Number 106


FRANCIS DHOMONT – FRANKENSTEIN SYMPHONY (CD by Asphodel)
Certified hard chill for those with big maracas, the Frankenstein Symphony
was constructed in true DJ-style by Francis Dhomont, an undisputed leader
in electro-acoustic music and an undeniable influence on so many working
within this fjord. Franky (for it is he) sourced much from some of the best
contemporary electro-acoustic music to create this ‘hybrid thing in four
movements’. Works by 22 composers, some of whom are or were Dhomont’s
students, were put onto the chopping block, sections were selected, severed
and then spliced together with all of the frightening tools that science
has made available. Some layering did occur, but Franky NEVER even got
close to the racks of processing gear, LEDS blinking so invitingly, which
probably line his living room, so no additional filtering, transpositions
or internal editing was used.
Regular scanners of this screensheet may be aware of how close
electro-acoustic music lies to the heart of my ear. Many of the composers
whose compositions were incorporated in this sublime CD are heroes of mine;
Ned Bouhalassa, Annette Van Der Gorme, Claude Schryer, Roxanne Turcotte,
Yves Daoust, Stephene Roy, Robert Normandeau and Mr Dhomont hisself. Most
of the composers’ works have appeared at one time or another on that very
definitive Canadian label Empreintes Digitalis. A short while ago Asphodel
released one of the best drone compilations ever titled, ‘Storm Of Drones’,
a triple set, the first of which contained excerpts from works released on
Empreintes Digitalis.
The idea behind this exciting, effective and most cunning stunt, the
Frankenstein Symphony will no doubt now be copied by cats trying to be cool
and even spooky; I doubt if it will ever be surpassed in it’s excellence.
(MP)
Address: <asphodel@interport.net>

GHEDALIA TAZARTES – VOYAGE A L’OMBRE – (CD on Demosarus)
Things are getting weirder…this CD is a testament to that. I’ve never
heard of anything by Mr Tazartes before so was a little apprehensive when
my dealer suggested I listen to this-I should have read more in his
quizzical look. Mr Tazartes last CD ‘Checkpoint Charlie’ was released in
1990, so consider this a milestone, not only for this reason but also
because of the content. He is responsible for all the sounds on this CD
with the exception of a few female vocals supplied by Yumi Nara, who was
recently to be heard in Amsterdam as the solo vocalist for Michel Redolfi’s
Underwater Music concert.
I am completely baffled as to how the music on this CD was made. Careful
listening to the less obvious compositional techniques reveal that he may
have used looped CDs and tapes, or crude sampling equipment to construct
some of the backgrounds to his completely alien vocal delivery. His voice
shifts constantly from a croon to a roar, from whispers to overtonedrones.
He blesses, curses, invokes and banishes in a language I know not, in fact,
yea verily, ‘t could be beyond the very ken of man.
The press release calls this ‘punk, sound poetry, folklore…hypnotic,
disturbibg polyphonies which draw us into a world of shadows’.
Too fucking true, mate.
A must for lovers of the alien. (MP)
Address: <metamkine.compuserve.com>

QUEST – HIC LOCUST QUEST (CD by Noise Musuem Records)
Frans De Waard in one of his multiple, and for me, most convincing
disguise, is the domesticated critter responsible for this dynamic music.
It’s his second full-length CD as Quest and most of the music under this
nom de note is made exclusively with a KORG MS20, which is, for the
digiheads and under twenties, an analogue synthesiser entirely in it’s own
class.
The first two pieces on this CD are the best, I think, and have previously
been made available on a cassette released by Japanese based GROSS (sod all
them fullstops, weet je wel), so some of you might have heard them already.
They were, and still are, called ‘OUEST 1 & 2, and are a glorious foray
into the realm of the knob-twiddler, if you acquire my drift. And if you
don’t you will once you play this music, for drift you surely shall on the
undulating waves of sharply defined synthsised sweeps, pings and slight
rhythmic counterpoints, which are multi-tracked here with great care and
attention, especially to the separation of the broad band of frequencies
which rise and plummet in what I can only describe as psychedelic music
made by a man who can’t even spell the word correctly.
The third track, ‘EST’, has never been released before and is my least
favorite of the three, mostly (probably) due to a random analogue sequence
towards the end of it which somehow sounds a little too familiar, no doubt
because it has been used by too many before.
Never mind though…this is a great thing so stick it on your Christmas
shopping list, or shove it up someone’s stocking. You might bung it in your
CD player, too ! (MP)
Address: <n.museum@infonie.fr>

DUMB TYPE – REMIX (3″ CD by Foil Records)
All information to be found on this CD is written above. Two remixed tracks
by…? The original is by Dumb Type, a performance group that is best known
because of the help of Rioji Ikeda. I am not really aware of what Dumb Type
performance wise is all about but there is a joyful touch to their
soundtrack (or to be more precise: to these remixes). The first tracks
starts with a nice sampled guitar sound that got stuck in my mind. Every
time I hear it, I start humming it. Somewhere after 9 minutes the rhythm
suddenly changes towards a more breakbeat thing. The second piece on this
lovely little thing is much shorter and is more a laid-back cocktail/jazz
thing. As said quite joyful tunes, although I’m clueless about the whole
package. Who? Why so short? Which address? (FdW)
??

NO NOISE REDUCTION – ON AIR (CD by Ananana)
This Portugese duo consists of Paulo Feliciano and Rafael Toral, the latter
of course known for his drony guitar work and improvisations. This CD has 3
recordings of live shows for radio stations, each recording is divided in 2
parts. The first part is modified electric toys (you know cars, telephones,
laser gun) and fed through a whole bunch of effects. The second part they
use the same effects, but feed guitars as the input signal. Of course, the
resultant of all of this (including the capturing of it in a live radio
event), makes this into a highly imrpovised noise. Luckilhyg for a
toy-hater like me, the original sounds are treated beyond recognition. The
is nice flow of feedback sounds, interrupted by crackles, hiss and noise.
However the result is not serious high brow improvisation, but one that is
inhabited with a good portion of humour. Something a lot of others lack
unfortunally. (FdW)
Address: <ananana@esoterica.pt>

IM SUMPF (Compilation CD by Ring/Mego)
My first musical piece was made for radio. I strummed the acoustic guitar
with a wipcreamer and delayed the sound on a reel to reel tapedeck. It
sounded like a heavy thunder or a train passing by. I made this piece for
Willem de Ridder’s radio show, his legendary ‘Radiola Improvisatie Salon’.
He would play any tape he would receive – unheard! And I wanted to be on
the radio. That was in 1980. It’s good to see that this approach to radio
as a medium for all is still going on. One Fritz Ostermayer and Thomas
Edlinger produce such a show in Vienna, were they play crazy music, verbal
abuse of the listener and the pile of demo’s they get. A lot of demo’s
stayed unplayed (unlike De Ridder who played everything) and now the dust
is taken off and compiled in this CD, subtitled ‘Musik too good for this
world’. Really strange and incoherent stuff of course. There is lo-fi
guitar pop, noise, rhythm stuff, wacky ballad stuff. Quite fun, but at the
same time quite camp too. (FdW)
Address: <pita@mego.co.at>

PICKNICK MIT HERMANN! (Compilation CD by Rhiz)
Of course there is no Viennese scene – just like there is no Seattle,
Liverpool, Cologne scene. What the music press sees as a scene is usually a
bunch of people who know each other in a particular town, and they play
together in various combinations, sometimes joint concerts or joint
releases. But everybody keeps on doing his own thing. This CD captures four
sunday afternoon’s in a Viennese park, were 19 electronic musicians played
music in a rather relaxed atmosphere. All your darlings are there, from
Rehberg & Bauer to Farmer’s Manual to Curd Duca, Pomassl and a whole bunch
of new ones, the not hyped ones yet. The music is again, as usual with
these mid-europeans, quite distorted and fucked up electronica, sometimes
towards the industrial side of the spectrum, and sometimes the more dancy
end. A nice gem this one. And one can of course be jalous: why should this
only happen in Vienna and not in my own town? (FdW)
Address: <pita@mego.co.at>