Vital Weekly 614

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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 614
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week 7
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Vital Weekly, the webcast: we offering a weekly webcast, freely to download.
This can be regarded as the audio-supplement to Vital Weekly. Presented as a
radioprogramm with excerpts of just some of the CDs (no vinyl or MP3)
reviewed. It will remain on the site for a limited period of 5 weeks.
Download the file to your MP3 player and enjoy!
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* noted are in this week's podcast

THE WEIRD WEEDS - I MISS THIS (CD by Autobus Records) *
RICHARD LAINHART - WHITE NIGHT (CD by Ex Ovo Records) *
MANDALA VOLUME ONE (3"CDR by Ex Ovo Records)
GERT-JAN PRINS - BREAK BEFORE MAKE (CD by Editions Mego) *
STEPHEN O'MALLEY & ATTILA CSIHAR - 6°FSKYQUAKE (CD by Editions Mego)
ALFREDO COSTA MONTEIRO - ANATOMY OF INNER PLACE (CD by Monotype Records)
FRANCISCO LOPEZ - LIVE IN AUCKLAND (CD by Monotype Records)
BRASIL AND THE GALLOWBROTHERS BAND - HI BRASIL WHERE WE ARE (CD by Monotype
Records)
VOICE_ELECTRONIC DUO - VED (CD by Monotype Records) *
PRURIENT AND STILL WANTING (CD + 5inch single by No Fun Productions)
KATHY KENNEDY - HMMM REMIX COMPILATION (CD by Le Son 666)
TOY BIZARRE/PIERRE REDON - SAISONS (CD by Auf Abwegen) *
ANNETTE VANDE GORNE - EXILS (DVD by Empreintes Digitalis)
JOHN YOUNG - LIEU-TEMPS NEW (OF PLACE AND TIME (DVD by Empreintes Digitalis)
ROBERTA SETTELS - ISOLATION (LP by BIN Records)
SLITHER - SIXES (7" by Tasty Soil Records)
SLITHER - HORRIBLE MUTATION (CDR by Tasty Soil Records) *
MAURIZIO BIANCHI & CHEAPMACHINES - PARADOXOS (CDR by Tib Prod) *
BJERGA/IVERSEN - DISSECT AND CONNECT (CDR by Tib Prod)
DONYS MOKUALG SUBSTITUTION PRODUCT - KATAPLASM (CDr by ?)
HOLY DREAD - DRECHES (CDR by Cut Hands)
TANDEM ELECTRICS - INTAGLIO (CDR by RAR)
YANN NOVAK - IN RESIDENCE (CDR by Dragon Eye Recordings) *
MU MIXER - [EITHER OR] (CDR by Retinascan)
MARCO PIANGES - INSIDE IMPLOSION (CDR by Retinascan) *
DIAMONDHEAD - DIRTY REALISM (CDR by Public Eyesore)
JESSE KRAKOW - WORLD WITHOUT NACHOS (CDR by Public Eyesore)
THE KBD SONIC COOPERATIVE - FOUR PLUS ONE (CDR by Public Eyesore)
BREKEKEKEXKOAXKOAX - I MANAGE TO GET OUT BY A SECRET DOOR (CDR by Public
Eyesore) *
JETZMANN - UNTER DIE DEUTSCHEN (3"CDR by AIC disc) *
SONATA REC - UND WIR WAREN NICHT DIE ERSTEN UTOPISTEN (3"CDR by AIC disc)
GREGORY BÜTTNER - NIL:AUDIO (3"CDR by AIC disc)
TOTES FORMAT - TUNNEL BRUECKE (CDR by Totes Format)
MATTHIEU SALADIN - 4'33"/O'00" (3" CDR by Editions Provisoires) *
MR. BRAIN SANDER - SONGS ABOUT HUFFING (cassette by Teenage Whore Tapes)
OUBLIETTE - SELF HATE (cassette by Teenage Whore Tapes)
ROY-ARNE KNUTSEN - FJORDS (MP3 by Silence Is Not Empty) *
JEFF GBUREK - GNARLY ROOT QUEEN SPECTRA REMIX (MP3 by Idiosyncratics)
PANGEA - LA LOGICA DE LAS TERMITAS (MP3 by Idiosyncratics)
ENSEMBLE 0 - PASSACAILLE (MP3 by Idiosyncratics) *

THE WEIRD WEEDS - I MISS THIS (CD by Autobus Records)
The weirdos of the week come through us by The Weird Weeds, a trio from
Austin, Texas, who try 'to create pop music that is experimental yet oddly
palatable and well-conceived'. That is true. Fourteen relatively short songs
here that display this rather well. From held-back, multi vocal bits to
heavy post rock outings. This is their third album and took them seven
months to record, more than their previous output (which I never heard).
It's music that is not often found on this desk, and for which my reference
book is rather empty. I must admit though, I quite liked it, simply because
it's so unlike much other music that is covered in the pages of Vital
Weekly. A bit folky, a bit rocky, a bit noisy and a bit ambient, it's all
there, handsomely placed next to eachother. Quite nice, actually, but an
island here. A comforting island though. (FdW)
Address: http://www.autobusrecs.com

RICHARD LAINHART - WHITE NIGHT (CD by Ex Ovo Records)
MANDALA VOLUME ONE (3"CDR by Ex Ovo Records)
In January 1975 Brian Eno had an accident which brought him into hospital. A
friend of his gave him a record of 18th century harp music. After his friend
had gone, Eno noticed that the record was played rather softly, but he
couldn't get out of bed to turn up the volume. He instead listened to the
very soft record and the environment in which it was played. Thus ambient
music was born. In 2006, Ex Ovo Records released the compilation 'I, Mute
Hummings' and on it was an excerpt of Richard Lainhart's 'White Night', a
piece recorded on a moog in 1974. In my review of the compilation I wrote it
sounded too much like regular ambient music to me (see Vital Weekly 550). Ex
Ovo may have picked this up and added one to one, and thought, 'wow, we
discovered a piece of ambient from 1974, older than Eno's original
conception on 'Discreet Music' from 1975. If only things were that simple.
Over the last thirty years ambient music has developed in all sorts of
manners, from listening to pure field
recordings to ambient house, rock and what else. The biggest part however is
played by musicians who use a lot of synthesizers to create music that fills
your environment and makes you feel good. This could, historically, be
linked back to Lamonte Young, Terry Riley, Pauline Oliveros and Charlemagne
Palestine, the origins of western drone music. Now Ex Ovo releases the
whole, twenty-nine minute piece, and, while named after a snowy night on
which it was recorded, today it's actually very sunny and not cold here. But
the sun provides a sharp light in my room, and the swirling tones of
Lainhart's moog are presently there in my environment. Maybe I still think
it's regular ambient music, but I must also admit that it's a very fine
piece of music. A nice piece of drone music, not unlike the latter day
Mirror or Christoph Heeman, or in fact some of Eno's own later work. A solid
piece.
Chinese whispers are when someone tells you a line of a story, you make up
the second line, a third person the next one etc. Ex Ovo started a series of
musical works based upon this notion, where a musician makes up five minutes
and then someone else takes over, until four are done. This is 'Mandala
Volume 1', starting out with Mirko Uhlig, Tobias Fischer (both of them
behind the label), Keith Berry and Jörg Eger. Almost without noting the
first two pieces slide into eachother, in a very weightless space sort of
way. The music is highly (in every sense of the word) atmospheric. When
Keith Berry takes over, things move from heaven right into the ocean, deep
down, but here to the cross into guitarist Jörg Eger works really well, he
comes in later on with his slide guitar and not from the very moment as he
is supposed to play. A project like this could be a real miss, but these
four are spot on. One excellent piece of ambient music, in not too clear
four parts, but it surely makes sense
.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.exovo.org

GERT-JAN PRINS - BREAK BEFORE MAKE (CD by Editions Mego)
STEPHEN O'MALLEY & ATTILA CSIHAR - 6°FSKYQUAKE (CD by Editions Mego)
Over the years Gert-Jan Prins has established himself as a solid figure in
the world of improvisation. The first time I ever heard his name was in 1984
when he played drums on music by band called Y Create. Many people don't
realize this, but Prins started out as a drummer. On his new CD he throws in
some timpani, and even some voice, but none of that is easily be recognized.
Today Prins is perhaps more regarded as a noise head, but if you listen
closely to his work you will acknowledge the fact that he is a
percussionist. A percussionist of broken electronics. The wires of his
instruments - open boxes with the circuits exposed - are all connected and
buzz, hiss and peep, while the fingers of Prins make the connections come
alive. Fourteen tracks in just under twenty-five minutes. No doubt Prins has
plundered his archive of recordings (both live and studio) to select tiny
fragments, which he feels best represent what he stands for. Breaking down
circuits, bending circuits, all in a
rhythmic and noise based manner. This is the true noise and by someone who
knows how to break things in order to create new things. Not a second too
long, or too short. This is Prins at his best.
I read the text that came with the CD by O'Malley and Csihar, but I am not
sure if I understand it well. There were two shows at two different
galleries by american sculptor Banks Violette. The music was produced at one
gallery but later on also to be heard at the other and lasted eight hours
and thirty-five minutes. What is on this CD is only a small portion, with,
again if understood right, tape voice material Csihar. O'Malley plays 'HP
200CD & Travis Bean / Fender Twin Reverb'. I must admit I have no idea who
Csihar is or how the art of Banks Violette looks like, but this CD gives me
some clue. The overtone like singing/chanting sounds very much like the
voice of a man alone, a contemplative recording of solitude and despair.
O'Malley creates a sonic texture of likewise sonic isolation. It's all dark
and grim, as well as empty. I can imagine that this lasts eight hours and
that it creates more an environment than a piece by itself. The darker
undercurrents may not be spend that
well on me, but every now and then a bit of depression, is nice too. (FdW)
Address: http://www.editionsmego.com

ALFREDO COSTA MONTEIRO - ANATOMY OF INNER PLACE (CD by Monotype Records)
FRANCISCO LOPEZ - LIVE IN AUCKLAND (CD by Monotype Records)
BRASIL AND THE GALLOWBROTHERS BAND - HI BRASIL WHERE WE ARE (CD by Monotype
Records)
VOICE_ELECTRONIC DUO - VED (CD by Monotype Records)
Polish label Monotype Records doesn't exactly releases music of a monotype.
The four (??!?) releases here can be separated in two different lots: one is
the more accessible kind of music and one is the experimental type of music.
In the latter area we find Alfredo Costa Monteira, of whom we recently
reviewed 'Epicycle' (see Vital Weekly 611). He was concerned back then with
the voice, now it's the inner place, the household objects. 'All the sound
sources are part of my domestic environment. Every sound is used here as it
was recorded with no electronic effects or processing except for dynamics.
Some sounds result from acoustic combinations of other sounds'. I am not
sure if Monteiro thought of Pink Floyd, who wanted to do a record of
household objects, but Monteiro limits himself to apparatus around the house
which make a mechanical sound, washing machines, hair driers, coffee
grinding - things like that. He cuts all of these sounds together in quite a
nice way. Collage like. Sounds
start and stop while others continue. Sometimes in a noisy manner, sometimes
in an ambient manner, but quite nice. You could wonder if a 3" CD wouldn't
have been right enough to make the same point, but throughout it's all quite
alright. A sort of much more intellectual noise, whilst also taking the piss
out of the field recording posse.
And perhaps leading man of that posse is Francisco Lopez, who has delivered
a long line of releases of music made with field recordings. As perhaps
known, at least to his dedicated followers, he is now releasing his best
live recordings. I have no idea how he selects these. Recording quality?
Performance of the piece? Uniqueness of the piece? But he surely travels
around the world, and he was in Auckland, New Zealand where he played a
forty some minute piece, in which we find him in a somewhat different mood.
Perhaps an unique performance? For this piece he seems to be using
rhythmical machine sounds at the start, which will later on return. Also
insect sounds from tropical rain forests are used, but only in a small
portion of the piece. The machine like sounds form the bigger part of this
piece, which isn't that silent at all. The silent approach is rather
something he uses on his studio releases, and live things are, well, just
different. It's a great piece building to a large
crescendo at the end - another Lopezian trademark. Very fine work.
On the other side of the musical spectrum we find Brasil And The
Gallowbrothers Band, who type font is unreadable on the cover, but it looks
nice. With or without glasses, I am not going to ruin my eyes on this. They
don't play textbook popmusic, but are clearly influenced by slow popmusic,
mood and atmospheres. I hear guitar, vocals (whispering of course), drums,
keyboards and a bit of electronics. Six long pieces, with slow developments.
Once the band is on the wagon things roll on, based around drums, vocals and
the instruments playing ornament bits. Certainly not bad, but as said, all
is a bit long. Some of the pieces could have been tighter in playing and
perhaps a bit more variation this could be a great thing, now it stays in
nice ideas.
The most out in popland is Voice_electronic duo, which is exactly what it
is, a duo of electronics (male) and vocals (female). By judging the various
bits of information on the cover I am pretty sure, nay, convinced that they
are from Poland, and they have listened to emopop, trip hop, Björk,
Portishead and Alva Noto - odd? Perhaps, but yeah it does make sense. The
whispering, soft, fairytale vocals of Zosia Eden, with the eerie
electronics, slow beats and such like by Marcin Dymiter, make a daring, odd
but also workable combination, I think. Moody, poppy, but also enough sense
of experimentalism. Nice enough, although not easy to break the alternative
charts, well, perhaps in Poland, where they might understand the lyrics.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.monotyperecords.com

PRURIENT AND STILL WANTING (CD + 5inch single by No Fun Productions)
A feature of this epoch (an end) is its similarity with the Baroque (another
end) - i.e. irony, sex as perversion and pornography, surface, amusement
and ultra realism, (the origins of opera!) compared to the religiosity of
truth and beauty - even eroticism - of what preceded - the renaissance or
modernity. Contrast Michelangelo with Caravaggio or Sol Le Witt with Jeff
Koons. My reasons for not liking opera - in the past - was that it was not
serious - and my reasons for still not liking -now- it is that it has become
serious (and popular amongst intellectuals). I was appalled at Nixon in
China whilst the chattering classes were enthralled - they at last had
something they didn't have to understand. So this release must be good, is
serious and popular - should be acclaimed amongst a
set... from which I am excluded. A self exclusion by virtue of its very idea
of an opus an operatic work in scale and form/content - voice / noise.
Industrialization saved humanity before, with the end of logic no machine
will either save us or burry us, the shouting and posturing - which is both
ethical and aesthetic - and what gives the work above both credit and
value - (old functions) as noise- or better music- is in vein, only
decoration without function - pure noise - which this is not- will do.
(jliat)
Address: http://www.nofunfest.com/nofunprod.html

KATHY KENNEDY - HMMM REMIX COMPILATION (CD by Le Son 666)
Perhaps it's safe to assume that all people hum, at least every now and
then. Humming to themselves, to a tune or to meditate. Kathy Kennedy, of
whom I never heard, does group hummings for 'sonic experimentation and
meditation, for play and for physical well-being'. Recordings of this
humming were given to a whole bunch of people in order to crank out some
form of remix, which is clever thinking, me thinks, because it brings her
work to a new audience. Kennedy is, I believe, from Montreal, so some of the
Montreal posse are here, such as Helene Prevost, i8u but also Francisco
Lopez, Kim Cascone, Thanos Chrysakis, Austici, and lesser known names, such
as Doug van Nort, Magali Babin, Jonas Olesen, Margaret Schedel. Some of them
use the humming of voices as a starting point to create electronic
deviations of it, other use the voices as voices, and layered them, change
the pitch etc. But all of the twelve remixes (the first track is a sort of
documentary piece about humming and people are
being interviewed) seem to be interested in creating densely, atmospheric
music in which you can feel good. To create perhaps a similar effect as
humming, to enter a relaxing state. Quite a nice compilation, but not always
a big surprise. (FdW)
Address: http://www.le-son666.com

TOY BIZARRE/PIERRE REDON - SAISONS (CD by Auf Abwegen)
If you wouldn't know any better than the four tracks on this release would
be by the same musician. Is that good or bad, when it involves two different
ones? The answer I haven't quite figured out yet. It's always a risky
affair, the four seasons and music - but in this case there is no Vivaldi
fiddling along, which is good. Toy Bizarre is perhaps one of the last 'old'
guys to use his band name rather than his own name, Cedric Peyronnet, which
is good. Pierre Redon is a much younger guy and never used a band name,
which is also good. They have been playing music together since 2002.
Peyronnet is in fine electro-acoustic mood and Redon's main instrument is
the guitar and electronics. They both play two pieces, Redon springtime and
autumn (first and last piece), Toy Bizarre summer and winter (the two pieces
in the middle). Listened closely to the music, one can spot the differences,
even when Redon uses field recordings and Toy Bizarre makes his field
recordings sound like drones. The
result should appeal to all lovers of drone related music with a good,
sturdy look at the world of field recordings. Subtle music goes loud, noise
music goes subtle. Mind you, this is not a work of microsound. There is much
more happening than just a few static crackles built from a ten second rain
sample. This is quite vivid, imaginative electro-acoustic music. Great
stuff. (FdW)
Address: http://www.aufabwegen.com

ANNETTE VANDE GORNE - EXILS (DVD by Empreintes Digitalis)
JOHN YOUNG - LIEU-TEMPS NEW (OF PLACE AND TIME (DVD by Empreintes Digitalis)
Much of what I rambled last week about the two latest Empreintes Digitales
releases apply also to the new Annette vande Gorne. Musique concrete made
with a textbook. All the same sort of processing, bending etc of sounds is
used here. Field recordings, maybe heavily processed instruments and such
like and bob is your uncle.
Is nothing good then in this corner? There is John Young, who undertook a
travel to Northern Italy with his parents - his mother being from that area.
His work is based on field recordings made in that place, voice material
from locals (perhaps his parents even) and voices from broadcasts about the
war - the period in which John's parents met and left for New Zealand. Now
this is the way to do it. The voices and sounds tell us a story, about war,
about a place, about memories in a very concentrated manner. Some of his
processings are perhaps Empreintes alike, but he uses it in the right
combination with the spoken word material. Haunting stuff, absolutely
beautiful. Radioplay like, cinema to the ears. A long piece, but interesting
to the very end. As a sort of 'bonus' one also gets a piece for ensemble and
electroacoustic music, which is nice, since the two are quite separated here
and make interesting interplay. (FdW)
Address: http://www.electrocd.com

ROBERTA SETTELS - ISOLATION (LP by BIN Records)
The world knows many talents whose work is covered with dust. Richard
Lainhart for instance (see elsewhere), or Roberta Settels. She is from
America, but now lives in Sweden. She studied in the seventies and 80s with
Pierre Boulez and worked on the UPIC system, guided by Iannis Xenakis. In
1985 she released a LP on her own label Music In Crisis called 'Isolation',
with four pieces to be 'played as parts of a unified composition focused on
the Meinhof story' - it says on the cover of a re-issue by BIN from Denmark.
This record, more than Lainhart, is a real eyeopener. Is this really from
1985? Very, very hard to believe, but if it's true, then it's truly a
forgotten classic. It deals with the death of Ulrike Meinhof after being
isolated in prison. The silence of isolation is brought alive through
electronic music. Music in which almost nothing seems to be happening. Here
the silence of say Lopez, Meelkop, Behrens or Chartier is forecast by some
fifteen years. A sparse tone here and
there, a sine wave, isolated from the rest. Only in the fourth part, 'P1 -
Information?' there is a sudden lot of activity, but even then it still
remains sparse. Freightening music, sounding the isolated work inside a
prison cell very well. (FdW)
Address: http://totem.menneske.dk

SLITHER - SIXES (7" by Tasty Soil Records)
SLITHER - HORRIBLE MUTATION (CDR by Tasty Soil Records)
Saxophones seem to be the main ingredient of Slither, a duo of C. Pottinger
and H. Moerland. However, they also amplification, not too great microphones
and a four track - all to obtain that gritty and noisy sound. In the opening
minutes I thought they did a cover of Five Or Six's 'Theme', slowly
transforming in a tune by Last Few Days. Slither plays eighties inspired
noise music meeting the ritual. The sounds are layered in slightly different
speeds and are sometimes a bit out of tune. In the fourth and final track on
'Horrible Mutation' they wander off into noise land. It was all o.k. but
nothing great. Which is a pity since their 7" is actually quite nice. It's
more worked out, with all sorts of smaller events happening and more
instruments/sound effects. It sounds better recorded and better mixed with
eye for the detail. It should be good if all of their work got a similar
treatment. (FdW)
Address: http://www.tastysoil.com

MAURIZIO BIANCHI & CHEAPMACHINES - PARADOXOS (CDR by Tib Prod)
BJERGA/IVERSEN - DISSECT AND CONNECT (CDR by Tib Prod)
Both Maurizio Bianchi and Cheapmachines have proven over the years of their
careers that they are capable of producing a fine bit of music, also when it
comes to louder stuff or even true noise music. Bianchi of course playing an
all important role in the early days of industrial music and Cheapmachines
as a good student of that. However their piece 'Powerarctic' comes with some
linernotes such as 'Like the silence, which is the contrary of the sound, or
the Arctic which is the opposite of the Anarctic' along other more
complicated lines of mumbo-jumbo. The piece lasts one hour of motorized
drone music, which slowly develops, or rather just changes a bit, but it
seems that both are caught on an off day. Nothing here that could interest
me very much, not for more than any random ten minutes of this piece, but
not the entirety itself.
The new Bjerga/Iversen is not really a new one, but a remix album. In the
world of real music business, the remix is there to bring music into a new
territory, to find, say, rock clients for your dance act. None such is the
case here, as the twelve remixers are all from the same world as
Bjerga/Iversen. The same posse that is responsible for endless lines of CDR
releases on their own labels, and who, by friends request, easily make up a
remix for you. The usual suspects, local and international are welcomed
here: Hoh, Robert Horton, Dead Wood, Andy Jarvis, Joe + N-XXXXXX, Swamps Up
Nostrils, Hrönir, Green Kingdom, Prester, Tzesne and Culver. It's a nice
compilation, even when at times it seems close to the original sounds of
Bjerga/Iversen: lengthy pieces of improvised electronics, playing the
atmospheric card and sometimes derailing. Not bad, but not entirely
convincing, certainly not after last week's fine Bjerga/Iversen release.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.tibprod.com

DONYS MOKUALG SUBSTITUTION PRODUCT - KATAPLASM (CDr by ?)
This was released in January 2008 and a contact address is
<scumflesh@wanadoo.fr> - the disk I got was a verbatim with marker pen
bearing the above text. An accompanying green flyer provides little more
information - than above - a track listing showing 24 tracks with names like
"Hunger of the artificial vagina", "autoroute orgasme" and "scalpel vector
cunt (part 1 to 5). The collage on the other side includes a cutout with
French text. The sounds - first tracks - fast drum machines, piano , guitar?
and sax plundering from noise into semi Jazz? Google yields very little
more -

http://www.scan-dm-mania.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=293&sid=0890796fe6cbd17502fa47a699333d04
gives - "Cyber death noisecore/ Harsh noise/ Cut up noisecore" The following
pieces are more abstract slabs of noise- very impressive - this potential
should be 'exploited - there then follows some less dynamic pieces of
abstract sounds "cut ups" (a little boring) with a good finale. Perhaps the
very low key packaging and scant information is deliberate- (miles from the
operatic scale and packaging of the Prurient production) and only in parts
does it live up to its claims of death noisecore - (it does) - which is a
pity. (jliat)
Address: <scumflesh@wanadoo.fr>

HOLY DREAD - DRECHES (CDR by Cut Hands)
Presence and surface is the hallmark of modernity - truth to materials -
transparency is the miasmic landscape of what went before - romanticism of
which impressionism was a part. Within electronic music - that is music
amplified - the use of reverb gives depth- and so the illusion of nature -
as in hall - room - cathedral reverbs- and within the genre of noise
(industrial) the natural phenomenon - thunder, explosions - or industrial -
deserted factories - aircraft and tube trains- which can be just program
music- and in many examples it is just this- and tedious at times like a
bmovie. Holy Dread however manage in this release to transcend such by the
sheer intensity of its application. The sine/tones in the second track seem
completely out of place from the more magnificent and overpowering of the
noise elsewhere. The work builds from the obvious to such an extreme that
is becomes abstract pure presence which is the hallmark of noise - even the
obviousness of its being an over the top- unreal - Hollywood apocalypse of
nature - and virtual Armageddon. Excellent (jliat)
Address: http://www.cuthands.net

TANDEM ELECTRICS - INTAGLIO (CDR by RAR)
Richard Kamerman & Evan Rosenberg collaborate on this microsound improvised
CDR of just over half an hour. Work of such low volume and thin texture -
hum and noise of minimal electronics requires careful listening. Its easy to
see why many reviewers are disparaging of such sound works - but not this
one. Careful and effortful listening brings with this a kind of
de-toxification- though not to be confused with anything like modernity's
minimalism - as art statements - now such works work phenomenologically, on
and in the consciousness and sub conscious - they are psychologically the
equivalent of breathing fresh air or perhaps the literal explanation of the
parable in John 2:1-10. (jliat)
Address http://www.myspace.com/reedevanrosenberg

YANN NOVAK - IN RESIDENCE (CDR by Dragon Eye Recordings)
In Fall 2007 Dragon Eye Recordings owner Yann Novak did three residencies
and in each place he created a new piece. Away from home, one can isolated
while working, solitary, on music. That feeling is what Novak tries to get
across. Whatever sort of field recordings might be his input, we don't know.
It's not on the cover and it's not audible through the recordings. However
what we can say, indeed safely say, is that Novak plays microsound ambient
music. Slowly the music unfolds, being fed through a whole bunch of sound
transformers, no doubt all of digital nature. Chirping insects in the first
piece and in the other two nothing that we could even remotely recognize.
It's textbook microsound ambient music, great music, relaxing music, but
also nothing new under the sun. Sometimes, such as in the case, that is
fine. (FdW)
Address: http://www.dragonseyerecordings.com

MU MIXER - [EITHER OR] (CDR by Retinascan)
MARCO PIANGES - INSIDE IMPLOSION (CDR by Retinascan)
Perhaps I'm mistaken, but it seemed that I missed out on Mu Mixer, or
'Future Remix' as he called himself when first releasing on Retinascan in
2003. It was, apparently, a 'thrilling version of how microsampling can be
used to extreme form of meditative noise, mantras of empty information
cleaning up your consciousness'. In 2006 he changed his name to Mu Mixer and
as such '[Either Or]' is his third release on Retinascan. It's music to an
exhibition of which some photos are reproduced in the booklet (excellent
package here, like is usual with Retinascan). Five lengthy cuts of
monotonous drone/noise sampling. Not much seems to be happening in this lot.
Perhaps it's the empty sampler, or the time stretched 1/1000 second sample,
but this empty lot is a bit too empty for me. I do like minimalism, a lot
actually, but here's it take to a level, in which no effort seems to be the
guiding principle - and that is just not goo enough.
Also on Retinascan is a new artists by the name of Marco Pianges who hails
from beautiful Catania, Italy. Although he has been working inside music
since 2002, it's only that he released his first thing last year. Pianges
takes his inspiration from the world of microsound and ambient glitch, but
applies them in a somewhat more crude manner, even gritty and noise at
times. However below the somewhat louder interjections, the processed hiss,
crackle and static lies firmly. Pianges also applies collage techniques,
making abrupt changing sounds. It's all pretty interesting, and certainly
promising for the future, but it also needs some more refinement in
compositions and this has certainly growth potential. (FdW)
Address: http://www.retinascan.de

DIAMONDHEAD - DIRTY REALISM (CDR by Public Eyesore)
JESSE KRAKOW - WORLD WITHOUT NACHOS (CDR by Public Eyesore)
THE KBD SONIC COOPERATIVE - FOUR PLUS ONE (CDR by Public Eyesore)
BREKEKEKEXKOAXKOAX - I MANAGE TO GET OUT BY A SECRET DOOR (CDR by Public
Eyesore)
Diamondhead is one L. Eugene Methe, R.J. Reynolds and Derek Rogers. They are
depicted, in blurry black and white, with a bass, drums and guitar on the
cover. Their music is typical free music that is found on the US shores
these days. Some careful strumming, some feedback, some noise, some quiet
parts, all in a the free free environment. Music made without rules but
perhaps also a but tired. Very much a case of been there, heard that. It's
not bad at all, for what it is, just not very original.
A long time ago we encountered the music of Jesse Krakow, with his 'Oceans
In The Sun' release (see Vital Weekly 431) and here he returns with 'World
Without Nachos', with thirty-eight minutes of music, but with no less than
seventy-two songs - that's less than thirty seconds per track. Some are
longer and some are shorter. Krakow still sings, plays keyboards and guitar.
The recording certainly has improved over the years, and even have multiple
vocal layers, and some of these songs could certainly expand beyond the mere
second that they last now. Certified weirdness all around here. It's
actually very funny but the briefness of the songs make sure that it's hard
for any song to stick in your brain. That's a pity.
Much less tracks - five in total - spanning almost the entire eighty minutes
of a CDR, that's what you get with The KBD Sonic Cooperative, being Micheal
Kimaid (drums, percussion, signals), Gabe Beam (strings, horns, electronics,
objects) and Ryan Dohm (trumpet, cello, no-input mixer, objects). Welcome to
the world of improvisation. The world of uncut improvisation, we tell the
whole story of what happened that night to the three of us. Long pieces have
fairly traditional improvisation. Free wind instruments, drums roll, a bit
of electronics. Actually it's all quite alright, but after two tracks
(already thirty minutes) the idea behind The KBD Sonic Cooperative is quite
clear. The rest is for the diehard fans.
Also improvisation can be found on the release by those whose name we can't
pronounce: Brekekekexkoaxkoax, being the group around Josh Ronsen. He too
has long pieces. The first two are recordings by him on prepared guitar and
Jason Pierce on drums. This is fairly traditional improvisation and one of
these would have been enough. I'd prefer 'I Never Saw The End Of The Fire'.
'Shoham' is Ronsen solo on electronics, with a nice subdued drone like
piece. The piece after that 'We Ought To Have But One Single Thought' lives
up to its title and is a free piece, not like the opening pieces but more
open ended, just as the piece that closes the release, but that one is again
for a totally different line up. In between that there is another solo
piece. Perhaps some of it is a bit long, but throughout I thought this was
the best of the four, if only for the sheer variation. (FdW)
Address: http://www.publiceyesore.com

JETZMANN - UNTER DIE DEUTSCHEN (3"CDR by AIC disc)
SONATA REC - UND WIR WAREN NICHT DIE ERSTEN UTOPISTEN (3"CDR by AIC disc)
GREGORY BÜTTNER - NIL:AUDIO (3"CDR by AIC disc)
TOTES FORMAT - TUNNEL BRUECKE (CDR by Totes Format)
Three new 3" releases by AIC from Hamburg, Germany, and they all seem to be
dealing with history. Most clearly in the release by Jetzmann. He's been
around for a long time, but has remained somewhat underground. Here he takes
a text by Friedrich Hölderlin about being among the Germans and sets this to
music. The text, spoken in German, is recited wonderfully, even if you don't
get the drift of it. Jetzmann adds minimal electronics from his laptop to
it, and makes a really wonderful, radioplay like piece. The second piece
seems a filler: it's a pure electronic piece of deep end drones and rhythmic
clicks, but I don't think it has much relation to the first piece.
Also Sonata Rec, also known as Heidrun Schramm uses voices in 'Es War
Einmal...' (once upon a time). They are culled from historical sources, and
fed through some sort of computer plug in or something like that. It doesn't
however tell really much of a story and is a bit long. Turntable variation
seem to be part of the much shorter second piece. The vinyl spinning is
'historical fragments', which are layered around so that we can't hear which
part of history. The weakest of the three releases.
No voices on Büttner's release, but the historical component is that he
harks back to a movie he did in 2002, about data compressing. NIL in the
title stands for 'non-existant interface', where files are sent for
deletion. By compressing and decompressing sound files, Büttner arrives some
fine microscopic glitch material which, like glacier masses rub against
eachother until it reaches it's conclusion in the short 'Intkom'. Warm,
glitchy, modern yet also a bit too traditional.
Labelowner Olivier Peeters also does music under the banner of Totstellen.
His latest release 'Tunnel Bruecke' was recorded inside a motorwaybridge
across the river Elbe in Hamburg for 'a fragmented video performance'. The
sound later on processed and edited. The result is quite a dark atmospheric
release, which employs lots of reverb, texts recited, cars passing, water
running. Quite a grim release, much along the lines of Lustmord's 'Heresy',
but not in caves but in a tunnel. Isolation music for the darker souls
around. But it's actually it's all quite nice and well recorded and executed
with care. (FdW)
Address: http://www.0000-anti.info
Address: http://www.telenautik.de/grimm/totesformat

MATTHIEU SALADIN - 4'33"/O'00" (3" CDR by Editions Provisoires)
In 1974 Cramps Records released the very first version of 4'33, the 'silent'
piece by John Cage from 1952. On vinyl. It was followed later by other
versions, and even a CD of cover versions. Matthieu Saladin, who likes a
conceptual approach to music, takes the 1974 recording and amplifies it to
the maximum, by using 'change gain' and 'normalize' - no doubt and comes up
with a sole, four minutes and thirty three second piece (well actually it
clocks in a 4'40"!) of some utter loud noise, which, much to my surprise,
actually has variations in it (not following the score however of three
parts, I think). Play loud, it says on the nicely designed cover, and that
is indeed the best thing you can do. The shortest Merzbow CD that Merzbow
never did. Great statement. (FdW)
Address: http://editionsprovisoires.free.fr

MR. BRAIN SANDER - SONGS ABOUT HUFFING (cassette by Teenage Whore Tapes)
OUBLIETTE - SELF HATE (cassette by Teenage Whore Tapes)
Teenage Whore Tapes? Brain Sander? Prayer tape recordings? Humming synths?
This is 80s, very 80s. If I hadn't seen the tape, or in fact holding it in
my hand, I could have sworn the release by Mr. Brain Sander was a tape
release by Hidious In Strength, Psy Falanx, Jonathan Briley, Noizecloth or
any some such early 80s USA industrial music act. Humming, slightly rhythmic
songs with a great importance on spoken word vocals. A prayer like tape, or
rap-like in 'PCP Poetry'. 'Methanol' on the b-side is rather Ramleh
inspired. Actually I must say I quite enjoyed this release, since it sounds
very retro, but also sounds nicely produced and worked out.
Work by Seth Oubliette was reviewed before (Vital Weekly 499 and 604) and
here he returns with a new tape of pure uncut noise. Like what I said about
his previous release, I can say here: it's all o.k. but way too long for
what it is. An endless wall of distortion, feedback, noise, distortion,
feedback and noise. On end. It lacks the depth of Mr. Brain Sander and is a
unidirectional attack on the ears. Not bad, not great. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/teenagewhoretapes

ROY-ARNE KNUTSEN - FJORDS (MP3 by Silence Is Not Empty)
The Norwegian fjords are a source of inspiration for Roy-Arne Knutsen, of
whom I never heard. On Silence Is Not Empty he has a MP3 of two tracks,
'Fjords 1' and 'Fjords 2' which show his love, fascinating or perhaps hate
for the fjords. I doubt they'd be inspired by hate though. Deep dark ambient
pieces. Slowly developing, enveloping and unfolding. Deep and mysterious,
like watching the rock formations from very close by. Knutsen lives in
Tromso, which is the very northern end of Norway and this is an influence on
his music. It's dark from the most of the day, certainly in this time of the
year, and this no doubt casts its dark shadows on this music. Not highly
original, but executed with care. Something to be relaunced in the world of
CDRs, I'd say. (FdW)
Address: http://www.silence-is-not-empty.com

JEFF GBUREK - GNARLY ROOT QUEEN SPECTRA REMIX (MP3 by Idiosyncratics)
PANGEA - LA LOGICA DE LAS TERMITAS (MP3 by Idiosyncratics)
ENSEMBLE 0 - PASSACAILLE (MP3 by Idiosyncratics)
More from Idiosyncratics, a label that releases both things you can hold in
your hand and stuff that you can download, following last week's release by
Xedh and his friends. The first one is by Jeff Gburek, who recorded this
piece as it happens not too far from Vital's HQ, in Germany's Kleve Nur
Nicht Nicht studios. For this he used electric guitars, shortwave radio,
ebow, oscillators and voice. It's a remixed version of something that has
been released by Digitalis Industries. It's a great piece of humming sounds,
soft spoken text and the crackle of short wave. A rather subdued piece,
minimal, but forever changing it's course, shape and color. A delight to
hear from this already remarkable composer.
I never heard of Juan Antonio Nieto, also known as Pangea (named after the
Miles Davis record?), who plays around with field recordings from Gambia and
Asturias, digital hardware and an old broken sampler. His piece starts out a
bit noisy, but it turns around for all the good. Maybe it's a bit too much
of a haphazard affair in the end. Once the band is on the wagon, things
move, but it's all a bit too free, and it could have been a stronger piece
when Nieto would have decided to actually compose with the sounds, rather
than letting them in a free fall. It's not a bad piece, but it could have
been more than what it is.
The final release is by a group, Ensemble O, consisting of Sylvain Chauveau
(electric guitar), Maitane Sebastian (violoncello), Stéphane Garin (metals,
cymbals, alluminium paper, spinning top, glockenspiel-toy). Mood here too,
in a finely woven interplay between instruments and concrete sounds.
Starting slowly, with a few sounds, this builds up, but never loud, but
richly layered, textured sounds. A bit like Fessenden in approach. Quite
quiet and quite nice. (FdW)
Address: http://www.idiosyncratics.net

1. From: info@antboymusic.com

FESTIVAL CABLE#
14-16 febuary 2008, Nantes, France
FESTIVAL OF EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC, IMPRO, FILM/IMAGE, CHANSON TRASH, NOISE,
FREE-ROCK etc

##########################################################

PROGRAM:
----------------------------

THURSDAY the 14th

with :

Dieb13 (AT)
MICHAEL VORFELD (ALL)
SAMUEL BOCHE & BORIS JAKOBEK (FR)

20h30
BLOCKHAUS dy.10
5 bis Bd Léon Bureau
44000, Nantes

##########################################################

FRIDAY the 15th
'soirée à faire pleurer les filles'

with:

JEAN-LOUIS COSTES (FR)
PUMICE (NZ)
NOËL AKCHOTÉ (AT/FR)

20h30
LA BARAKASON
Allée du Dauphiné
44400 Rezé
Tél. 02 51 70 75 75

##########################################################

SATURDAY the 16th

with:

ANDY MOOR (THE EX-NL)
L'ÉCHELLE DE MOHS - (Claire Bergerault, Fabrice Favriou, Thomas Tilly) -
(FR)
PYLONE - (Julien Ottavi, Will Guthrie, Erell Latimier) - (FR/AUS)

20h30
FICTHRE
18, Quai Antilles
44200 Nantes, France

##########################################################

at the door (1 night) : 7* / 9*
pre sale (1 night) : 6* / 8*
festival pass (3 nights) : 15* / 20*

more info:
cable.nantes@gmail.com
http://www.myspace.com/cablenantes
http://www.antboymusic.com/site.php?go=content&id=41

2. From: Martijn Hohmann <martijn@universaal.nl>

----
Friday february 15th 2008

GELUIDPOST 2008 - curated by Martijn Hohmann

first installation:
(ad)vance(d) - '4chairs+bats'

incl. Live performance by (ad)vance(d): "Mimaroglu's dream" @ 21:00
(sharp!)
admittance: free

Lokaal01
Kloosterlaan 138
Breda The Netherlands
http://www.lokaal01.org
----

3. From: Onomatopee / Freek Lomme <freek@onomatopee.net>

Opening exhibition DESARTING #1 + grand special opening party
(art, design, poetry, music, performance, book presentations)
15 Februari, 19:00

Onomatopee space
Kanaalstraat 8
5611 CT Eindhoven
http://www.onomatopee.net

DESARTING
Where visual design and industrial design mutually attract and distract.

A mapping of art and design practices that focuses on the similarities and
differences, the tensions and the bridges. Desarting is a case study of the
act of visualising communication: it reveals the possibilities and its
applications with respect to various autonomous qualities and engaging
opportunities.

A monthly series will bring together creative entrepreneurs trained as
designers and as artists to showcase their unique practices in the new
Onomatopee project space. A critical writer will follow them and together
they will mutually and publicly endeavour to describe their practices,
starting with an honest personal approach.

Each opening will feature a public discussion between the artist, the
designer and the writer. The forum will take place within the setting of the
presentation.

Opening 15 February, 20:30, open until 2 March.
Charles van Otterdijk (artist), Floris Hovers (designer) and Iris Peters
(critic).

Floris Hovers Charles van Otterdijk

grand special opening party
Performances by:
1. Lob*** (sensual multidisciplinary collective of 4 musicians:
Dorona Alberti: vocals, Tom 'TOKTEK' Verbruggen: live sampling/crackle boxes
and Edward Capel: alto & sopranosax, altoclarinet & electronics), Jan van
der Lest (structural integrity)
2. Frans de Waard (minimal electronics) and
3. Robert van Nispen (singer-songwriter),

Poetry by Merijn Hilte, and something else by Ieke Trinks (performance).

(Book)presentations:
'Eigen Terrein' visual catalogue,
Tape project: tape containing text by Merijn Hilte (poet) and graphic design
by Eric Sjouwerman (hey hey hey), and
limitied edition 'my alfabet' by lieven de boeck.

After party at Effenaar (5 minute walk) with 3 voor 12 EHV.

4. From: olivier rodriguez <tuladi@hotmail.com>

===========================
SATURDAY 16TH FEBRUARY
Doors open at 8 pm
Suggested donations 4 pounds

Small But Perfectly Formed presents an evening of free improvisation with:

The ensemble "9!":

Nathaniel Catchpole - tenor sax / elk calls
Jamie Coleman - trumpet
Jerry Wigens - clarinet
Eddie Prévost - percussion
Samantha Rebello - flute
Sebastian Lexer - piano / computer
Ross Lambert - guitar / pocket trumpet
Tara Stuckey - clarinet
Seymour Wright - alto saxophone
Michael Rodgers - guitar
9! is a large improvisation ensemble having developed an open collaborative
strategy.

also playing that night:

Jari Kankua (Finland) alto saxophone
&
Maya Dunietz (Israel) piano

Saint Mark's Church
Myddleton Square, EC1R 1XX

1 min walk from Angel tube
Buses: 30, 73, 205, 214, 394, 476

================================================
SUNDAY 24th FEBRUARY
8pm - entrance £6

Small But Perfectly Formed present an evening of free improvised music with
the first visit to London of an acclaimed french trio. They have invited the
Roger Turner to join them.

Frédéric Blondy, prepared piano (France)
<http://www.fredericblondy.net/>www.fredericblondy.net/
Martine Altenburger, cello (France)
<http://www.martine-altenburger.fr/>www.martine-altenburger.fr/
Bertrand Gauguet, saxophones (France)
<http://www.creativesourcesrec.com/artists/b_gauguet.html>http://www.creativesourcesrec.com/artists/b_gauguet.html
Roger Turner, percussion (UK)

Also playing that night

John Bisset, guitar (UK)
Steve Noble, percussion (UK)

HOLY REDEEMER CHURCH HALL
Exmouth Market
London, EC1R 4OE
Tube: Angel, Farrington / Bus: 19, 38, 341

5. From: meeuw <laridae@xs4all.nl>

14. februar im golden pudel

RENE SG
punk aus amsterdam
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rene_SG>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rene_SG

KORNREINIGER
voll bescheuerte name
<http://www.myspace.com/kornreiniger>http://www.myspace.com/kornreiniger

dj hitmachine & meeuw

dabei sein ist alles.

6. From: "incite@gmx.de" <incite@gmx.de>

Here are two upcoming shows in Hamburg this month:

1. audiounit presents:
Bernhard Gal + Nina Polaschegg (Vienna, Berlin)
laptop + double-bass

28.02.2008 - 19:30
audiounit
Schulterblatt 78
Hamburg St. Pauli
<http://www.audiounit.fragmentedmedia.org>http://www.audiounit.fragmentedmedia.org/

2. Hoerbar presents:
Elffriede + St.Martin (Vienna, Hamburg)
(soundrawing)
YiRa (Bremen)

29.02.2008 - 21:00
Brigittenstr. 5
Hamburg St. Pauli
<http://www.hoerbar-ev.de>http://www.hoerbar-ev.de/

--

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