Vital Weekly 624

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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 624
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week 17
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Vital Weekly, the webcast: we offer a free-to-download weekly webcast as the
audio-supplement to Vital Weekly. Presented as a radio programme with
excerpts from some of the CDs reviewed here (no vinyl or MP3s). It is
available on the site for a limited period of 5 weeks. Download the file to
your MP3 player and enjoy!
Complete track listing here: http://www.vitalweekly.net/podcast.html

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* noted are in this week's pod-cast

PGT - TEMPORARY HABITATIONS (CD by Loochtone Recordings) *
NAPALMED - III (CD by Napalmed)
MARC NAMBLARD - CHANTS OF FROZEN LAKES (CD by Kalerne) *
RYOJI IKEDA - TEST PATTERN (CD by Raster-noton) *
ROBIN SAVILLE - PEASGOOD NONSUCH (CD by Static Caravan) *
@C - UP, DOWN, CHARM, STRANGE, TOP, BOTTOM (CD by Cronica Electronica) *
[-HYPH-] - ALTER-TENACIO (CD by Tourette) *
CISFINITUM - TACTIO (CD by Mechanoise Labs) *
MARTIN BAUMGARTNER - SHOOT'S HUFT (CD by For4Ears) *
SIGNAL TO NOISE VOL. 6 (CD by For4Ears)
QUATOR BOZZINI - CANONS + HOQUETS (CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
QUARTETSKI DOES PROKOFIEV - VISONS FUGITIVES OP. 22 (CD Ambiances
Magnetiques)
THE NEW BLOCKADERS & DAS SYNTHETISCHE MISCHGEWEBE - THE MONOPSYLLABIC
BICYLCES TRI-CYCLED QUADRUPLES (LP & 7" by Equation Records)
MAGNETISM, THAT ELECTRICITY (4x12" by Highpoint Lowlife) *
BRANDKOMMANDO - HUNGER (CDR by Apocalyptic Radio)
FIXTURE FOR TOXINS - THRENODIES OF LABOR (CDR by Future for Toxins)
FIXTURE FOR TOXINS - NIGHT HOVERS OVER US AGAIN (CDR by Future for Toxins)
TEXAR - ANNELIE AND THE DARK SEA (CDR by After Music)
GREG HEADLEY - 24-CARAT ABNORMALITIES (CDR by 28angles) *
SAD SAILOR LINK TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD (CDR by Public Eyesore)
WE NEED YOU - WE NEED YOU (CDR by Public Eyesore)
EARZUMBA - VIVO! (CDR by Absurd) *
ANASTENARIA (CDR by Absurd)
BRIAN OSBOURNE & MICHEAL THOMAS JACKSON - CIRCUIST CIRCUTS (CDR by Primecuts
Recordings)
CIGMA6 - GROWTH RESUMED ON THE WORK (CDR by Primecuts Recordings)
MICHEALTHOMASJACKSON - A DOG STAR MANUAL (MP3 by Defenestrated Records) *
CLAUDIO ROCHETTI - HARRISONFORD (cassette by Deadtracks Records)
TIAGO SOUSA - THE WESTERN LANDS (MP3 by Resting Bell) *

PGT - TEMPORARY HABITATIONS (CD by Loochtone Recordings)
Last week we discussed The Desert Fathers, a duo of Jeff Kaiser and Gregory
Taylor, this week it's PGT, which stands for Terry Pender (mandolin), Brad
Garton (laptop) and Gregory Taylor (laptop). Another odd pairing, as last
week it was the quartertone trumpet and laptop. The mandolin is not a very
common musical instrument in the world of improvised music. I could try and
re-do last week's review, as the three pieces here are as long the ones of
'Coptic Icons', plus one more (!), and throughout one could say they lack
structure, edit, tension and all such things which can make exciting music.
However there is something else on this recording which I do like and that's
the 'endless stream' of sound. The mandolin is an instrument that can
sustain at length, certainly when fed through a line of echo machines in
'Dome' and it's exactly this that I thought this quite an enjoyable disc of
improvised music. An endless flow of sounds, hardly interrupted by musicians
that need to show their
face, making things go bump all over the place, but a very condensed.
layered ambient cake. Structure and such like may not apply here, simply
because that is not what they set out to do. The carry away the listeners on
an ambient cloud of sound. This time around, not just nice if you saw the
show, but also makes much sense at home. (FdW)
Address: http://music.columbia.edu/PGT/Temporary_Habitations

NAPALMED - III (CD by Napalmed)
This is my second attempt at a review, the napalmed piece is 80 minutes!
One track which begins with 20 minutes of cow bells and gentle swirling
noise, rhythms rise and fall *deceptively* pleasantly - at 20 + minutes they
begin to hit pans of water and grown all with the reverb and echo which then
settles down to much the same cow bell clanging somewhere in a muddy mix,
it's 30 minutes now - they are banging on canaries with rusty bicycles -
and my eyes are glazing, the canaries don't last long, I think they/we
might all be in a sewer, more water, the vague impression of cars above, and
a nice bar selling beer and playing Frank Sinatra records. I joke - I wish!
But there is no escape. 35 minutes and perhaps some crickets have got
flushed down here with us, I long for daylight. There is more machinery,
obviously part of the pumping plant, I think the crickets have died - I wish
I had, some ooooo ooooooy voice sounds, half way and still clank clank,
more rhythmic machinery
(napalmed iii comes is a pyramid foldout thing - I'm saying this - hell
knows why?) What seems like day 28 and I've lost the will to live.... and
on it goes. (napalmed claim to be harsh noise - a war of attrition - they
are wining) it seems I've been listening for months, I've chewed off all my
toes and fingers on my left hand, typing with one of the fingers on my
right, still another rhythmic pumping plant. I think I can hear the sounds
of trams far above - I no longer believe the sky is blue - I'm probably
GOING MAD. 50 minutes - seems like years - another outflow of sewage and
more machinery muffled and in the distance, does anyone know a good joke..
And on they clank, its now 60 minutes which means 20 more to go, I could
just write a short review and say it's a remarkable piece and hit the stop
button. My life is over - has run its course, slowly the earth spins into
the sun, black holes eat up the remains of dead stars and still this clank
clank clank. Aghhhhhhhhhhhh!
(jliat)
Address: http://www.napalmed.cz/

MARC NAMBLARD - CHANTS OF FROZEN LAKES (CD by Kalerne)
A new label from Taiwan, of all places, release a CD by one Marc Namblard,
'sound artist and naturalist living in the northeast of France', and he has
the same fascinating as I had, but I never made a recording of it. Across my
parents house there was a small pond and in the winter it was sometimes
frozen. If you would take a branch and hit the surface it made a very nice
sound, one that is not easy to describe, but as soon as I started playing
Namblard's 'Chants Of Frozen Lakes', it all came back, it's exactly that
same sound. Recorded in on one day, but perhaps with some cross fading, some
interesting things happen. We hear ducks, along with 'pulses' of crackles in
the ice, but over the course of fifty-five minutes things grow immensely
intense and expand. Indeed, towards the end like a chant of icy sounds.
Winter may be no more, not at least in this part of Europe, so sounds like
this will become rare to experience in nature. However, when I have an
option, I stay inside, turn up
the heater a bit, and enjoy Namblard's work as it's absolutely great. It
sounds both 'natural' as well as electronical, oddly enough. A very fine
work of true soundscaping. (FdW)
Address: http://www.kalerne.net

RYOJI IKEDA - TEST PATTERN (CD by Raster-noton)
Perhaps it's because I'm old(er) that I sometimes sit behind my computer and
wonder about all the things that a modern computer can do: play music, send
e-mail, browse internet, write a book or make a movie. All these different
things and we seldom realize, perhaps we do but never enough, that all of
these 'different' things are made of zeroes and ones, so basically the same
sort of information. This is Ikeda's fascination in his multimedia project
'Datamatics', of which 'Test Pattern', following 'Dataplex', is his second
release. Ikeda transfers data (text, sound, photo's, movies) into 'barcode
patterns and binary patterns' and through this conversion the raw data
becomes audio files. Not an entirely new idea, I believe Radboud Mens did
something alike a long while back, but whereas his result was quite a noise
based released, Ikeda's transformations spans sixteen tracks of highly
rhythmical music. He keeps cutting his sounds up until they form a dense but
groovy rhythmical whole.
It's the ultra clean and ultra digital sound that we know and love Ikeda
for. Elsewhere in this issue you'll find a review where I complain the pure
digital esthetic of a release, but in Ikeda's groovy world it becomes almost
minimal dance music. I am warned not to play this very loud, because it
could damage my speakers, but I would love to hear this ultra loud with the
vibrating bass going like wind through my hair. The sixteen tracks make a
flow together, they are not sixteen separate tracks, but rather one piece,
'Test Pattern', in sixteen continuous parts. We are also told that
converting this into MP3s may not work, which may lead to the conclusion
that hearing this on CD quality is perhaps also not the right thing. Maybe a
24-bit conversion on DVD would the 'real' thing and perhaps it's the next,
logical conclusion, is that Ikeda no longer releases CDs, DVDs but we should
only go to his concerts or installations to witness the 'real' thing.
Luckily its not that far yet, and we
have 'Test Pattern' to enjoy on whatever poor installation we have
available. Ikeda is still the undisputed master of the scene. (FdW)
Address: http://www.raster-noton.net

ROBIN SAVILLE - PEASGOOD NONSUCH (CD by Static Caravan)
We were introduced to the music of Robin Saville in Vital Weekly 606, when
we heard his split 7" with Dollboy. Back then it was player piano and rhythm
machine, for 'Peasgood Nonsuch' it's more electronic, with synthesizers,
rhythm machines, bass, guitar and lots of bell like sounds. What I didn't
know back then is that Saville is one half of ISAN, but now I know things
make sense here - even more. There is a very nice light touch to this music.
Fresh spring time music. I know now too that Saville is a gardener - even
more perfect sense here. I can imagine him walking in a garden on a sunny
day after a rainy night to find nice smelling flowers and plants and finding
inspiration to create his minimal but melodic music. The rhythm machine
ticks time away with great ease and Saville waves a path that is mostly
light and sometimes dark, such as in 'Colin The Lazy Cormorant (Part Two)'
with a somewhat darker drone behind it. But that is an exception. Usually
it's pleasantly light music.
If
you liked ISAN before, or anything where popmusic (for whatever that may be)
meets up with modern classical music (say Harold Budd's 'Serpent In
Quicksilver', this album is a perfect meeting place. (FdW)
Address: http://www.staticcaravan.org

@C - UP, DOWN, CHARM, STRANGE, TOP, BOTTOM (CD by Cronica Electronica)
Miguel Carvalhais and Pedro Tudelo are @C, armed with their laptops they
play mostly improvised music. However, important, they don't release
improvised music. How is this possible. Their improvisations are restricted
for playing together, in a concert like situation, with or without audience.
All of the resulting recordings are taken into the studio and used as
building blocks for their music. On this, their seventh release, they use
recordings from concerts, studio work and field recordings which they
recorded over a period of five years and deals mainly with the
improvisations they did with others. Sometimes the 'other' was present while
everything was played, sometimes the 'other' arrives through the form of a
sample. They remove all the 'unwanted' bits of improvisations and use only
that which hold the test, and these are used in these four constructions.
They are vibrant, lively pieces of musique concrete, sometimes not unlike
releases on Empreintes Dgitales, but with a more
anarchistic, free approach. The software used is not the what it is about,
but it's result, which, as @C say, 'becomes itself, and will become music
each time it is played, to everyone and everywhere it is so'. Which I
believe is very much true. There is so much happening on every level of this
disc, that it requires a few rounds of listening until everything is
uncovered and then the 'real' thing starts again: finding the overall
picture again. It's a full CD, but one that has a lot to give. Great work.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.cronicaelectronica.org

[-HYPH-] - ALTER-TENACIO (CD by Tourette)
With a name like [-Hyph-] its not easy to search back issues for previous
reviews, but it seems it has been over two years that we reviewed music by
Nicolas Wiese (not related to John) who records under this banner. Likewise,
the label has no website printed on the cover, and their no other
information, so try searching Tourette on the internet - goddammit. This
Wiese is from Berlin where he composes his electro-acoustic music using
instruments played by others. There is xylophone, double bass, alto
saxophone, bass clarinet (which he plays himself, actually) aswell as field
recordings from Canada, police helicopter and human voices. Before I
compared this with the 'never quiet' music of Brume. There is always
something happening here. No second silence seems to be permitted. Wiese
uses the computer to treat his sounds beyond belief, or rather: beyond
recognition. It seems to me that he tries to tell us a story, as there is a
multitude of voices to be detected in this work, but it's
not easy to grasp that story. The titles seem to give a clue however:
Pulverize Dreams, Reset Barriers, Upgrade Sirens and Suspend Values (the
latter is called track 5 on the cover, meaning there is one track without a
title). Maybe it has to do with idealism versus state control (or perhaps
any sort of control really), I don't know. What I do know is that the music
is very much along the lines of @C, reviewed elsewhere: very vibrant, very
free in approach and result, composed from the original ideas of musique
concrete, but with a strong touch of his own. Perhaps not entirely new
(either), but it's all done with great care and style. Before I said goo to
see it released and not just a radio piece, now I can safely say: great to
see this on CD, rather than the fleeting format of CDR. (FdW)
Address: <tourettetic@mac.com>

CISFINITUM - TACTIO (CD by Mechanoise Labs)
One of Russia's older forces of all things dark, ambient and at times a bit
industrial is the work of Evgeny Voronovsky, who goes by the name of
Cisfinitum. He has released his music on Monochrome Vision, Waystyx, Ewers
Tonkunst and Drone Records. In November 2005 he played a concert in Bremen
in the St. Petri Dom and the recording here presents his music, using both
the acoustic environment of the church as well a direct recording of the
music. Cisfinitum's music is a blend of synthesized drone/ambient sounds
much along the lines of say Lustmord. But to top things of Cisfinitum adds a
blend of pulsating sounds, which over the course of the concert becomes to
live. First, half way through as church bells but towards the end things are
almost minimal techno like pulsating, with a fat drone like synthesizer
still heavily in control of the mood. On tape there is the addition also of
a baroque violin (an instrument which Evgeny is formally trained in), but
that is stretched out to an
extent that they fit the drone like capacities of the rest. The six pieces
flow into eachother and form one long piece, which is, I must admit, nothing
new under the ambient drone sun, but Cisfinitum's work can easily meet the
best in the genre, and is one of Russia's biggest talents. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mechanoise-labs.com

MARTIN BAUMGARTNER - SHOOT'S HUFT (CD by For4Ears)
SIGNAL TO NOISE VOL. 6 (CD by For4Ears)
Perhaps its entirely my mistake, but I never heard of Martin Baumgartner.
According to the press text he 'decided to use moniker for this one', but
honestly I don't know which moniker he uses in the first place. On the cover
he is credited with 'laptop and electronics' and the work was recorded in
Sydney, Cairns, New York and Lucerne. To that extend is where the
information goes. Which leaves us some space for guessing about. I think he
uses mostly electronically originated and processed sounds. But it seems to
me as if he didn't make up his mind what he wanted to do with it. There are
loud, long blocks of noise bursts, bits of drone material and sometimes
things are in a more quieter mood. Add to this that the sounds are
unmistakably digital (made and processed, and reflected in the titles,
'0.0.0.', '0.1.0' and '0.0.1') and the end result is quite a cold and
distant release. The drone and quiet parts I must say sounded quite alright,
but the noise was not my cup of tea, and
unfortunately they form a majority around here. With the absence of noise,
the second piece is the best. Received with confused feelings.
For4Ears also released the sixth installment of recordings made on a tour of
Swiss musicians. Here they stopped over in Korea (the other releases in this
series contain recordings made in Japan) and play their improvised with
local musicians such as Ryu Hankil (analog clock, electronics), Choi
Joonyong (CD players), Hong Chulki (feedback mixer), Bae Miryung (laptop),
Jin Sangtea (electronics, radio) and Sato Yukie (guitar). The swiss are
Jason Kahn (analog synthesizer, percussion), Tomas Korber (guitar,
electronics), Norbert Möslang (cracked everyday electronics) and Günter
Müller (ipod, electronics). The seven pieces contain various combinations of
these names. It's not easy to say many things in detail to this album, and
the reason for it is quite simply. If you stick this on, sit back and start
to listen it's like you are listening to a concert. You know who should be
on stage, but it's hard to tell whose who. And even more difficult to see
who is doing what sound. The stage is
full, some are quiet and some not. With the amount of combinations on this
release, it's simply, even with the cover nearby, not easy to find out
what's what and whose who. But if there is one observation to made, compared
with the five previous volumes of this series, is that the music seems more
raw. But this I don't mean 'loud' per se, but it's a rough charm that lacks
the refinement of the previous lot. And that's something I think that works
pretty well and adds a certain freshness to the material. Maybe it's the
kind of playing that the Korean party brought in, perhaps not. But even at
their quieter moments this big party hold their fresh, uncut music well up.
A great way to close this series. (FdW)
Address: http://www.for4ears.com

QUATOR BOZZINI - CANONS + HOQUETS (CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
QUARTETSKI DOES PROKOFIEV - VISONS FUGITIVES OP. 22 (CD Ambiances
Magnetiques)
A few years ago Quator Bozzini - the string quartet of the sisters Bozzini -
released a cd with 'Different Trains' of Steve Reich. Disappointing nor
because of the musicianship of this excellent quartet, nor their
interpretation of this work. But why this work, this composer? Personally,
I,m not waiting for once again a registration of well-known works from
well-known composers. So I,m happy they focus now on not so familiar
composers. The cd opens with two works from the english composer Howard
Skempton, namely 'Catch' (2001) and 'Tendrils' (2004). Succeeded by three
works by Jo Kondo: 'Hypsotony' (1989), 'Fern' (1990) and 'Mr Bloomfield, his
Spacing' (1973). Both pieces of Skempton are sweet elegant compositions.
Especially 'Catch' with its canonic structure, is a meditative piece
drenched in medieval atmospheres. 'Tendrils' meanders pleasantly along,
albeit a bit too long.
The works of japanese composer Kondo continue in more or less the same
tempo, but in contrast with the compositions of Skempton, Kondo's works are
very dissonant from start to finish. This is a interesting selection of
compositions. In their similarities and differences they make an inspiring
anthology, carrying all the string quartets composed by respectively
Skempton and Kondo.
Quartetski Does Prokofiev is a jazz quartet. Bassist Pierre-Yves Martel
arranged the 'Visions Fugitive', of Prokofiev for a jazz quartet. Other
members of this quartet are Gordon Allen (trumpet), Isaiah Ceccarelli
(drums) and Philippe Lauzier (alto and soprano sax, bass clarinet).
If I didn't know, I could not have guessed that these compositions are by
the hand of Prokofiev or any other composer from this era. This implies that
the original music must be very suitable for being transposed to a modern
jazz context, or that the arranger and the quartet are very creative in
doing so. Probably both are true. In 18 short pieces - most of them about
3-4 minutes - the quartet explores and revives the originals that are even
shorter. Prokofiev composed them during the Russian Revolution for piano.
They remained at the stage of musical ideas, but prove to be very fitting
starting points for improvisation for this very capable quartet. (DM)
Address: http://www.actuellecd.com/

THE NEW BLOCKADERS & DAS SYNTHETISCHE MISCHGEWEBE - THE MONOPSYLLABIC
BICYLCES TRI-CYCLED QUADRUPLES (LP & 7" by Equation Records)
On the Equation Records label website there is a lengthy story written by
Guido Huebner since long time upon the man behind Das Synthetische
Mischgewebe (and one of the few 'old' guys to still guise a band guise, even
when he does things solo). It's a long text but it's not a text I understand
very well. It explains only halfy what is done on this record and why. It's
beautifully packed, as is the usual thing for this label, and there is a 7"
and a 12". The correct route is of course side a, side b, side c and then
side d. However side a and d are on the LP, whilst b and c are on the 7".
The latter is pure Das Synthetische Mischgewebe, with 'sounds set in
motion' - no human interference, but things 'around the house' which make
sound them selves. I may assume Guido did some cutting and pasting of these
events? On the LP Guido is at work as the 'composer' of sounds delivered by
The New Blockaders (why isn't this called 'the final collaboration', I
thought, but the logic of the
Blockaders is not always my logic). The New Blockaders are used to scraping
the surface, amplifying acoustic events, hand played that is. If I
understood the text correctly there has been no electronic alterations of
the sound, but just a 're-organisation' of the sounds (some specially
recorded for this project, some from existing releases) - what we would
'composing'. Hubner is the sort of person who is the man who suits the task
well. His ears know exactly what to pick out and shape the material to an
entirely new form, while maintaining the original sound input of the
Blockaders. It's the meeting of the industrialized sounds of the Blockaders,
the sharp blocks of sound versus the splicing technique of Huebner - even
when that is nowadays done in a digital manner and no longer through
analogue tape. A refined work at that and like said, with this label, it's
also beautiful packed. (FdW)
Address: http://www.chronoglide.com/equation.html

MAGNETISM, THAT ELECTRICITY (4x12" by Highpoint Lowlife)
Packed as box of four EPs (here a CDR was provided) comes a release that
showcases the various musical directions that the releases by Highpoint
Lowlife take these days. Each fills up a record (although I am not sure how
the 19 minute track by The Village Orchestra is separated on the vinyl) and
there are some interesting and some less interesting things to be spotted
around this place. Things start off strong with four tracks by Mandelbrot
Set who go off in a post rock direction, with drums, guitars, synthesizers
and violins (perhaps only through sampling) playing at times a wild rock
tune and in 'Astronomy And Allied Sciences 2a' more an introspective piece
of drone music. Fisk Industries on the other hand are purely electronical,
with broken hip hop beats, electronics and in 'Rhetoric' a rap that is
pushed to the back. Not particularly strong material. The Village Orchestra
play a rather epic piece of music, starting out in a desolate landscape but
land in a techno party of
pulsating beats and swirling electronics, before landing in the chill out
zone again. The Marcia Blaine School For Girls just love the discotheque
here, with rhythms that push around and in 'Bottle Stain' offer a strong
Chain Reaction like piece. So Fisk Industries didn't get me going, but the
other three delivered quite nice material, from the rock stage and the dance
floor and Highpoint Lowlife is once again providing the soundtrack for
alternative dance spaces. (FdW)
Address: http://www.highpointlowlife.com

BRANDKOMMANDO - HUNGER (CDR by Apocalyptic Radio)
A CD-R in Digipack limited to 99 copies of 7 tracks of Noise from Poland.
Track one echoy machinery - I begin to twitch, finishes just after a minute,
track two is some sci-fi transporter and someone playing the God father film
music, or I really have gone mad. More noise- rumbles - BUHHHH BHUHHH not
noise - noise should be WAZZZZ HISSS KICKKKKK SCCCCCCAAA XYYYY !!!!
!"£$%^&*(- which at two and a half minutes these boys are now doing - yeh! -
go for it boys - shred them tweeters - split some wigs - rip my woofers
out! Well they've gone rhythmic and spacey echoy thing again - sigh! I'm
getting bored - maybe there could be a computer program which just read the
disk and if everything was not well over on the DB scale "bend them VU
needles" - totally in the red - it would print "Interesting" - and if
totally in the red, flag it up for listening. If so Hunger is marginal. If I
really wanted to listen to sci-fi music I'd watch Alien - but just which
one. Or Event Horizon - that's cool
too. (jliat)
Address: http://www.apocalyptic-radio.com/

FIXTURE FOR TOXINS - THRENODIES OF LABOR (CDR by Future for Toxins)
FIXTURE FOR TOXINS - NIGHT HOVERS OVER US AGAIN (CDR by Future for Toxins)
This I think is part of a sub-genre - AKA Breakcore, Powernoise-industrial
.?? short live performances of rhythmic improv of what sounds like de-tuned
guitar and noise with vocals. A pastiche of a punk band performance - or of
good old Black Sabbath- which is perhaps the origins of its move towards
noise - which is a bad term - though this is 'noisy' - it has both form and
structure in the articulation of pseudo-songs which I think pushes it out
of the category of Noise - if the term has to have any meaning. And though
some don't see the worth in discussing boundaries, I do - if only for the
'play' or crack as the Irish say. What differentiates this sub-genre is its
teleology - and its ontology- (trans: - where it came from -its being - and
where its going - telos) and why it isn't what I would define as Noise is
that Noise has neither. Noise has no ontology, teleology or *ethics* - (it
is the Übermensch). FFT though - faces back critically at the pop group
performance of
songs even as "anakistic' as punk itself- and offers a moral critique, it
lies within "music" (even pop) (but) is different not just in sound, in its
construction, instrumentation, production of - lo-fi product and packaging
& dissemination but by the very ethical values of its performers. It
replicates itself as gestures which resemble "songs" as being anti-pop
neo-dada works, (and Dadaism was a moral response!) this makes it
sufficiently different to "industrial" - which often seems to paint
landscapes rather than address the concept and traditions of our industrial
history from which the pop-group emerged. And in being this honest, artists
such as these are taking great risks, i.e. Atrax Morgue.
(jliat)
Address : http://www.purevolume.com/fixturefortoxins

TEXAR - ANNELIE AND THE DARK SEA (CDR by After Music)
Myspace give us "Acousmatic / Tape music / Minimalist / Live Electronics
Darren Brown & Rick McCollum Influences - What needs to be done must be
done in silence .. Sounds Like - Your Nightmare - Record Label - After
Music " and very little else. The disk quotes Annelie whilst a flyer gives
the title as Aniline. Is the lack of information and dis-information -
deliberate or not? In a lack of clear intent it engages something of the
thoughts elsewhere re Fixture for Toxins, though the blurb says "live" this
has been - and is obvious - studio processed or sliced up. At first maybe a
studio album of natural sounds- perhaps - but perhaps synthesized - rain and
thunder - processed with added noise - regular groans and elephantine animal
noises. Long cries, generator noises appear to start at 5 minutes - and
woooowy woowy sounds - and so it continues ghostly moans and repetitive
indistinguishable chanting - a little like children trying to frighten each
other.16:12 and the sound of
a cheering crowd and then a few seconds more and its all over. Though
having a different sound texture it has much in common with FFT in its low
fi - low production / presentation and short length. What was once an EP in
the days when vinyl ruled the earth - and maybe that offers still a better
format for such oddities. However nothing is so simple even in the spent
pointlessness of lo-fi absurdities - even more mysterious I find with no
apparent link - or maybe there is - Texar is also a *pro-slavery* character
in a novel by Jules Verne, - so what could that mean - deliberate or
accident - though its also the name of a drilling company an I.T. set up,
and a credit union as well as a musical ensemble. (jliat)
Address <texar@earthlink.net>

GREG HEADLEY - 24-CARAT ABNORMALITIES (CDR by 28angles)
Already Greg Headley's ninth release, the sixth on his own 28angles label.
Much of the work here is inspired by a trip he did to Eastern Europe in
summer of 2007. If I understand his words correctly this new work is a bit
different than the previous ones, which were more the direct taping of
results, whereas this new one involved more extensive mixing, taking up more
time in the final shaping of the music. As before Headley plays guitar and
software instruments to transform the sounds made on the six strings. It's
however not easy to recognize the guitar all the time. Sometimes it's pretty
obvious, but sometimes Headley manages to make it sound like the crackle of
short/long wave or thunderous like a hurricane or airplane flying over.
Dynamics play an important role in the six pieces on this release. Sometimes
deceivingly sweet and mellow, but it's the silence before the thunder breaks
out. It's move from much of his previous work which stayed more on one
volume level and was
throughout more ambient. In some ways the previous release 'There Comes A
Violent Love/Pulse' still remains an anomaly in his work - with his modern
classical approach - and '24-carat Abnormalities' sees him returning to his
guitar phase, but with the addition of dynamics as a new strong point. That
previous one was a highlight in his career, perhaps mainly for being so
different than the others, but this new one, while moving outside his
tradition again and remaining a similar approach to musical equipment, is
also a standout work. Quite a mature and carefully planned work! (FdW)
Address: http://www.28angles.com

SAD SAILOR LINK TO THE OUTSIDE WORLD (CDR by Public Eyesore)
WE NEED YOU - WE NEED YOU (CDR by Public Eyesore)
Three tracks on this minicd from a very extended group. The group has three
guitarplayers, a bass and a cello player. Plus a drummer and someone on
synthesizer and trumpet. The group was formed in 2007 born out of a
spontaneous meeting. In their instrumental jams a massive soundwall comes
from the speakers. Bass and drum lay down a strong basis of rhythm. Above
this the guitars and cello - especially in the first track 'Juice the
Room' - play their riffs, resulting in a sort of noisy guitarrock. Nothing
special happens here. It is guitarrock as we know it, and as it always will
be. This is not compensated by the fact that we find a cello and a trumpet
on these recordings which is a bit unusual for this kind of undertaking.
We Need You is something completely different. Like Sad Sailor they make
their statement in about half an hour. It is an improv trio with John
Dikeman on tenor sax, Jon Barrios on bass and Toshi Makihara on percussion.
All three of them are experienced musicians which is clear from the start.
Dikeman let his sax squeak, murmur, etc. He is an expressive player and has
a nice tone. Makihara's playing is polyrhythmic and very elastic. And
Barrios is a dexterous player. Together they create very different textures
and moods. From slow and soft to quick and very loud. Abstract
improvisations convincingly played but not earthshaking. (DM)
Address: http://www.publiceyesore.com

EARZUMBA - VIVO! (CDR by Absurd)
ANASTENARIA (CDR by Absurd)
Each week we wade through copious amounts of music, which is fine, it's our
task. But sometimes even we wonder why? Apparently Earzumba was on tour and
played in Buenos Aires, Vienna and the lovely Folkore Museum of Xanthi
Greece and from the recordings made during these shows, Earzumba compiled
this release with nine tracks. 'Erros, kyb solos, all music, live
processing' is what is said on the cover. I respect Earzumba very much and
many of his previous releases were applauded here, and this new one is quite
nice again. Earzumba is a sample mania artist, taking drums here and there,
plays his keyboard widely, feeds it through a blend of electronics, and
plays throughout vibrant electronic music. A sure delight to see it lives,
or so I can imagine. But it's perhaps also a bit of a superfluous release,
as it doesn't necessarily add much to what we already know from Earzumba. In
a world full of releases, it's perhaps time not to release every bit, but
work on the best next release. As
such I don't think 'Vivo' is that next best thing. It's one of nicer ones in
an already expanded universe.
More folkore on the release called 'Anastenaria', and although I hate to
refer to websites, there is a lengthy story on the events held at Ayia
Eleni, Langada and other Greek places here:

http://www.anagnosis.gr/index.php?la=eng&pageID=143. It's about a ritual
that dates back to Pagan times and this release is a pure field recording of
the 1979 (!) event. We hear drums, violins, chanting, people talking, which
makes hardly sense if you don't know what it is about but has a true
ethnographic feel to it. I must say that I listened to it with interest, but
found it difficult to relate to. It reminded me also of the good 80s
cassette scene when 'field recordings' such as this, think Calanda, were
released. (FdW)
Address: http://www.void.gr/absurd/

BRIAN OSBOURNE & MICHEAL THOMAS JACKSON - CIRCUIST CIRCUTS (CDR by Primecuts
Recordings)
CIGMA6 - GROWTH RESUMED ON THE WORK (CDR by Primecuts Recordings)
MICHEALTHOMASJACKSON - A DOG STAR MANUAL (MP3 by Defenestrated Records)
Micheal Thomas Jackson wants us to know he's back. I think (or rather
believe) that in the last year he has released more than in the twenty or so
years he has been active. The first two of these releases are on his own
Primecuts label and both a collaboration. With Brian Osbourne he has been
working for a decade now, using percussion, clarinet and electronics. The
eleven pieces here are what I could easily call a mixed bag. Mostly
conceived through improvisation, in a rather free setting, these pieces are
the best of the release. But there are also noise bits such as 'Miles Runs
The Battery Down', which don't seem to fit their (rather my) idea of
improvisation. That is a pity. Maybe with a fewer, or rather stronger
selection, this would be have more than just an o.k. release.
As Cigma6 (named after one of the first incarnations of Pink Floyd?),
Jackson goes back even further, as it's his ongoing collaboration with Chris
Phinney, also known as Mental Anguish. They worked together before as
Cancerous Growth and Viktimized Karcass. Like others in this area of US
underground music (Hal McGee, Alien Plantescapes) they love psychedelic
music. Here they are physically together in two piece and virtually in an
other. When together they have a bunch of moog synthesizers and electronics
and freak out is the theme of the day. In a rather free, again, play of
synthesizers they jam around with sounds dropping in and out, notes being
bent and space is the place. Nice, perhaps, but here goes: playing it
yourself is probably more fun. This sort of music could perhaps be better
enjoyed with all the right chemical substances. The shortest of the three,
the virtual assembled 'Fraught With You', with its menacing, mechanical
sounds is the best of the three.
The final one was recorded on August 22 2006, Stockhausen's birthday and is
a collection of feedback improvisations. From the three releases this is the
most interesting one I think. There is an interesting 'wideness' in these
recordings, from the obnoxious loud to the extreme quietness, from the very
high end of the spectrum to the low end. Jackson has absolute control over
his feedback and produces some interesting music with this. Through keep
controlling of the matters at hand, the seven pieces are wealth to listen
to. Much alike some of the best Arcane Device - to stick with the tune of
the older statesmen of the no-input musicians. No input, maximum out put.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.microearth.com/jackson
Address: http://www.ded-recs.com

CLAUDIO ROCHETTI - HARRISONFORD (cassette by Deadtracks Records)
One of the three myths of Claudio Rochetti (one of the members of
3/4Hadbeeneliminated) is Harrison Ford. Another one is David Lee Roth and
whoever the third is we don't know yet. A dedication to David Lee Roth was
released by Long Long Chaney. Here it's 'Harrisonford'. On one side we hear
the voice of Kenji Siratori set against a organ like drone. The voice is not
distorted as with some other Siratori projects, but hard to understand. The
instrumental b-side is also based on drones, but louder. A dishwasher or
some such is fed through some effects. Quite an industrial piece of music,
but it sounds quite nice. Pretty nice release, the first on Deadtracks
Records, and we wonder how long this label will exist, since rumor has it
that cassettes will disappear from the market next year, which, me thinks,
is a great pity. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/deadtracks

TIAGO SOUSA - THE WESTERN LANDS (MP3 by Resting Bell)
The main instrument of one Tiago Sousa was a piano, and with that instrument
he played on two releases before. I never heard of him, but for 'The Western
Lands' (a very loose interpretation of the Burroughs book of the same name),
Sousa grabs the guitar. Played by picking and strumming and feeding through
effects to create a somewhat dense pattern. But to say he creates music that
really wants to attracts the listener: not really. The sound is a kinda
muffled, a bit distorted and the note progression suggest, or try to
suggest, 'a space open to be filled' but it simply fails to work as ambient
piece. The best moments are when Sousa gets back to his piano, and plays
that. But even at that, none of the seven pieces could really grab me. (FdW)
Address: htto://www.restingbell.net

1. From: "yatra-arts" <yatra-arts@cogeco.ca>

Tanso Presents: SOUNDEYE - New Directions in Chinese Music

A Free 3 day screening event of Documentaries, Films, Music Videos, Live
Performance and Talk about the vibrant new Chinese Music Scene.

LOOK, LISTEN and EXPLORE!

TANSO (which is Mandarin for discover), a new organization set up to
spotlight new & modern music from China is proud to present SOUNDEYE from
April 25 - 27.

This three day screening event at U of T's Hart House will explore the
vibrant new music scene in China. We will show rare, unseen & exciting
footage from a diverse range of artists, covering a variety of musical
genres: from Electronica, Experimental Noise, sound art, Punk, Post Wave to
New Folk and Rock. Two feature length documentaries will provide a concise
overview of the cutting edge musical movements in Hong Kong & Mainland
China. We are also screening a variety of music videos, which should
interest artists, die-hard music followers, casual music fans or simply
those with an interest in anything Chinese.

SOUNDEYE will spotlight the coolest Indie labels from all over China, such
as Shenzhen's WE PLAY (run by Zen Lu), Beijing's Shansui, Hong Kong's
NoiseAsia (founded by the multi-faceted Dickson Dee), and the well known
Beijing imprint Subjam (run by the prolific Yan Jun). These names are
unfamiliar in the West, but they are the future of Chinese new music - an
emerging movement of new and innovative artists.

TANSO wishes to highlight all aspects of the exciting new music scene from
East Asia - including the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia and
Singapore. SOUNDEYE is the first event in a series that will open Canadians'
doors to a world of creativity that few have yet to discover. We are
committed to bringing the best of China's various independent music scenes,
artists working in new media & sound art.

TANSO is a non-profit organization whose mandate is to build a bridge
between Canada and China by facilitating cultural exchange via music and
art. Join us at our inaugural event as we welcome Spring with some aural &
visual stimulation.

FREE ADMISSION
Time: April 25, 26, 27, 2008
Location: The Hart House, East Common Room, U of T Downtown Campus

For more information or press inquiry, go to
<http://www.tanso.ca/>www.TANSO.ca
Or contact us at <mailto:Soundeye.Tanso@gmail.com>Soundeye.Tanso@gmail.com

**********************
Daily Schedule:

Apr 25, Fri. 8pm-1am, Opening Party
8:30-11, Feature Documentary <China Rock> -20 Years of Chinese New Music

April 26, Sat, 7pm-1am, The Experimental Sound
7:30-9, <SubJam Presents: KwanYin Records> - Experimental/Noise
9:30-11, <Special presentation of ShanShui Records> - Electronic

Apr 27, Sun, 1pm-1am, The New Era
1:30-3:30, <Southern Sound> - Experimental Music from Hong Kong
4:30-7, <The Big Picture> - The Best Music from China in all genres,
SynthPop, New Folk, Skinhead, Punk, Emo, Post Wave, Rock and more
8:00, Feature Documentary <Improvisation> - Chinese Sound Art in Poland

An on-site exhibit of innovative poster designs in the Chinese new music
scene.

For more information or press inquiry, go to
<http://www.tanso.ca/>www.TANSO.ca
Or contact us at <mailto:Soundeye.Tanso@gmail.com>Soundeye.Tanso@gmail.com

--
*************
SOUNDEYE - New Directions in Chinese Music
A 3 day screening event of
Documentaries, Films, Music Videos, Live Performance and Talk about the
vibrant new Chinese Music Scene.
April 25, 26, 27
Location: The Hart House, East Common Room, U of T downtown Campus
For more info and complete screening schedule, please visit
<http://www.tanso.ca/>http://www.TANSO.ca

2. From: BILL KOULIGAS <billkouligas@yahoo.gr>

PAN / HARBINGER SOUND / AUTHORISED VERSION _ PRESENT:

Tuesday April 22nd 2008:

RAMLEH (POWER ELECTRONICS SET FOR NEW WORKS!!)
CARLOS GIFFONI
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS
MLEHST
CHEAPMACHINES
FAMILY BATTLE SNAKE
THE DIGITARIAT

+ D.J. : The Harbinger Sound Plastic Punk Explosion

@ The Gramaphone, 60-62 Commercial St, Spitalfields,
London, E1 6LT

Doors @ 6:30pm, £7.00

buy tickets :
www.a-version.co.uk/tickets

info:
www.pan-act.com

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

Here´s the upcoming Hoerbar Concert in April:

Hoerbar Hamburg presents
Johannes S. Sistermanns
Rainer Deutschmann und seine Freunde

Friday, April 25, 21:00
Hoerbar@ B-Movie
Brigittenstr. 5
Hamburg St. Pauli
<http://www.hoerbar-ev.de>http://www.hoerbar-ev.de
<http://www.myspace.com/hoerbarhamburg>http://www.myspace.com/hoerbarhamburg

4. From: "absurd" <absurd@otenet.gr>

<www.carlosgiffoni.com>Carlos Giffoni (us)
<www.novasak.com>Novasak (cnd) & <www.triplebath.gr>Nokalypse (gr)
<www.myspace.com/familybattlesnake>Family Battle Snake (gr/uk)

@

<http://kinkykong.blogspot.com/>
Avramiotou str, Athens

Thursday 24 / 04 / 2008 - 21.00 hr

Admission 8 euros

organized by :

<astrangeattractor@yahoo.com>a
<www.pan-act.com>
<www.void.gr/absurd>

5. From: Martijn H <Martijn@universaal.nl>

Friday april 25th 2008

GELUIDPOST 2008 - curated by Martijn Hohmann

second installation:
'phonography'

Students from the Royal Conservatory The Hague, Institute of Sonology
Under the direction of Justin Bennet:

Sophokles Arvanitis
Auris Bavarskis
Toggi Einarsson
Philip Götz
Ezra Jacobs
Thomas Haighton
Yamila Rios Manzanares

incl. Live performance @ 20:00
admittance: free

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

6. From: "Russ Waterhouse" <russwaterhouse@gmail.com>

http://myspace.com/bluescontrol

Fri 5/9 @ Danger Danger Gallery
Philadelphia, PA
w/ Sic Alps, Tickley Feather
http://myspace.com/dangerdangergallery

Sat 5/17 @ The Sugar Tank
Lancaster, PA
http://myspace.com/boatpeople

Sun 5/18 @ Floristree
Baltimore, MD
"Full House Festival"
w/ Cluster, Susan Alcorn, Axolotl, Eric Copeland, Daniel Higgs, Keith
Fullerton Whitman and more
http://myspace.com/floristree

Thu 5/22 @ Block Museum / Northwestern University
Evanston, IL
6th annual "Sonic Celluloid" festival of film & music
http://www.blockmuseum.northwestern.edu/block-cinema/sonic.html

Sat 6/28 @ Rancho Relaxo
Toronto, Ontario
http://myspace.com/theranchorelaxo

Sunday 6/29 @ Casa del Popolo
Montreal, Quebec
"Suoni Per Il Popolo" festival
http://www.casadelpopolo.com/suoni/about.htm

7. From: "Ole-records" <ole_records@reallyfast.info>

O tannenbaum this week:

Saturday 26 april
Dutch shit afternoon starts 16.00 hours
Dutch evening with Harry Merry live starts 20.00 hours

www.o-tannenbaum-berlin.de
--

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