METAXU – RUMORS OF… WAR (CD by No Type)
HIIRO (CD compilation by Saag)
SPIRE (2CD compilation by Touch)
NOVEL 23 – ARCHITECTURAL EFFECTS (CD by Bip Hop)
UCHIHASHI KAZUHISA & GENE COLEMAN – STOROBO IMP. (CD by False Walls)
MASTERS OF THE SCENE – THE DEFINITIVE ABBA TRIBUTE (CD by Nihilist)
SIVANESAN – THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME (3″CDR by Musique Provocateur)
NICK DAN/SUMUGAN SIVANESAN – FEEDBACK EPIPHANY (3″CDR by Musique Provocateur)
MOTOR – FREEZE (CD by Kuro Neko Music)
THE UNICORNS – WHO WILL CUT OUR HAIR WHEN WE’RE GONE (CD by Alien8 Recordings)
MAIN – MORT AUX VACHES: EXOSPHERE (CD by Staalplaat)
PANICSVILLE – STERILE (CD by Nihilist)
NMPERIGN & GUNTER MULLER – MORE GLOOM, MORE LIGHT (CD by Rossbin)
BURKHARD BEINS & DIRK MARWEDEL & MICHEAL VORFELD – MISIIKI (CD by Rossbin)
HISS – ZAHIR (CD by Rossbin)
GENETIC TRANSMISSION – RONDEL PELEN LAJNA (CDR by XVP Records)
FREQ_OUT [0-°Hz] (CD compilation by Ash International)
DUSTBREEDERS & JUNKO – MOMMY CLOSE THE DOOR (CD by Starlight Furniture)
THE HAFLER TRIO – A HOUSE WAITING FOR ITS MASTER (10″ by Rossbin)
SONORITES DE LA VIE DE BOHEME (7″ compilation by Early Morning Records)
THE GOLDEN ROAD (TO LIMITED EDITION) (7″ compilation by Early Morning Records)
MAGIC AS KüNTMASTER (CD by Nihilist)
METAXU – RUMORS OF… WAR (CD by No Type)
You probably know about Metaxu if you know about Z_E_L_L_E, because
Maurizio Martusciello is a part of both of them: with Nicola Catalano
they’re Z_E_L_L_E and with Filippo Paolini – Metaxu. Maurizio
Martusciello is well known composer on the international
electroacoustic scene. Filippo Paolini is also interested in
electroacoustic music and improvisations…
Rumors Of War is their second album. I haven’t heard the previous
one, but it’s quite amazing what they’ve done on this new album. The
music is calm and peaceful, without any disturbing or too harsh
moments (it’s also not an improvisation), but it’s still clearly and
fully present. There’s an electronic and an acoustic side of the
music, presented through the use of samplers, turntables, tapes and
cds. The sound is placed in a wide atmospheric context, but there are
certain moments when some concrete clicky sounds or some parts of the
whole musical soundscape are pointed out on the surface. There’s
another context on this album: the war. All track-titles are a name
of a place and a certain date when some war culminated, like:
06091945 Hiroshima, 11092001 New York, 25031999 Belgrade… It should
be mentioned though that the music it’s not suffocated by this
context, the music can freely breathe. This is a very successful
album by Metaxu, released by one of the most interesting and
forward-thinking labels today, also one of my favourite labels in
2003 year, No Type. (BR)
Address: http://www.notype.com
HIIRO (CD compilation by Saag)
This is the second release by Saag, a small label from Japan. It’s
their second compilation called Hiiro. The first very nice
compilation Anchor was reviewed here before, see Vital 360.
What’s on this Hiiro compilation? – 68 minutes of music, 14 tracks
from 14 different artists, some more and some less known. I’d suggest
checking the links-page at Saag’s site for more info about the
artists. The compilation opens with a great track from Modir (unknown
to me), nice idm-tune with great voice samples. The second track is
from Taisuke Matsuo. He’s doing the same very efficient trick like in
some tracks from his Observatory EP (see Vital 399). In his track
here called Owlis, Taisuke takes one sequence and repeats it for some
time until the potential is revealed. Maybe that’s how Goem would
sound if they made idm music? 🙂
There are more obvious idm tunes on Hiiro, from Kettel (also known
from labels like Kracfive and Neo Ouija), Sabi, Toshiaki Ooi, Akar,
Opia and others… Toshiaki Ooi has a nice rhythmic track, very
different from his tracks on the previous Anchor compilation and on
(now not functioning) Desk Elephant net label, but also very
appealing. In the meantime, Toshiaki participated to the Hydrogen
Dukebox label, and now has made a great fairytale idm track for
Hiiro. The contributions from Purusha & Urkuma and Ent are more mixed
up and twisted. There are other tracks from Octopus Inc, Formatt,
Ghislain Poirier, Yuzo Kako and Julien Neto. Formatt’s track is a
slightly different (almost the same) version of his Glazed track from
the Connections EP (see Vital 393). Julien Neto is a perfect closer,
and Ghislain Poirier is not ambient-dub at all. Ghislain’s short
track sounds more like broken hip-hop/break-beat. There are many
stand-out tracks on this compilation that deserve close listening.
Great release from Saag with magical music that can be compared with
the music that comes from one of the leading labels for these kinds
of musical expression: Neo Ouija. New Magic. (BR)
Address: http://www.saagrecords.com
SPIRE (2CD compilation by Touch)
The sound of an organ appeals to many, and I mean not just those who
are religiously inspired. It is also a fascinating instrument for
drone music. It’s a mighty fascinating instument to hear but also to
see. This double CD compilation features works of classical nature
aswell as ‘avant-garde’ (for sake of a better term) for church organs
in general and other sorts of organs (like a wurlitzer in the Fennesz
track). Old acquitances are here, like Fennesz, Benny Nilsen, Oren
Ambarchi, Chris Watson, Leif Elggren and Toshiya Tsunoda. However the
more classical approaches come from a composition by Marcus Davidson
and Zephyr. Mostly the music calls for contemplation and is somber in
tone. Drone like characteristics throughout. The first disc, with
twelve tracks in fifty some minutes is maybe too short to call for
some (semi-) religious meditation, but nevertheless this has turned
out be a highly varied disc with highly varied approaches. There are
some louder beasts in here, which are not contemplative per se, like
the pieces by Elggren and Philip Jeck. The second disc has only five
tracks in about the same length and here the meditative character of
the instrument works well. Nilsen’s piece is one of haunting beauty –
soft but well spoken. It takes up half the disc space, but it’s
timeless. Highlights of disc one are the quite classical piece by
Z’ev, Marcus Davidson’s ‘Organ Psalm V’, Scott Minor & Fennesz take
on the rough edges of organ music, Biosphere’s pastoral sounds and
Toshiya Tsunoda’s more conceptual approach to using the pipe of an
organ. In all, this is highly suprising and fascinating pack of works
and maybe the first highlight of the new year. (FdW)
Address: http://www.touchmusic.org.uk
NOVEL 23 – ARCHITECTURAL EFFECTS (CD by Bip Hop)
Novel 23 aka Roman Belousov is well known to his hardcore fans around
the world. He comes from Moscow, Russia, makes music as Novel 23 and
runs his small but very nice label Shaped Harmonics. Before this
Bip-Hop album released in 2003 (are these numbers a coincidence?),
Novel 23 has 2 albums and many tracks on many compilations and EPs
released by Neo Ouija, Couchblip!, Obtain Freedom, Bip Hop
(Generation 3), Pause_2, Awkward Silence and others… Obviously,
many people have noticed the remarkable quality of Novel 23’s music
and are interested to release and hear it. Novel 23’s music has a
form of a song with a specific electro aureole. Depeche Mode are one
of N_23’s bigger influences. Also, Roman is obsessed with melodies.
With this obsession he goes as far as artists like Sachiko M and Pita
go into experimental music.
What about Architectural Effects? Is it good? Yep, it is. The sound
is more firm this time, epic and lyric at the same time. This album
is like a fairytale book with short novels, Novel 23 is not aiming to
be experimental at all, he’s just telling stories without words.
Probably there aren’t any stand-out songs on this album, all tracks
are well balanced and are a part of the whole (like Bola’s albums),
but this whole release is a stand-out album.
Maybe it’s a bit of surprise (a good one), but it’s not a coincidence
that this album is released by Bip Hop. Most of the releases in their
catalogue are much more experimental. And now – Novel 23 album on Bip
Hop – an artist who makes simple tunes and an album that could have
been easily released by labels like Merck, Neo Ouija or Warp. But Bip
Hop have already shown they have a sharp ear for exceptionaly good
music. Great music deserves great labels. Oh… and it’s bleep23. How
nice. (BR)
Address: http://www.bip-hop.com
UCHIHASHI KAZUHISA & GENE COLEMAN – STOROBO IMP. (CD by False Walls)
64 minutes of duo improvisations of Kazuhisa and Coleman are
delivered here by the False Walles label. Both gentlemen met each
other in Vienna in 2001 playing in a group of austrian saxophonist
Helge Hinteregger. Coleman had the paradocal experience of to be
engaged in open and immediatie improvisation while experiencing it
“as if our actions were rehearsed to sound exactly this way”. In a
peak experience of free improvisation it is possible to experience it
as the opposite, namely composed.. Maybe because succesfull
improvising is the same as immediate composing.
Anyway because of this very satisfying undertaking, both decided to
work together again. One year later there was an opportunity in
Japan, when Coleman stayed in Japan as a composition fellow of the
Japan-US Friendship Commission. During may of that year they did some
concerts together. The recordings on this cd were made on may 18th in
the Storobo Studio (Tokyo).
Coleman plays bassclarinet throughout this cd. Kazuhisa guitar and
electronics in tracks 1 and 7, and daxophone on the rest. The
daxophone is an instrument designed and built by the german
guitarimprovisor Hans Reichel.
Autodidact Kazuhisa is known for his work as a member of Altered
States and Ground Zero (1994-97). Also he worked with many
improvisors from all over the world, including Eugene Chadbourne,
Barre Philips, Jon Rose and Hans Reichel. Coleman is an experienced
improviser and is also a composer. Also he is artistic director of
Ensemble Noamnesia and the festivals “Sound Field” and “Transonic”.
He studied visual art, film and music at the School of the Art
Institute of Chicago.
For this CD they captured some of their best moments. Spacial
improvisations investigating sound, resulting in many coloured
‘paintings’. The music is varied and diverse. Balanced interplay
between the two. Both take part concentrated and intensively in the
dialogue, which gives the music a strong sense of direction. All is
very well recorded. A clear sound so that you don’t have to miss any
subtlety. Great and rich work (DM).
Address: http://www.falsewalls.com
MASTERS OF THE SCENE – THE DEFINITIVE ABBA TRIBUTE (CD by Nihilist)
The fact that I think Abba (like The Beatles) belong to the very very
best popmusic ever brought forward is not really important for you to
know when I start talking about this compilation, which comes from
the same house that first brought a tribute to the B52s (see Vital
Weekly 299). Because I like poking fun, even with the best and that’s
what this compilation is quite good at: poking fun with original Abba
songs. Most of these people use (excerpts of) the originals and
plunder them. If you want to pay tribute to ‘S.O.S.’ (my alltime
favourite Abba song) you play some ‘s.o.s.’ sounds and you put on a
big noise thing in ‘Thank You For The Music’ or ‘Rock Me’. But it’s a
varied bunch. Foamula cover ‘Chiquitita’ (the reverse of ‘S.O.S.’ –
thank you) in a sort of sing-songwriter mood, with bad voices. A
cross-over between Abba and The Beatles is made in Canned Hamm’s
‘Does Your Mother Know’, fading in ‘Your Mother Should Know’. My
favourites are the track by I & Makoto, who cover ‘Eagle’ in a
heavenly way. Spacious use of the voices (from the original?) and
likewise ambient backdrop and Body Tong’s rendition of ‘Lay All Your
Love On Me’ in a guitar setting with weird electronic background. The
noisier outings by The Rib, Sudden Infant or Guilty Connector are not
well-spend on me on the other, too obvious and too simple. But a
varied bunch and a feast to try and recognize the originals – if you
know them and/or maybe enjoy them if you dislike the originals. (FdW)
Address: http://www.nihilistrecords.net
SIVANESAN – THE SHAPE OF THINGS TO COME (3″CDR by Musique Provocateur)
NICK DAN/SUMUGAN SIVANESAN – FEEDBACK EPIPHANY (3″CDR by Musique Provocateur)
Most likely a new label here and probably aiming at some more
provocative music. Both of these releases deal with feedback, each
within it’s aesthetic. Sumugan Sivanesan was already reviewed in
Vital Weekly 402 with his split CD for Cronica Electronic. Here he
has a four track release of controlled guitar feedback textures which
he manipulated via ‘the in built amplifier controls, bass, mid,
treble, volume and gain’. It has a very physical presence this music,
but even when it’s loud, it still has deals with the space it was
recorded in. A very direct live recording this one.
Sumugan also has a collaborative disc with one Nick Dan and this one
also explores feedback, but here through bass, boxes, mics, speakers,
desk and neon light. Sounds bounces through the space, is picked up
by microphone and fed into the festivities of feedback. Compared with
the other release, this is rather a more electronic work and the
sources are hidden somewhat more. This is more minimal and also more
noisy beast than the first release. No fine ambient music along the
lines of Arcane Device or 87 Central, but an exploration of the
boundaries of sounds. Not bad, both of them, but also a bit on the
regular side, me humble thinks. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mprov.org/
MOTOR – FREEZE (CD by Kuro Neko Music)
As a cometh on a clear sky. That can be said of Russia’s Motor. He
released a brilliant 12″ on Audio.NL (‘the most euphoric record on
earth’ as the Kompakt said) and had his own CD release ‘Hexen’ (later
also on Audio.NL), with more of this techno styled stuff. But from
the fourth 12″ on Audio.NL things went into a different direction and
the sound shifted from say a Cologne style to a Berlin style. Also
Motor started to use taped radio and TV signals and even did work
solely built from those elements – a radical break with the past. But
with the release of ‘Horse Trax’ (see Vital Weekly 360), he sort of
returns to more rhythmical music and it seems that what he set out on
that CD, is now continued in ‘Freeze’. There are hints of minimal
techno, but held back and certainly not as euphoric as the first
12″s, in combination with a somewhat more glitchy styled drone music,
such as the sine wave like piece ‘p>a [4 Install]’, which is almost
Ikeda like in a very subtle way. I must say I am even more pleased
with this CD than with ‘Horse Trax’. The pieces are more coherent and
it works better as a whole, with the music shifting from the
aforementioned sine waves to a ambient dubby title piece. Time to
re-research Motor. (FdW)
Address: http://www.kuronekomusic.com
THE UNICORNS – WHO WILL CUT OUR HAIR WHEN WE’RE GONE (CD by Alien8 Recordings)
I must admit I never heard of The Unicorns, but they are from
Montreal and this is their debut CD. When they play live it is a real
surprise what to get: a normal concert or maybe a performance or a
puppet show. Their music can best be described as lo-fi with a
healthy dose of experimentalism. Their tracks have a strong popmusic
sensibility, using guitars, vocals, keyboards and drums/drum
computers. Plus a wide array of guest instruments, such as fiddle,
cello, reeds and trumpets. At times I was reminded of the lo-fi
popmusic of Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, but here in a more
rock line up, the core being a trio now. It sounds deliberately lo-fi
recorded, with everything directly in your face. This is a pleasent,
freaky album of alternative popmusic that is never too long, never
boring and with a sweet surprise in every track. Nice one indeed and
defintely something worth checking out, either on this album or on
stage. (FdW)
Address: http://www.alien8recordings.com
MAIN – MORT AUX VACHES: EXOSPHERE (CD by Staalplaat)
There was a time when Main seemed to be arriving a dead end in his
career. His guitar strummings that were processed into richly layered
fields of ambient isolationism were still quite good, but didn’t show
much innovation. From unstrapping the guitar and starting up the
computer, Main moved away into musique concrete territory and goes
onto new paths of sound exploration. His albums on Kraak and
Tigerbeat6 were fine examples of his computer treated field
recordings, and this album is no different. Main, nom de plume for
Robert Hampson (at one point a member of Loop, but who remembers
that?), goes out with his microphone and tapes sounds from the
environment. Upon returning to the studio he feeds the sounds into
his computer and processes them. Unlike many others in the same area
(think Roel Meelkop, Micheal Northam, or Bernard Gunter), Main opts
for a more droney and stretched out sound. It’s the trademark of
Main: still thickly layered fields of sound, with minimal processing
and slight changes and throughout hard to recognize any sound. Was
that a churchbell ringing? Maybe. Only the train announcer of
Amsterdam Central Station can clearly be heard in the natural reverb
of the building. It’s only here when we tap into the real world, but
it’s so sparse. Main transforms the real world into his own world – a
world which is based upon sounds of the real world, but re-created
into a world that he feels comfortable in. A world that I can fully
agree with. A much nicer place. (FdW)
Address: http://www.staalplaat.com
PANICSVILLE – STERILE (CD by Nihilist)
Andy Ortman = Panicsville and he is one of the more interesting
people of the US noise scene. Unlike many starters Panicsville is no
longer concerned with putting a big mess of noise and putting them in
an endless stream of sound effects, but rather using electronics,
magnetic tape, voices and metal scraps and coming up with a much more
delicate, yet noise related sound. This is where collage, industrial
music, musique concrete meet up with psychedelic music. His use of
echo and reverb over loosely improvised electronics make it much more
cosmic and much less into a mindless noise trip. I know it’s probably
no ok to say that noise music can be pleasent to hear, but in this
case, I can easily state it’s a nice CD with a surprisingly good
example of noise music. (FdW)
Address: http://www.nihilistrecords.net
NMPERIGN & GUNTER MULLER – MORE GLOOM, MORE LIGHT (CD by Rossbin)
BURKHARD BEINS & DIRK MARWEDEL & MICHEAL VORFELD – MISIIKI (CD by Rossbin)
HISS – ZAHIR (CD by Rossbin)
Unpronounable of course: Nmperign. A duo of two Boston windinstrument
players, being Greg Kelley on trumpet (whose solo debut CD was
released by Rossbin) and Bhob Rainey on saxophone. Their debut CD was
released by Selektion. Here they team up with one of Switzerlands
more active percussion players Gunter Muller. He has a long standing
reputation of playing improvised music with tons of people. Two
pieces are live recordings and the other two are ‘remixes’ thereof.
Whatever you think of saxophones and trumpets, Nmperign play them in
a rather unusual way and the percussive sounds of Muller also aren’t
exactely percussive. In their two concert recordings, these three
sound hoovering on the edge of drone music, with sounds swirling in
and out of the mix. Towards the end of ‘More Light’ the sounds of the
wind instruments become more apperent. In ‘More Gloom’ things are a
bit more in traditional fashion, with percussive sounds throughout
and more conventional playing (but still in an improvisational sense
of the word) of saxophone and trumpet. In Muller’s rework he
emphasizes the louder elements of the concerts, thus bringing things
back upfront, while in Nmperign’s rework things are more towards an
onkyo, silent edge. A well varied disc of good quality improvised
music.
On the same label and also a trio improvisation is a CD by Burkhard
Beins, who plays percussion and string instruments, Dirk Marwedel on
extended saxophone and Micheal Vorfeld on percussion and string
instruments. Their trio improvisations were already recorded in 2001
and display a great sense of sensibility. They carefully work their
instruments and it’s hoovering on the edge of silence at times, but
it never leaps into a real onkyo workout. There is much to enjoy
here, with bows on strings providing a kinder backdrop of drone like
sounds and the sustained saxophone playing a likewise solo on top.
Small percussive elements are added, like bells and other small
objects are the real solo players – no wonder when you have two
percussion players around. Things sizzle and crack and there are
moments here which sound almost microsound like, but rooted in a firm
improvisation background. These chums know what they are doing. A
disc of great care and concentration and those who listen with
likewise concentration will be rewarded.
I am pretty sure that the band Hiss, who have a CD on Rossbin is not
the same Hiss that released ‘Alien Bass Soundscapes’ many years ago.
They were from downunder and this Hiss comes from London. It’s a four
piece improvisation group with Pat Thomas (keyboard/electronics),
Ivar Grydeland (electric guitar), Tonny Kluften (double bass) and
Ingar Zach (percussion). Here we enter the real land of improvisation
as many people know it. Despite the use of keyboard and electronics
(I think shortwave of some kind was used), this sounds quite like a
regular improvisation CD. Although there are nice moments here, I
must say that the tension is not really there. It stays too much on
the regular side for me and doesn’t call for some concentration. I
can imagine that in a concert situation this works quite well though.
FdW)
Address: http://www.rossbin.com
GENETIC TRANSMISSION – RONDEL PELEN LAJNA (CDR by XVP Records)
Behind the name Genetic Transmission we find one Tomasz Twardawa, of
whom I do not know much else. His (first?) release is packed in a DVD
case with good quality colour xerox. Do not let the surrealist
painting distract you, as Genetic Transmission is not a surrealist
music project, even when the title means ‘Cooking Pot Full Of Crap’.
Much more it relies on musique concrete. Connecting contact
microphones to various objects and surfaces, he builts a rather noisy
version of musique concrete and acousmatic music. It seems to me he
is breaking objects (styrofoam? wood? metal sheet?) and puts the
recordings inside his computer in order to built them in a high
energy level collage. I was reminded at times of the music of
Christian Renou, when he was still using the name Brume but the same
sound intentions as say Merzbow. Maybe it’s a bit of a lenghty disc,
at some seventy minutes, which at this length and with this driving
intention, is maybe a bit long. But certainly all the tracks are
good, but maybe leaving two off wouldn’t have been a bad idea. (FdW)
Address: http://www.xvp.terra.pl
FREQ_OUT [0-°Hz] (CD compilation by Ash International)
The idea behind this CD, or maybe I should say, sound installation,
is that twelve artists work within a specific sound range on a sound
piece, which is made ‘in situ’, either as a concert or a sound
installation. Curated by Carl Micheal von Hauswolff, who himself is
of course a first class master in using extreme frequencies. One
might easily jump to the conclusion that all of these artists work
with sine waves in their own frequency range, however this not the
case. The two opening pieces, by Petteri Nisunen and Tommi Gronlund
and Brandon Labelle are clearly sinewave related and so is the piece
by Kent Tankred. Of course there is also the obligatory silent stuff
(BJ Nilsen). But as said, some of the other pieces use synths and
samples, even of voice related stuff. I think these are the more
interesting pieces on this CD, because it breaks away from the
expectations. These pieces include Jim Thirwell and Jacob Kirkegaard.
The thirteenth track on this compilation is by all artists included
in a sort of collaborative work, composed by Benny Nilsen. In general
this is an ok compilation, but not more than just ok. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ashinternational.com
DUSTBREEDERS & JUNKO – MOMMY CLOSE THE DOOR (CD by Starlight Furniture)
Maybe you remember that we reviewed Junko’s first solo LP in Vital
Weekly 376? She was once the singer for Hijokaidan and now plays solo
with voice, microphone and amplification. In France, in November
2002, she played with Dustbreeders, a trio of noisy turntablists, who
sound like Christian Marclay on speed. Three pieces, recorded at
three different concerts. Noise noise noise. It’s hard to tell which
record Dustbreeders put on, because they amplify it to quite an
extent which makes it difficult to recognize anything. On top Junko
adds her feedback cum voice noise and you know we are in die hard
noise territory here. Not easy to access stuff here, I must say. You
should really be a fan of the Hijokaidan – or maybe any other
likewise Japanese noise act – to fully like what is offered here. I
could bear a fair dose, and that was the third piece, recorded in
Rennes, France. Here the feedback and turntable noise were crancked
up even louder and a bit of ‘other’ music, from the vinyl used, zips
through. Their most powerful moment. (FdW)
Address: <pekopoko@mindspring.com>
THE HAFLER TRIO – A HOUSE WAITING FOR ITS MASTER (10″ by Rossbin)
Again it’s no easy job to guess what The Hafler Trio are up to this
time. Both musicwise (what sound sources this time?) and coverwise,
it’s the same puzzling content. The recent Hafler Trio releases seem
to be dealing with drone related music, and this new 10″ is no
different. Over the course of side a, slow drones like sounds built
up and gradually fall apart again. I wouldn’t be too surprised to
hear that these are voices again (there are three tracks on this
record and for each track one person is thanked), but as usually they
are altered beyond recognition. The first track on the second side is
lighter of nature but it’s the third track that is really different.
Built from various layers of sound, they are a collage of these
various, which hark back to the earlier days of The Hafler Trio, say
‘Mastery Of Money’ or ‘How To Reform Mankind’. This record is another
fine addition to the recent 10″s released by various labels around
the world. (FdW)
Address: http://www.rossbin.com
SONORITES DE LA VIE DE BOHEME (7″ compilation by Early Morning Records)
THE GOLDEN ROAD (TO LIMITED EDITION) (7″ compilation by Early Morning Records)
After releasing many 10″ records of his own music, Taming Power
started a series of compilation 7″s with likeminded artists. The
first one is ‘Sonorites De La Vie De Boheme’ and has Buyart, Taming
Power, Obscure Tapestries and Empty-Ass Noise. All of them, except
Taming Power, unknown to me. Buyart has a simple drone piece,
hoovering at the depths of sound. Ok really, but not great. Taming
Power’s piece is with typewriter, glockenspiel and tape recorder and
is a piece of feedback like sounds and slowed down glockenspiel in a
nice interplay with eachother. Obscure Tapestries also have a more
drone like piece of reversed guitar and Empty-Ass Noise is the only
one with real drums, or at least some sort of rhythm.
The second 7″ is called ‘The Golden Road (To Limited Edition)’. Here
Bruce Russell opens with a heldback piece, that unfortunally lacks
depth. Something similar can be said of Antonym, who has a slowed
down piano piece. The other side is more interesting: Sindre Bjerga
and Anders Gjerde have an intense piece with a sudden ending and
Taming Power concludes with an ambient piece. Two quite nice 7″s with
some nice pieces and some just ok, with a big complaint on the poor
mastering. (FdW)
Address: <earlymrecords@yahoo.no>
MAGIC AS KüNTMASTER (CD by Nihilist)
I don’t know that much about Magic Is Küntmaster and their short CD,
just under 30 minutes, didn’t make a very big impression. There is
some singing through a lot of reverb, there is some synth bubbles,
some sort of industrial noise and in general it’s some sort of mid
80s industrial music going on, along the lines of Current 93 or Coil,
or better it sounds like a copycat of a bad Coil imitation. Packed
with an alice in wonderland cover (alice smoking a cigarette), this
is extends the idea of a rip-off of Coil and Current 93. I pass on
(or out). (FdW)
Address: http://www.nihilistrecords.net