEAR HERE (CDR by Eh?) *
MARINA HARDY - PINK VIOLIN (CDR by Eh?)
(D)YNAMIC (B)ROWN (H)IPS - WAVE THE OLD WAVE (CDR by Eh?)
SHELF LIFE - RHEUMA (CDR by Eh?) *
BENJAMIN BRUNN - PAUL AND RAYMOND (12" by Bine Music)
DITTRICH VON EULER-DONNERSPERG - DU FROHLICHE/TANNENBAUM DUB (7" by Meeuw
Muzak)
AS11 - PNEUMATIK (CDR by Echo Music) *
AL MARGOLIS/IF, BWANA - AN INNOCENT, ABROAD (CD by Pogus Productions)
A few weeks ago we reviewed an almost ancient work by If, Bwana and Al
Margolis is still active as such, although he also uses his own name these
days. Besides managing his own Pogus Productions, he does similar duties for
labels as Deep Listening, XI Records and Mutable Music, while still finding
time to create his own music. The work here is for vocals and one piece for
vocals and flutes. These flutes and sources provide the source as well their
own voices in the electronic work of If, Bwana. To say that a lot of water
has passed under the bridge would perhaps be an understatement. Far, far
away from the SK1 sampler and the industrial music, this new CD is more in
the areas of serious composed music. There are two pieces here, one I liked
and one I didn't. Unfortunately the one I didn't like is about three times
longer than the other one. The title piece for vocals and flutes sounded
very boring to me. I can't help finding that dreadful word, but the quasi
modern classical
meandering of flutes and vocals just didn't work at all for me. Quite
tedious, but I hasten to add that none of that stuff is usually well spend
on me. Of more interest was the second piece, 'Issue', which had many layers
of processed, partly pitched up and down, making a quasi tribal chant,
partly brass band like sounds. Perhaps also not the best thing I ever heard
from If, Bwana (when is that Anckarstrom CD going to be re-released, Al?),
but much better than the first piece. (FdW)
Address: http://www.pogus.com
CARL STONE - AL-NOOR (CD by Intone Music)
Despite composing since 1972, the name Carl Stone might not be that familiar
with the audience of Vital Weekly, simply because he doesn't release that
much music on sound carriers or by labels that don't serve the longest
running source of experimental music on the internet. His main interest lies
in exploring max/msp software, in which he no doubt builds his own patches.
Stone's music here is deceivingly simple. It seems that each track only
explores one loop, say a drum loop in 'Flint's' or voice and drums in
'Jitlada'. This is fed through the software and from then on things start
bouncing around. Playing small portion from a loop, cutting it together with
larger sections of the same loop, he creates this simple music. But
deceiving, as the result is quite hallucinatory. Taking the minimalism of
say Reich and Glass into the world of computers, these four 'songs' (lasting
anywhere between nine and twenty-four minutes) are all shifting phases and
time measures and create a hypnotic
feel. In the title piece this might still be a bit too much shifting up and
down with voices, but in 'L'Os A Moelle' the rock structure reminds us
psychedelica, including fuzzy guitar solos, keyboards that play baroque
themes and a constant stomping rhythm, but with bridges and fills. Quite a
cosmic trip these twenty-four minutes, which curiously never get tedious or
boring. Not quite a CD I expected from such a serious composer, but surely
one of the best I heard from him. (FdW)
Address: http://www.intonemusic.com
UPSILON ACRUX - GALAPAGOS MOMENTUM (CD by Cuneiform)
Reading about this group in the past, I remember saying to myself: 'keep
this name in mind. Could be very interesting'. And now I can confirm this
from my own experience. I,m impressed by this very disciplined combo.
Upsilon Acrux originated in the San Diego area in 1997. In 1999 they were
ready for their first album 'In the Acrux of the Upsilon King', released by
Accretions. Concerning what they are trying to do, they are comparable to
bands like The Flying Luttenbachers and Ahleuchatistas: bands that try to
combine the energy and directness of punk with the compositional complexity
and technical ability that we find in progressive and metal music. In their
line up they limit themselves to the: two guitars, played by Paul Lai and
Braden Miller, bass (Eric Kiersnowski) and Jess Appelhans (drums). With this
conventional line up, and because they play instrumental pieces only, they
are also closely linked to postrock guitarbands. 'Galapagos Momentum' is
their fifth album, being their
first one for Cuneiform Records. This will make them known to a wider
international audience, I hope. All 10 pieces on this CD are very
speed-driven exercises and highly complex compositions with many breaks and
twists. Sometimes we hear echoes of Beefheart, at other moments they recall
the spirit of King Crimson. Listening to this album it is impossible not to
be impressed by their discplined and athletic playing. With incredible
polyrhythmic structures, unison playing at moments, etc., they play some
very powerful music. A minor point: because they are so disciplined, they
are only disciplined. They lose themselves in complexity and by consequence
the music lacks emotion. It has not the emotional impact like the music of
Beefheart or Présent. If they succeed in integrating this aspect as well in
their music, next time we will not only be impressed, but changed also. (DM)
Address: http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/
LUKAS SIMONIS & TAKAYUKI KAWABATA - NEWS (CD by Z6)
Guitarist and composer Lukas Simonis is known for his work with groups like
Dull Schicksal, Trespassers W, Morzelpronk, Liana Flu Winks, AA Kismet, Vril
and Coolhaven. All of them experimental and crazy groups. On his solo cd
'Stots' he showed himself from an even more experimental side. One wonders
according to what rules this work is composed, as it is a very weird
experience. But it really works. This is also the case for this new cd
'News', that is a much quieter cd then 'Stots'. On 'News' we hear two cello
players: Nina Hitz and Kumi Kondo. Plus Miki Sugiura (voice) and Simonis
himself on guitar and effects. This project came about from as an initiative
from Kumi Kondo who asked Simonis for a project on the japanese poet
Takayuki Kawabata serving for her final exams on the Rotterdam Conservatory
in 2004. Afterwards they extended and deepened the project into a cycle of
eight 'songs', around the poems of Takayuki Kawabata. Simonis wrote the
songs that were performed by the above
mentioned musicians. Then Simonis manipulated the recordings through a
process of editing, etc. and shaped the songs to its definite form.
Concerning the poems they are spoken in japanese, and besides maybe Simonis
twisted her words around. Who tells? We are left with the sound of the
japanese language and the beautiful voice of vocalist Miki Sugiura. But also
the soundenvironment Simonis created for these poems make 'News' into an
interesting listening experience. (DM)
Address: http://www.xs4all.nl/~lukas/
THE CLAUDIA QUINTET - FOR (CD by Cuneiform)
Since The Claudia Quintet started in 1997 it has reached a considerable
audience, and conquered its place within the spectrum of groups making new,
jazz-related music. The main force within this quintet is John Hollenbeck,
who gained acknowledgment from several other projects as well. For example,
personally I,m very fond of 'Joys and Desires' that he performed with Jazz
Bigband Graz and Theo Bleckmann. With 'For' the Claudia Quintet presents its
fourth cd. Again with the same unusual line up as we know it from earlier
CDs, especially because of the presence and role of the accordion: Drew
Gress (acoustic bass), John Hollenbeck (drums, percussion, electronic tape
preparation), Matt Moran (vibrahone, vocals/lyrics), Red Reichman
(accordion) and Chris Speed (clarinet, alto sax). Although the group is open
for many musical influences, in the end I would classify it as a jazz group.
Allthough as you understand it is far from straight jazz. All compositions
are by John Hollenbeck, and
they
often direct without really noticing to a climax. Allthough the music is
remarkably accessible, it isn't easy. And it needs a open and dedicated ear
before it reveals all its beauty. As on earlier CDs they never sound angry,
loud or frustrated, with the exception of 'Rug Boy' that starts with a great
duet by Hollenbeck, exploding on drums and accordionplayer Ted Reichmann .
But most compositions on this cd breath a warm, harmonious and delicate
atmosphere. Also the music is full of subtleties, with cascading parts that
remind me of the minimal work of Reich and Glass, and often with a grooving
and hypnotizing pulse. 'For you' is the most far out piece. Hollenbeck
concentrates on looping electronics and tape manipulation here, with Moran
dropping simple words with great intervals of silence and sparse
contributions by the drums, vibraphone and accordion. All in all a very nice
album of rich and full-grown, but 'unspectacular' music. But by a
spectacular group. (DM)
Address: http://www.cuneiform.com
AVOID AUDIO - THE IDEA IS BEING KILLED BY ANOTHER THOUGHT (CD by Heils
Kabaal Records)
Hosting two of the most distributed e-magazines of experimental electronic
music, Vital Weekly & Earlabs, and being the homeland of legendary label
Staalplaat, the Netherlands must be considered as one of the pioneering
countries within experimental electronic music and sound art. Heil Kabaaal
Records is a newborn Dutch label. The focus of the label is ambient, noise,
drone, audio collage and field recordings. On present album compatriot
composer Avoid Audio is described as the most pop related yet released by
label. If that is so, there will probably not be any albums from the label
listed on U.S.'s Billboard Music Charts in the near future. This very
promising debut from Avoid Audio titled "The idea is being killed by another
thought" does by no means belong to the conventional style of music. In fact
it is quite a task to pigeonhole the album. There are many moments of
ambience on the album without any interference of rhythms, giving way to
some very nice cinematic expressions
based on field recordings, processed concrete sounds and buzzing noise
drones while discreet melodies keeps a great sonic texture on the album.
There are also plenty of rhythms on the album circulating in-between
expressions of IDM and breakbeats of complexity. But overall the album is
about atmospheres and Avoid Audio certainly demonstrates that his ability of
creating sonic atmospheres is unquestionable. Very nice debut! (NM)
Address: <http://www.heilskabaal.net>http://www.heilskabaal.net
VROMB - SOUS HYPNOSE (CD by Ant-Zen) TONIKOM - EPOCH (CD by Hyman Records) GAVIN BRYARS/PHILIP JECK/ALTER EGO - THE SINKING OF THE TITANIC (CD by P. JØRGENSEN - LETS THE SUN DRAG ITSELF OUT (CD by Monotype Records) JOHN CHIRSTOPHER SHILLOCK - INVISIBLE JAZZ (BOOK & CD by Musical Comedy KORA ET LE MECHANIX - EXCURSIN FORTE (CD by Nextera) NIELLERADE FALLIBILISTHORSTAR - SKRANKVERK (CD by Dystoniaek) Y-TON-G/ASMUS TIETCHENS/KOUHEI MATSUNAGA - YAK (CD by Monochrome Vision) MERZBOW - PEACE FOR ANIMALS (CD by Quasi Pop) BOB MARSH - VIOVOX (CD by Public Eyesore) BENJAMIN BRUNN - PAUL AND RAYMOND (12" by Bine Music) DITTRICH VON EULER-DONNERSPERG - DU FROHLICHE/TANNENBAUM DUB (7" by Meeuw AS11 - PNEUMATIK (CDR by Echo Music) MS Stubnitz @ NDSM Amsterdam: Bronnt Industries Kapital present "Häxan" A special live performance of Bronnt Industries Kapital new "Häxan" Lawrence English (Room40) Lawrence English is media artist, composer and critic based in Brisbane, MS Stubnitz // NDSM // Amsterdam-Noord // tt Neveritaweg LIVE!!! LIVE!!! LIVE!!! December, 7 2007 at Graffiti Gallery not half will amaze you with turntable abuse (no records...records are for Live!!! The official show description is as follows... This night is Harsh not half Come out and see the insane Winnipeg noise adventure!! December 7 at the In the meantime, visit.... http://www.virb.com/nothalf 3 From: "Kim Laugs" <kimlaugs@gmail.com> Donderdag 22 November / Stichting intro|in situ| NOBERT MÖSLANG (CH, ex-Voicercrack) GÜNTER MÜLLER (CH, For4Ears) JASON KAHN (USA/CH, Cut) + Intro in Situ / Capucijnengang 12 Maastricht http://introinsitu.nl/route/
There has always been a ritualistic and trance-inducing feeling in the music
from Canadian composer Vromb. The brain behind the project, Hugo Girrard,
has a quite unique expression with oscillating, minimalist frequencies,
rotating sequences and bubbling technoid sounds creating his quite unique
repetitiveness. The ritual factor is intact on this seventh full-length
album titled "Sous hypnose" released on German label Ant-Zen Recordings.
With a title that in English means "Under hypnosis" experienced listeners of
Vromb should know that the ritual style remains. And it definitely does.
Despite the intended titled, I doubt that many hypno-therapists would dare
to let their average customer sink into this world of icy drones and cynic
rhythm textures. Unquestionably though it would be a quite interesting
experience for the patient. The nine tracks drift back and forth between
futuristic sci-fi ambient and rhythm textures that develop from non-existing
across subdued layers moving up to
the front of the sound picture. The great French spoken voice of Vromb does
penetrate occasionally sounding like the hypnotist himself. If you enjoy the
frostbitten sonic world of Vromb you will definitely appreciate this latest
sci-fi launch from the Canadian.
Address: http://
"Music that refuses to live on one planet". That was the way Tonikom once
expressed his latest album, the first Tonikom-album released on German label
Hymen Records. If planets were music styles the aforementioned description
hits bulls eye concerning the expression of the album. From the
trance-inspired "Salvo infinitum"-track to the abstract IDM-based track
titled "Locked out", that could've been part of Warp Record's legendary
"Artificial intelligence"-compilation. Breakbeat textures play an important
role on the album from the Techstep/Darkside-based track "Dark river" to the
Jungle-based final track "Outro" of tranquilizing atmospheres. Despite his
stylish planetary interchanges of expressions, the true power of Tonikom is
the awesome atmospheres that flourish on the album as a whole. Especially
the opening track "Running as fast as I can" is incredibly beautiful and
worth the price of the album in itself. (NM)
Address: <http://www.hymen-records.com>http://www.hymen-records.com
Touch)
In the Netherlands there is these days a lot of talk about 'canon', things
you should definitely know from science, history, film or literature. It
made me think about a canon for contemporary, post World War Two music. I
think you should have certainly lend an ear to 'Gesang Der Junglinge',
'Symphonie Pour Un Homme Seul', '433' (well, know what that is about) and on
this small and very incomplete list, I should certainly add 'The Sinking Of
The Titanic' by Gavin Bryars. The unfortunate biggest boat in the world,
running in an iceberg in 1912, while the orchestra down stairs kept on
playing. Bryars took that 'orchestra playing' as the starting point for an
ensemble piece by taking the piece that was played, as told by survivors,
the slow 'Autumn' and Bryars takes it apart, or rather, in free sixties
style, let the players decide what to play and also there is voice material
on tape, to have the idea of the ship sending S.O.S. signals. This piece has
an open length and has been, as
far
as I know, been released twice. First on LP in Eno's Obscure Records series
in the seventies and in the nineties on CD by Crepuscule, if I not mistaken.
Here is a version recorded last year with Bryars on double bass, Philip Jeck
on turntables and an Italian ensemble called Alter Ego. It's a bit wrong to
compare all three versions I think. For the occasion I dug out both and the
first one comes rather quickly to the point, with 'Autumn' coming in quite
fast and so did the voices. The first CD version is more spun out and has a
dramatic built up, and nice choir like sounds. The new version here starts
out and ends with a long 'solo' by Jeck, and otherwise seems to follow the
original setting. Half way through there is a chirping insect like sound, of
which I have no idea who produces this (Jeck perhaps?), but in all the cases
that I heard this I couldn't help laughing. The Titanic crushed into a
iceberg in april 1912, surely not really a place for insects. Maybe a wrong
record chosen?
It however makes also clear that this is a live recording and mistakes
happen - not a failure of gigantic proportions but just something that
causes a minor ripple on the waves. I am not sure if one should 'have' this,
unless it's your first experience of the work (then it's a must have), since
it doesn't seem to be adding that much to the two previous versions, but for
those who want to spot the differences it's surely a welcome work. It
definitely something you should hear once in your life. (FdW)
Address: http://www.touchmusic.org.uk
Not much information on P. Jørgensen can be found on the label's website,
other than he works with 'heavily computerprocessed acoustic instruments and
field recordings'. The music was recorded last year and seems to me one of
those nice ambient guitar albums, of which there is already a lot, but some
people never can get enough. Jørgensen feeds his guitar through an endless
line of effects and creates an ever-lasting sustain on his guitar. Maybe I'm
entirely wrong? Things move forward in a slow, solemn manner. Nice enough,
but there are one or two things to be said. First of all that the genre of
ambient (and it's various deviations) doesn't change at all, and hasn't been
doing since quite some time. Also the six pieces on offer here by Jørgensen
are all pretty similar in approach. Things fade in, drone on, fade out,
without too much differentiation between the tracks. Only the sixth track
seems to have a slightly different approach. But perhaps all of this is
minor babbling: the
album by itself is a really luscious nice late evening music album. (FdW)
Address: http://www.monotyperecords.com
Editions)
"Christopher Shillock is called the underground poet laureate of downtown
Minneapolis. He has a BA in Spanish and a MA in philosophy. During the
1980,s he was active with various Communist and Anarchist groups in the Twin
Cities. In 2003 Shillock received a Verve grant from SASE and the Jerome
Foundation for his poetry/video book 'An Invitation to the Terrorists Ball'.
Now that we know this, what about 'Invisible Jazz'? It is a collection of
poems by Shillock that are inspired on ancient Greece and Rome, medieval
Paris, baseball, etc. Tabatha Predovich composed the songs, and both sing
and perform the poems.
I can't judge on the poems, but the compositions are very conventional and
without any originality. This means boring and completely outdated. They
sound as middle of the road 70s popmusic. I asked myself how on earth it is
possible that today this kind of music that sounds as if it is directly
transplanted from the 70s is played by musicians in 2006. Strange for an
anarchist to do so, if you ask me. Of course they merely serve as a vehicle
for the poems and most of the poems deal with even more ancient times. In
that sense a coherent project (DM).
Address: http://www.shillock.com/
It's been a while since we reviewed 'Excursin' from Kora Et Le Mechanix
(Vital Weekly 522), so we have to hark back in our memory to remember what
it sounded like. These Czechs made some interesting ambient music, which we
remember to be a fine combination of Biosphere meeting The Hafler Trio. A
nice album, but somehow I didn't expect that to be remixed, and if not
mistaken by all Czech remixers. It's that the liner notes come in the same
language, otherwise I could have told some more. A remix album is supposed
to take the original material into new territory and attract say techno fans
to the original - a remix album is merely a marketing trick (sorry if this
sounds harsh and you may never realized this before). If The Orb does U2,
it's because their record company wants to sell music to Orb fans. Somehow
that marketing trick doesn't work for the likes of Kora Et Le Mechanix and
their sixteen remixers. I recognized a bunch of names such as Miou Miou,
Selectone and Hypnotix, but
that's not even a quarter of the lot. It's as usual with these things a
mixed bag. There is techno based music, more ambient, deeper ambient, drum
'n bass and even reggea/dub music. I must admit I glanced at the CD box
once, decided that I couldn't read the liner notes, and not recognizing any
of the names, so I instead played the music and decided to enjoy myself,
which I did. A mixed bag of music, put in the right order to be surely
entertaining, which it was. (FdW)
Address: http://www.nextera.cz
Yes, that is quite a mouthful, hard to pronounce, even when entirely sober.
However we came across them before, when we reviewed their 'Halrum' release
on SNSE Records (Vital Weekly 492), influenced by Einsturzende Neubauten,
New Blockaders and Metgumnerbone and on 'Skrankverk' they continue that
path. Despite being cut into various tracks, it comes off as one long track.
Lots and lots metal rambling, not fast, but slow, maybe even intended to be
magickal, ritualistik, I don't know if that's the intention. However they
cleverly sometimes use tapeloops of electronic sounds, scratching the barrel
and such like which give the whole album a feel that there is more to it
than just metal rumbling. I have no idea where these boys are from but me
thinks they are from Germany, although there is no evidence to substantiate
that claim. There is perhaps not even variation between the pieces nor with
previous album, which is too bad, I think. But fans of the more obscure
semi-industrial music,
along the lines of Cold Meat Industry and Old Europa Cafe know the drill:
they have been alerted to get this. Me, I think it's a fine album, but
perhaps a bit too alienated. (FdW)
Address: http://www.dystoniaek.org
An infinite and sometimes not easy to grasp recycled process. That's what
Asmus Tietchens, at least to me, is known for. Here he teams up with Kouhei
Matsunaga from Japan (of whom we haven't heard much lately, but he had a
couple of nice releases on his own Flying Swimming label) and an even more
obscure Y-Ton-G, who hails from Hamburg (just like Tietchens) and has been
around since the dawn of cassettes and still releases CDRs to this date.
Each of them supplied sound material to somebody else who then composed a
piece of music. Two of them have sound material by a duo (Y-Ton-G and Kouhei
and Asmus and Kouhei) - see, not easy to grasp these processes. Not that it
really matters when it comes to appreciating this release. The eight tracks
here make quite a coherent flow of music. The starting point - say the
rumble on the surface - is processed through means unknown. That is: Asmus
in his studio, Y-Ton-G through tapeloops and sound effects and Kouhei
through laptop, things are
altered, changed, deformed and sound like anything else and the starting
point as such can no longer recognized. Through whatever means each of the
composer uses here it still sounds pretty coherent. It's hard to tell who
does what here if one is not looking at the cover. One could argue that the
composers are perhaps interchangeable, but I like to take an opposite view.
Through different working methods, arriving at similar results one gets a
great example of various ways in reaching goals in modern musique concrete.
Both Y-Ton-G and Kouhei Matsunaga show great respect for the music of Asmus
Tietchens and its an album that surely will appeal to fans of Asmus. A very
refined work. (FdW)
Address: http://www.monochromevision.ru
MERZBOW - LIVE DESTRUCTION AT NO FUN 2007 (CD by No Fun Productions)
CLINE/GIFFONI/LICHT/RANALDO - NOTHING MAKES ANY SENSE (CD by No Productions)
EDWARD SOL - WRONG ACTION (3"CDR by Quasi Pop)
A story I told before: I gave up on keeping my Merzbow collection complete.
Sad but true. I found myself without time of hearing (and re-hearing) all
the releases properly. Such is life. So whatever new Merzbow I hear, is
getting back to his music. I must admit when I hear it I sometimes think
it's a pity I gave up. Or perhaps not. There is a certain constant factor
running in his music that makes him, no doubt about that, the king of noise.
Variations and innovations are sparse in his work and can probably only be
detected by the true fanr, of which I may I no longer call myself one.
'Peace For Animals' sees a continuation of his works of recent years, I
think. Computerized noise, perhaps with the addition of guitar effects that
are still damaging your ears. However at the same time it also seems that
this album is less harsh, well that is relative thing of course with mister
Merzbow (an all acoustic album is still in demand, I think), but some of the
scraping sounds reminded me of
his 'Enclosure' and 'Ecobondage' times, but filled with some more sound
effects. Another powerful statement this one. Maybe the urge for more
Merzbow should be controlled and played again what has already been
accumulated over the years.
And with luck I just also got another Merzbow CD (which of course the
journalists with a less attention span would say: see this guy is over
productive, two CDs per week). Merzbow played at the No Fun festival earlier
this year and 'remixed' it at home into a full on forty-one minute slab in
the face. Away from the Quasi Pop release, this is Merzbow full blast of
noise. I saw Merzbow a couple of times playing live, among which were his
very first concerts in Europe in 1989 when of course nobody came out to
witness it, and listening to this live recording brings back the great
memories of those concerts. Merzbow studio can be loud, but his concerts are
the real beasts. In one concentrated paint brush he paints all the colors of
the rainbow in bright as hell tones. A mighty fine work. He should be in our
area more often me thinks.
Also a live recording is four guitarist line up of Nels Cline, Carlos
Giffoni, Alan Licht and Lee Ranaldo, who teamed up on 0201-2007 at the Tonic
to play together, following a review of an old Lou Reed LP (printed on the
cover): more is more, being the subject. Bring in as many guitars, as many
amplifiers and make noise. That starting point leads to a fifty minute free
jam in which the guitar is as important as the amplifier, let alone all
those nicely colored boxes on the floor, and the four of them let things
explode in a true noise manner. Not to dissimilar to Merzbow me thinks, but
this quartet is less noisy than the boss on his own, and they move through
more phases unlike the monolithic mountain of Merzbow. At times free jazz
and endless prog solos lurk around the corner, but let's assume they are
merely tongue in cheek? Another nice blast (excellently mixed by a fifth
guitarist actually, James Plotkin).
Music by Edward Sol has been released by Quasipop before and reviewed here.
Here he presents another four tracks on 3" format in a nice little package.
Apparently the theme is about 'This is the tragic (and funny at the same
time) story of Pop Diva working and partying hard', although it's not sure
which diva is meant here. Maybe Kylie Minogue, as suggested by the track
title 'Inside Kylie'? Unlike some of his previous stuff, Sol goes out to old
fashioned tape collages, cutting, splicing and pasting of tapes to create
his music. At times he wanders out in the rich field of noise, but stays in
true spirit of the good ol' musique concrete. It's at times loud and
vicious, but the collage element of the music prevails. Influenced by say
Pierre Henry (voices are spliced together) and Merzbow, makes this his most
refined statement so far. Not in every subtle, but created with great care.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.quasipop.org
Address: http://www.nofunproductions.org
PHIL MINTO & YAGIHASHI TSUKASA & SATO YUKIE & HIGO HIROSHI - NIPPARA-TOKYO
(CD by Public Eyesore)
GIRAFFE - HEAR HERE (CDR by Eh?)
MARINA HARDY - PINK VIOLIN (CDR by Eh?)
(D)YNAMIC (B)ROWN (H)IPS - WAVE THE OLD WAVE (CDR by Eh?)
SHELF LIFE - RHEUMA (CDR by Eh?)
USA's Public Eyesore started out as a CDR label, but has grown into a 'real'
CD label these days, but to make life more confusing there is a subdivision
dealing with CDRs. It's called Eh?, most appropriate, since there is hardly
any information on any of the releases.
On Public Eyesore we first find one Bob Marsh, who says he recorded 'this
collection of rantings, ravings, sermons, scenes, little operas and whatever
they might be, in the flat lands of Richmond California', so I was kinda
expecting some vocal poetry. But the liner notes also mention he plays
violin, cello and samples. That may explain the title of this. The words he
sings aren't always words with a meaning, and he sings quite a few those.
Unfocussed is a word that springs to mind here. What does he want? It seems
that he improvises bits, feed them through his on the go sampler and kaos
pad, and that's a bit. Nice for a few pieces, but going through all of
fifteen is a bit much. There is simply not enough variation in the
approaches Marsh uses to create his music, so it may seem that we are
listening to the same track in variations. I have no idea why this is a CD
and not a CDR.
I can see however why the next release is on CD, as I assume Minton has
quite a following. This free voice improviser has a long, outstanding
career, which brought him around the world, as so here he is in Japan,
playing with three players, I never heard of: Yagihashi Tsukasa on altsax,
Sato Yukie on electric guitar and Higo Hiroshi on electric bass. Maybe it's
my free improvising mind while playing this release, but somehow it seems to
me that these players have a somewhat jazz related background; at least in
some passages this seems to be the case. They venture out into some more
noise like territory, such as the opening of the (untitled) third track.
These players aren't the silent types, not like some of their Japanese
colleaugues. The four men play a highly controlled improvisation set (well,
two actually, divided in six tracks) taking the listener on a ride through
various moods and textures, continuously listening to each other, acting
when necessary or silent when needed. A
fine disc for the lovers of the genre of improvised music.
On Eh? we find Giraffe, a duo of Joseph Jaros and Luke Polipnick, and as
said, no information. They are a noisy bunch of lads on their 'Hear Here'.
It's hard to say what sound sources are at their disposal, but things are
pretty loud and distorted. A certain interesting low fidelity quality is to
be detected in these recordings, voices from radio, the same radio that is
fed through a bunch of distortion pedals. However for whatever odd reason I
also think they use a computer as a means of producing the noise. All of the
proceedings are delivered through methods of improvisation and no editing,
which is fashionable in these areas and which is a pity, since not every
moment is very strong, me thinks. With some cut and paste it could have been
a much more interesting work.
No info, again, on one Marina Hardy, whose 'Pink Violin' gave me a hard
time. What does she play? A pink violin? Or a sampler? Me thinks the latter
and she operates in the good ol' Plunderphonic style, going all over the
place with world music fiddle music, heavy metal guitar solo's (reminded me
of Eddie van Halen, who lived around here, actually), cheesy lounge music,
jazz, rock and oh there is a violin here and there, such as in the classical
'Ceisel' and the nice cover version of Gershwin's 'It Ain't Necessarily So'.
Ok, so I think she plays violin and samples. Usually the multitude of styles
work against what I like, but in a most curious way things work out quite
nicely here. Tracks are to the point and like dialing the knobs on the
radio, one goes from one end of the musical spectrum to the other and that
is sometimes nice too.
Out in the field of total improvisation, with the total absence of
electronics is the release by (D)ynamic (B)rown (H)ips, which are Justin
Rhody on trumpet, Clare Hubbard on saxophone and Keith Wright on percussion
on the second and third tracks, plus on the first track a whole bunch more
on violin, trombone, recorder, upright bass an such like. That is a very
heavy, quite aggressive piece, with high pitched acoustic tones and loud
bursts of all the instruments. Take away a few instruments and hope things
get a bit more quiet? Idle hope, since it seems even the trio of them play
louder and more aggression than the extended group. Certainly not easy music
and quite demanding; not something to play in one go, I think.
The final release for today on Eh? is by Shelf Life, which we happen to know
is a project by Brian Day, the man behind both labels here. Shelf Life is a
quartet of improvising musicians playing around in a more heavy rock type of
improvisation. The guitar is being tortured, whereas bass and drums play
highly distorted rumblings, rather than playing a coherent basis for the
guitarists. The whole thing is a kinda alienating, and the somewhat sketchy
recording quality doesn't help either. I must admit I thought the previous
release was better. (FdW)
Address: http://www.publiceyesore.com
'This record is dedicated to Paul and Raymond whose zest for life was with
me six months long. I will keep it' it says somewhat mysteriously on the
press text. Benjamin Brunn is, along with Scanner and Move D, a stalwart
artist of Bine Music, but reviewing this two track 12" is not an easy task.
The rhythm driven music will surely work well on the dance floor, but who am
I to tell? I am not a DJ, not even a regular visitor of the dance floor, let
alone known for moving my feet, so what can I do with in the cosy place
called home with it? I can play it, like it even, but I realize that's hard
for me to say wether this is great minimal techno, or perhaps a faint copy
of the real thing. The watershed between me and the world of minimal techno
is simply too big. So, I didn't dance around, but sat down, thought the fat
bass was great, the light, dubby keyboards were nice and I thought it was
damn nice record. And oh, I thought, I should go out more and dance more.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.binemusic.de
Muzak)
And of course, the days are short, the nights are long and we must celebrate
the birth of our saviour again. Christmas was no friend of mine. But there
is one little bit of light in the dark days of christmas: Meeuw Muzak
releases another fine 7". By now I can spend at least half boxing day
listening to the crazy christmas tunes of Meeuw. The latest addition is by
Dittrich von Euler-Donnersperg who has released some even more crazy music
on his own Walter Ulbricht label and Die Stadt, with partly reading of texts
and partly electronic music. Here he offers two soft electronic music
pieces, which are like snowflakes (of course it never snows in Dutch
christmas times). Almost kitchy and new age like on a super cheesy keyboard
with all the wrong (and thus right) preset sounds, Dittrich is perhaps that
great family man that such tunes under his tannenbaum for a wealth of happy
children, who start unwrapping their presents as daddy finishes his tunes.
Great stuff, once again. I can't wait
for christmas with my Meeuw Muzak collection (isn't about time for a nice CD
compilation, mister Meeuw). (FdW)
Address: http://www.meeuw.net
Music by Greek AS11 has been mostly released by Antifrost, but for his
latest release he headed out to another Greek label, Echo Music. Three
lengthy pieces, the first two are live pieces and one studio piece. The live
pieces were recorded in San Sebastian, of which the second is a
collaboration with Edorta Izarzugaza. These are the facts. The little known
facts as per usual AS11 like a bit of mystification. I am not sure how to
perceive the title of the release, but it seems if all three tracks use some
of drill or something pneumatic like that. All three piece are highly
minimal in approach with machine like sounds. Especially the two live pieces
have that quality. Changes happen, but are rare. An amplified drill, with
the addition of... well, of what exactly? It's hard to tell. The third
track, the studio piece 'Melutaso' feeds the mechanical machinery through
computer effects, to the same minimal extent as the live cuts, but as the
piece progresses things happen and there are
major changes in the various movements of the piece. I liked that track
better than the two more singleminded live pieces. They are mere documents
of a live action than thoroughly composed music, me thinks. (FdW)
Address: http://www.echomusic.gr
The correct website for Balloon and Needle (see last week) should be:
1. From: "Carl Weidner / MS Stubnitz" <carl@stubnitz.com>
25-11-2007 // 20:30 // 7 Euro
soundtrack.
"A truly stunning piece of cinema history, Häxan, directed by Benjamin
Christensen, features grave robbing, torture, possessed nuns, baby
sacrifices and an unforgettable depiction of a satanic sabbath. Bronnt's
soundtrack matches Christensen's extraordinary depiction of historical
witchcraft with a totally unique, otherworldly and constantly shifting
musical landscape ranging from chilling electrical/concret passages to
joyous electro-acoustic ensemble pieces."
>From the DVD sleeve:
"Bronnt were initially instructed to perform a live soundtrack for Häxan at
the Cube Cinema, Bristol by the Aetas Arcanum organisation, of which little
is known. It soon became a major inspiration, obsession even. In the same
way much of Häxan's oppressive cinematography was achieved through filming
at night, Bronnt's exclusively nocturnal recording schedule similarly evokes
the awe of the sabbat. The score uses a wide range of instrumentation
including clockwork devices, phillicorda, mellotron, tone generators, grand
piano, acoustic and electric guitar and clarinet, with much elaborate
electrical processing and manipulation to achieve a distinctly otherworldly
quality. The final recording was mixed live by Guy Bartell and Anton Maiovvi
through an intimidating array of analog delays, plate reverbs and magnetic
tape machines."
http://www.silentagerecords.co.uk/bronnt/index.html
http://www.myspace.com/bronnt
http://www.bronnt.com
Australia.
Working across a broad range of investigations, English,s work is eclectic
and characterises a long-term exploration into various themes including
audio/visual environments, found sound/vision, subtle transformation of
public space and sonic art works that exist at the very edge of perception.
For over a decade, English,s audio explorations have sprawled across a range
of areas. Sonically, the work calls into question the established
relationships between sound and structure ^ traversing experimental
soundscapes and free improvisation to sheering rhythmic works and
concréte-influenced compositions, his published works span a dynamic array
of fields. London,s Time Out referred to his output as Oambient twisted
soundscapes and challenging sonic scree,, and U.S. sound journal, Signal To
Noise described English,s work as Oextraordinarily gorgeous modern music
concréte,.
In recent years English has performed and improvised with the likes of David
Toop, Terry Riley, Keith Whitman, Ami Yoshida, Steinbruchel, Damo Suzuki,
Marina Rosenfeld, DJ Olive, Philip Samartzis, Scanner, Tetuzi Akiyama, Janek
Schaefer and KK Null.
Lawrence also curates the burgeoning ROOM40 imprint and organises numerous
events.
http://www.lawrenceenglish.com
<http://www.stubnitz.com>www.stubnitz.com
2. From: al al <not_half@hotmail.com>
Live in Winnipeg!!!
109 Higgins Graffiti Gallery, Winnipeg,
Cost : $5.00
sissies), wind-up radio abuse and maybe even broken ghettoblaster abuse!!
Everyone else will be doing something far more talented and interesting!
Come for the noise, stay for the fun!
w/ Mr. Al Conroy as not half, the Crys Cole, Philia and This Camera is Red.
Party till you drop.
Crys Cole
Philia
This Camera is Red
Graffiti Gallery!!!
http://www.myspace.com/nothalf
http://www.discogs.com/artist/Not+1%2F2
Audioscoop 2.2
door 20h / Start 21h / 4 euro / http://www.introinsitu.nl/
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
<http://www.kunstmuseumsg.ch/voicecrack/>http://www.kunstmuseumsg.ch/voicecrack/
<http://www.for4ears.com/>http://www.for4ears.com/
<http://jasonkahn.net/>http://jasonkahn.net/
DJ ZIPO ( <http://www.aufabwegen.de> www.aufabwegen.de ) + MYSTERY GUEST
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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