ANONYMEYE – ANONTENDRE (CD by Someone Good) *
MICHEL DONEDA & JONAS KOCHER – ACTION MECANIQUE (CD by Flexion Records) *
DDV – A SOUND ATLAS OF VENEROLOGY (CD by Trash Ritual) *
STATIC – FREEDOM OF NOISE (CD by Karaoke Kalk) *
HOME PATTERNING (CD compilation by Periphery)
THE ELECTRIC GOLEM – SKY SNAILS (CD by Periphery) *
RICHARD LAINHART – POLYCHROMATIC INTEGERS (CD by Periphery) *
A SOUND GUIDE TO WARSAW (CD compilation by Sqrt)
SEIJIRO MURAYAMA & STEPHANE RIVES – AXIOM FOR THE DURATION (CD by Potlatch) *
JEAN-LUC GUIONNET & SEIJIRO MURAYAMA – WINDOW DRESSING (CD by Potlatch) *
DOMINIC LASH & PATRICK FARMER & SARAH HUGHES – DROPLETS (CD by Another Timbre) *
FARMER/KILYMIS/HUGHES/CORNFORD – NO ISLANDS (CD by Another Timbre) *
THOMAS LEHN & MARCUS SCHMICKLER – LIVE DOUBLE SEANCE (LP/DVD by Editions Mego)
JESSIKA KENNEY & EYVIND KANG – AESTUARIUM (LP by Editions Mego)
RED STARS OVER TOKYO – HITS OF SUNSHINE (LP by Hot Air)
NINNI MORGIA & MARCELLO MAGLIOCCHI – SOUND GATES (LP by Ultramarine Records)
JOHN WIESE – GGA (12″ by Teenage Teardrops)
THE PITCHSHIFTERS – GOSHEN/828 (7″ by Meeuw)
SILVER ASH – DEATHLESS/LIFEBOAT (7″ by Generate Records)
SECOND THOUGHT – SINCE EVERY HOUR IS TOO LATE (CDR by Jerky Oats Records) *
NOT HALF – NOISE 9 (CDR by Dimetrodon Recordings) *
ST. RIDE – PRIMITIVO (CDR by Niente Records)
INSTAGON – SCARY CITY (CDR by Love Earth Music)
MANDOM ALL THE WORLD LOVES A LOVER (CDR by chefkirk)
CHEFKIRK MARLO EGGPLANT SPLIT (CDr by chefkirk)
IVAN LISYAK SOUTH WEST LINE (CD by Avant Whatever)
A GUIDE FOR REASON – I-VI (CDR by Faith Strange) *
A GUIDE FOR REASON – VII-VIII (3″CDR by Faith Strange)
IF, BWANA – 16 LIVE/CICADA #3 (3″CDR by Bastets Kitten) *
DAGSHENMA – ZAUMI (3″CDR by Electroton) *
KAPOTTE MUZIEK/RICHARD RAMIREZ – STATEMENT 1950 (cassette by Unlimited
Drift recordings)
RED HOOK – THE LIGHT OBSTRUCTS YOUR VIEW (cassette by Unlimited Drift
recordings)
ANONYMEYE – ANONTENDRE (CD by Someone Good)
Many years ago I saw Andrew Tuttle play in Extrapool, alongside with Kunt, and it was one of those evenings which were nice, perhaps not entirely for the quality of the music, but just a lovely winter evening with nice people and fine music. I have no idea why I remembered that. I wrote that before, in Vital Weekly 684, when I reviewed Andrew Tuttle’s Anonymeye CDR. That was recorded on a bunch of ancient synthesizers locked at away Rotterdam’s CEM/Worm studios, which was interesting since Tuttle is mainly a guitarist, as he proofs here on a more ‘serious’ release for Room40’s pop label Someone Good. He plays acoustic guitar, along with signal processing, synthesizer, electronics, harmonica, organ and piano. Its all instrumental music, and its perhaps the first time I heard a pop-like album being described like this: “Anonymocracy – where tensions previously held between assumed rival factions such as acoustics and electronics, improvisation and composition, dissonance and melody are recognized and explored, but eventually heading towards a resolution that is part utopian and part redemption.” Now just like these words, ‘pop’ is also strange word, and to many who like ‘pop’ music this would hardly qualify as pop music, but I understand this label’s point. Anonymeye plays some very nice tunes on his guitar which are supported by the other instruments. Hyper psychedelic drones in the opening of ‘Federation’, but then the guitar drops in, breezing like fresh air. Two of the seven pieces may not fit in here, both of which are recorded with Cornel Wilczek, and which are pretty extreme compared to the rest of this album. I am not sure why they are included, as they fall quite beside the others. For those others you think John Fahey meets glitch in ‘Minarchism’, which is, along with ‘Meritocracy’, the highlight of the CD. Maybe its a bit out of balance due to the two more experimental pieces, but hey, what do I care? I am no pop man, so I can state: this is a great CD. (FdW)
Address: http://www.someonegood.org
MICHEL DONEDA & JONAS KOCHER – ACTION MECANIQUE (CD by Flexion Records)
Quite curiously, when I popped this into my computer to rip a bit for the podcast, Itunes tells me what it is, and its indeed by Michel Doneda and Jonas Kocher, but as title it says ‘Talk About El Records’ from an album ‘The Rulling Class [Disc 2]’, and not ‘Action Mecanique’, so it seems there is another work by them with exactly the same length – 42:33. Odd I thought, or perhaps this is an inside joke, or a strong conceptual edge. Anyway, Doneda (soprano and sopranino saxophones) and Kocher (accordion, objects) toured the Balkan late 2009, and November 27, they visited the Red House in Sofia, Bulgaria, where they played (for 42:33) minutes with some great, dynamic improvised music. They work along similar lines, with sustaining notes played on the accordion and the saxophones, with both of them lashing out into furious tones and occasional cascading noise. They ‘work’ the space very well in this lively recording in which we also hear the audience shuffling carefully about and even at times outside street noise blending into the music, which adds a nice extra layer to the music. This is 42:33 minutes of quite extreme music, both in the dynamic range as well as in the actual music and interaction between these two great players. This is some excellent music. This release (an edition of merely 160 copies, and yet still a real CD) comes in sand paper, which is always nice, very situanionist.
Address: http://www.flexionrecords.net
DDV – A SOUND ATLAS OF VENEROLOGY (CD by Trash Ritual)
Another re-issue on Trash Ritual, following the recent ‘Steel Negro Music’ by XX Committee (see Vital Weekly 790), is one by Danny DeVos, also known as DDV and one half of Club Moral. His ‘Sound Atlas Of Venereology’ dates from 1982, and I am not sure why this had to be released; not I don’t like this, but why not something else from his vast body of work, solo, with Club Moral, or the excellent (and never properly re-issued) Etat Brut. This is very much an underground product of its time: a booklet with pictures of veneric diseases, and its not always to relate them to the music (not the titles of the pieces: they speak volumes!), which is the sort of noise that was popular in the days: a simple synthesizer sound, piercing vocals (which are unmistakably DDV sneering vocal charm), cut-ups and manipulations of vinyl records. To me, who a) lived and loved this kind music in 1982 and b) who never got hold of ‘A Sound Atlas Of Venerology’, this is indeed a most welcome re-issue, but the more objective reviewer inside says: for whom is this? Unless this is the start of re-issue series of many more works by DDV, thus getting the complete picture of his career (which I would applaud), this would be too strange as a stand alone release, I think. The current trend of noise is, sadly, HNW, and those youngsters might think this is too tame, or too common (‘oh more venereal diseases, yeah right’), which is altogether a pity, since its a great document of its time. So let’s hope for a whole series of re-issues to make a true time machine experience. (FdW)
Address: http://www.trashritual.com
STATIC – FREEDOM OF NOISE (CD by Karaoke Kalk)
Last time I heard Hanno Leichtman play music was also the last time I saw him, as part of a big band techno improvisation thing – I even forgot when that was. Before that I heard his music as Static quite regularly but he moved out of the picture for some years. So I missed out his 2006 album for City Centre Offices, or his work with the trio’s Groupshow and Denseland. Static is solo project, but he thought it was necessary to give it a rest, while thinking about his next move. That move we can now here on ‘Freedom Of Noise’, which he recorded with a bunch of musicians from the improvisation scene: harpist Clare Cooper, trumpet player Axel Dorner and saxophone Tobias Delius. Apart from these three principal players, there is also input by Magda Mayas (organ), David Moss (voice), Andrea Neumann (inside piano), Gert-Jan Prins (analogue devices) and several others. All of them were asked to play as if they were part of a pop band, and the result is ‘Freedom Of Noise’. I assume these players recorded extensive sessions, and Leichtman cutting up the best bits to fit in with general idea of each composition. A playful editing for sure, resulting in quite a diverse album of great music, although not always pop like, but at times venturing out in the world of jazz, folk and ambient. Static trade mark loop sound is still there, but here cut from the recordings of real instruments, but never static (pardon the pun), but warm and always ‘song-like’. Mostly instrumental, and when with vocals alternating between male and female; once Static decides upon one singer, and have that for all the songs, then it will be a proper pop band. All the inclinations to be one are there. An album full of transition – a great album at that – and one that certainly calls for the next: the real pop one. (FdW)
Address: http://www.karaokekalk.de
HOME PATTERNING (CD compilation by Periphery)
THE ELECTRIC GOLEM – SKY SNAILS (CD by Periphery)
RICHARD LAINHART – POLYCHROMATIC INTEGERS (CD by Periphery)
A name which was to be found in the ‘news’ section a lot for the live events they put on is One Thousand Places, run by Darren Bergstein, also known for the magazine E/i. Now he expands into a label and they are the first three releases. One of them is a compilation, with live recordings from various evenings Bergstein organized so far. Much the music on this compilation can be filed under ‘ambient’, in whatever capacity that may come. Its more or less all here. Pseudo tribal flutes and percussion with Robert Rich and Rapoon, computerized ambience of Keith Fullerton Whitman, a funny theremin piece by one Kevin Kissinger, while Tim Motzer layers on end electronics with e-bowed guitar sounds. Malcolm Cecil & The Electric Golem along with a piece by Chuck van Zyl are those who come closest to the world of cosmic doodling. Only Color Is Luxury seem to be an odd ball with a piece that is also from the world of analogue electronics, but its worked out in quite a noisy manner. Throughout a fine selection of live pieces. Oh, and I never like to review compilations – but perhaps I mentioned this already?
The Electric Golem is a duo of Trevor Pinch and James Spitznagel. The latter plays among other things, ipod touch, nintendo DSi, Tenori-on etc, while the first uses a Moog prodigy. Everything was recorded in one take, but I assume according to a fixed plan, as things don’t sound that improvised here. Maybe its all improvised but then we barely recognize it as such. Three lengthy pieces here of moody electronics, nicely bouncing the cosmic waves, in this rather spacious work. The more I played it, the more I thought it was indeed improvised, certainly in the final piece ‘Sky Snails Part Two’, where out of nothing a rhythm pops up, which sounds a bit silly. In the opening ‘What Watson Doesn’t Know’, there is a more striking example of a pulse. Although all of this seems to be hinting towards the world of cosmic music, its rather not like that. The music is way to nervous and hectic to be truly cosmic, and sounds more like serious avant-garde music, David Behrman or Pauline Oliveros. Sounds locked into self-expanding grid of cables, knobs, circuit boards and electronics. Very nice stuff: good to see someone doing something else with analogue synths, not just producing a sonic cloud.
Richard Lainhart is not on the compilation, although he did play at One Thousand Pulses. He has been around for many years, but it seems only recently there is more interest in his music. In 1987 he released his debut CD, but the follow-up ‘Polychromatic Integers’ was never released, until now. Here he experiments with early forms of Midi, samplers and computers. This works out in various ways, not always for the best. The opening piece ‘An Open Hand’ is a great minimal slap of repeating guitar lines. A totally gorgeous piece of music, and ‘The Rising Night’ is quite a decent piece of drone music, although not the best. ‘Desert Gardens’ is a piece for guitars and e-bows and sound quite out of date (it probably is of course) and ‘The Naga’ has vaguely connotations of ethno influence, and is also not really my kind of thing, which continues with more tribal beats in ‘An Unknown Number’. ‘Under The Clock’ is then again a nice orchestral kind of piece, and ‘Staring At The Moon’, again a decent ambient piece, and with seventeen minutes the longest. I am reminded here of the old Swedish label Multimood: sweet ambient music, especially in the pieces that I didn’t seem to like, but not the best in its kind. The four others, the ones I did like, would have for me made a perfectly fine album of fine minimal ambient drone music. It seems like not all old music age well – but that we already knew that of course. (FdW)
Address: http://www.otperiphery.com
A SOUND GUIDE TO WARSAW (CD compilation by Sqrt)
Did I say I don’t like to review compilations? I must have. And sometimes I go all wrong, assuming the wrong things. Like here. I looked at the cover, reading about musicians and sound artists who ‘were asked to create a sound piece based upon and inspired by the field recordings made in Warsaw, Poland’, thinking it would be another one of those compilations with ‘soundscapes based upon field recordings’, lots of wind, crackle, streets-sound sort of things. That it is not, I can say, my assumptions were wrong. These field recordings lead up to a varied bunch of musical activities. Various of these lump in short actions into pieces of micro/glitch/ambient and even with dance like elements to it (like Bionular, Seven Steven, Asdf, Krysztof Orluk, Michal Wolski) but also downright ambient with Kim_nasung, Jarek Grzesica, Gregorz Bojanek or Lukasz Ciszak. Odd balls are the jazzy instrumental piece by Noiko and the more noisy outings by Arszyn and Xlorite. Actually not many of the pieces seem to be dealing with just field recordings, so perhaps that’s the nicest thing about it: they all take it somewhere else. A pretty varied bunch, all of which sound alright, and nothing leaps out. (FdW)
Address: http://sqrt-label.org
SEIJIRO MURAYAMA & STEPHANE RIVES – AXIOM FOR THE DURATION (CD by Potlatch)
JEAN-LUC GUIONNET & SEIJIRO MURAYAMA – WINDOW DRESSING (CD by Potlatch)
Two new releases on Potlatch, a French shelter for improvisation, and both of them include Seijiro Murayama on percussion, twice in duet with a saxophone: the soprano of Stephane Rives and alto of Jean-Luc Guionnet. That is about the only two things that are similar here on these two discs. The CD with Rives contains three long pieces of utter extreme music. I have no idea how it was made, no man can surely breath so long in a saxophone, but Rives plays long sustaining tones on his soprano: high end, almost like sine waves/feedback. Murayama plays also sustained tones, on his percussion, by rotating sounds on the surface of the skins and cymbals. This is – literally – very strong music, an endurance test, for the players no doubt, but also for the listener. Clocking at fifty-some minutes, this is CD can’t be played without full attention.
So much different, I guess, is the release with Jean-Luc Guionnet. However, ‘extreme’ is a word that can easily be applied here, but then one from a totally different perspective. If the other one is ‘loud’, then this one is ‘quiet’ – here sparseness is what it is all about. I could almost talk about this in the very same words: “This is – literally – very strong music, an endurance test, for the players no doubt, but also for the listener. Clocking at fifty-some minutes, this is CD can’t be played without full attention.” Except there is a no continuity in the music, but rather many loose, fragmented sounds, and sometimes making sustaining events, but then these appear to be rather ‘soft’. I must admit that playing both CDs in a row is quite a lot to ask for, while each album individual has a great quality by itself – and its tempting to play both at the same time and create a multi-mix out of them together. (FdW)
Address: http://www.potlatch.fr
DOMINIC LASH & PATRICK FARMER & SARAH HUGHES – DROPLETS (CD by Another Timbre)
FARMER/KILYMIS/HUGHES/CORNFORD – NO ISLANDS (CD by Another Timbre)
Music from the quiet chamber: Dominic Lash started in 2010 a group called The Set Ensemble, to perform works from the Wandelweiser composers group. Maybe the four members mentioned in the header are the members of The Set Ensemble. The Wandelweiser composers compose quiet music. So quiet that in the first three pieces we hardly hear a thing. Only the longest piece, ‘Nachtstuck’, for double bass, recorded in the pouring rain has music that can actually be heard, even when the rain is most of the times louder than the bass. The first piece is barely audible and seems to be sighing of three voices. ‘Elusion’ is a piece for zither, double bass and percussion and is more audible, but not very interesting. The third piece is again on the annoying silent side. Not really my cup of tea.
Patrick Farmer returns also on the other CD, here credited with turntables and electronics, while Sarah Hughes plays the chorded zither (just on the previous I assume), along with Kostis Kilymis on electronics and Stephen Cornford on amplified piano. They play two improvisations and ‘Four6’ by John Cage. Now this is more like it, I think. These three pieces are also on the verge of audibility but here is something to hear: carefully constructed pieces of improvised music, with great care for silence and fine interaction between the players. Its not easy to dissect what everybody is doing here, and that’s perhaps what’s making this into an interesting release. Great care is placed on the individual sounds and how they make their way into the piece. Now that’s what I call silence. (FdW)
Address: http://www.anothertimbre.com
THOMAS LEHN & MARCUS SCHMICKLER – LIVE DOUBLE SEANCE (LP/DVD by Editions Mego)
JESSIKA KENNEY & EYVIND KANG – AESTUARIUM (LP by Editions Mego)
Lehn & Schmickler have played together before: in the last ten years there have been three releases together (on Erstwhile and A-Musik) as well as numerous concerts throughout Europe, USA and Japan. The concert on ‘Live Double Seance’ was captured on November 14th 2010 in Helsinki. It was a concert for six loudspeakers, and captured in such a way that on the DVD one can choose for a multi-channel version. I don’t have such a set-up. Lehn on his analogue synthesizer and Schmickler on his computer is a fine pairing. Schmickler’s recent interest in ‘modern electronics’ – the more serious avant-garde of the sixties – work quite well with the music produced on Lehn’s EMS synthesizer. It makes that this music, although improvised, sounds very much like that of the sixties. Sounds bounce about, oscillations, glissandi, and such like make a swirling pattern of sound, not unlike the ‘Planet Of The Apes’, but these two men add something of the noise inspired tradition from the new millennium to the plate which adds an extra dimension to the music. Going from very loud bits to carefully used silence, makes this a great release. Often I think we shouldn’t release all those concerts, but this one is actually really great. I should find someone with a multi-channel set-up!
Of an entirely different nature is the music by Jessika Kenney and Eyvind Kang. the latter plays violin, while Kenney is a vocalist ‘known for her haunting timbral sense, as well as the profound interpretation of vocal traditions’. They perform here a piece that is a meditation on ‘a psalm of lamentation and the unary tone in the metaphor of salt and fresh water, inspired by Gaelic psalmery, Tibetan notational gestures, and the microtonality of the tetrachord’. Like the recent release on Mego by Phurpa, this is something that one wouldn’t expect: angelic voices and sparse violin, in five tracks which all sound quite similar to me. I have no idea what to think of this, after playing it a couple of times. Sometimes I think this is of great beauty, but at other times it annoys the hell out of me. Maybe that should count as a great record then? I am not sure. Maybe this sort of vaguely religious music is just not for me? I haven’t figured this out yet, maybe I never will? (FdW)
Address: http://www.editionsmego.com
RED STARS OVER TOKYO – HITS OF SUNSHINE (LP by Hot Air)
Along with this, the fifth album of Belgiums Red Stars Over Tokyo, I got a copy of the very first album by him, the one I missed out several years ago. I thought the second and third record where along the lines of early Factory Records/4AD, but this first one was more like a somewhat crude form of techno music and wicked ambient passages – all in some lo-fi manner. It completes the picture, I guess, as this new record takes off where that one ends, and maybe also the previous ‘Not Moving’ (see Vital Weekly 743). That one was a bit disappointing with its attempts at dub like music, but on ‘Hits Of Sunshine’ (a rare thing this summer in The Netherlands), this new found dub sound is expanded a bit more, so that it is for home listening as much enjoyable as it is for DJ-ing. It says on the press blurb that this is along the lines of Kompakt’s ‘Pop Ambient’ series, which I can see. It has that same mild ambient sound, like a spring breeze, slow arpeggio’s and sometimes a bit faster ones, and always with that slightly thumping of a beat in the background. Not entirely pop ambient, but like its wicked little sister. Red Stars Over Tokyo seem to be back on track with this nice record. (FdW)
Address: <jlrsot@gmail.com>
NINNI MORGIA & MARCELLO MAGLIOCCHI – SOUND GATES (LP by Ultramarine Records)
A duo recording for guitar and drums, by two of Italy’s finest improvisors, although I never heard of them before. Their eleven pieces here is a combination of really wild free jazz gestures, but, and those work better, also of some great introspective moments. The techniques used here are fairly ‘normal’: the guitar sounds like a real guitar, the drums like drums. But that’s half the story: the pizzicato plucking of strings, the nervous playing of small percussive sounds, courtesy of UFIP (for which Marcello Magliocchi works), the addition of rock like effects, add a great energy to the record. Magliocchi likes his cymbals and uses them a lot, to create resonating, Bertoia like sound sculptures, bouncing of against the occasionally rock like guitar of Morgia. Quite a beast this one. Excellent to get more energy at the end of the day. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ultramarinerecords.com
JOHN WIESE – GGA (12″ by Teenage Teardrops)
Now here is an interesting record, by noise supremo John Wiese. When I started this 12″ I thought it had something to do with his love for the Haters: smashing glass, highly separated in the two channels. But then a peek on the information learns that this is actually a stereo mix of a 4 channel installation. It sounds great, but then, like Wiese, I am big fan of The Haters too. The sound of smashing, breaking and crunching of glass is very loudly recorded here, and has a great physical quality to it. It bounces loudly and a strong, minimal, conceptual edge to it. This could have lasted LP size to me, instead of 12″. Totally captivating noise in the best sense of the word. Now that’s what I call noise: intelligent, loud, conceptual and listenable. (FdW)
Address: http://teenageteardrops.com
THE PITCHSHIFTERS – GOSHEN/828 (7″ by Meeuw)
Meeuw Muzak is less active these days, or so it seems, but I still cherish their releases. Hideto Aso is The Pitchshifters, who did a CDR back in 2003, of which Meeuw did a 7″ before, using two tracks from that release, see also Vital Weekly 594. On this new 7″ we have one old track, ‘828’ and a new one, ‘Goshen’. The old piece sounds like the previous release: loud lo-fi keyboards and wacky drum machine keeping a strange time measure to hold things together. This one, unlike the previous, is less sad, even lively perhaps, despite the loudness. ‘Goshen’, the new a-side, is a more introspective piece, almost ambient in approach and it seems that Aso got some new equipment and the new music is almost mellow in approach. ‘Goshen’ is a lovely little track, almost like a love song. Excellent stuff. (FdW)
Address: http://www.meeuw.net
SILVER ASH – DEATHLESS/LIFEBOAT (7″ by Generate Records)
A three piece band, Silver Ash with Aaron Dugan (guitar), Casey Block (electronics) and Jeff Arnal (percussion). Its a kind of rock music I don’t hear a lot, these days. A bit post-rock like, but the percussion by Arnal is a bit jazzy, while the guitar plays dampened strings and the electronics have that big city feel to it. Quite groovy on ‘Deathless’, but loosely, while on ‘Lifeboat’ things are more urgent, almost like a rock feel. Here guitar and electronics more intertwine in haunting mass of sound, before disintegrating and making a return. Quite intellectual music, harking back to the more experimental kinds of rock music of the early 80s, say This Heat or Five Or Six. Nothing much straight forward as normal rock music usually is, at least to these ears, and that’s a great thing. Not as standard post-rock either, since its less jazzy than some of the bands in that area. A 7″ that made me very curious to whatever else it is that these people are doing. (FdW)
Address: http://www.generaterecords.net/
SECOND THOUGHT – SINCE EVERY HOUR IS TOO LATE (CDR by Jerky Oats Records)
Ross Baker is Second Thought, since 1999. Originally a duo from the world of techno music, but already after one year Baker was on his own, and started to play more ambient music. There have been albums on FSOL Digital, Ambient Live, Bump Foot and now on Jerky Oats, which I think is his own imprint. So this is all about ambient music, and Baker opts for the variation that is a bit more melodic and a bit less drone based. Piano and strings are his main instruments of choice, along with some electronics (reverb mainly) to craft that extra sense of space. Although it is melodic, its not always the most bright kind of music. Especially in those where things get a bit more abstract, without piano and strings (or heavily treated), such as in ‘Glebe Road, 1998. Rain’ things are a bit creepy, like a horror soundtrack. But then other pieces, such as ‘Untitled For Four Pianos’ is a nice, sweet piece of minimal music. This makes this a highly varied album which sound quite nice. Not really the most newest direction in the world of ambient music, but executed with great care. Very nice. (FdW)
Address: http://www.secondthought.co.uk/jerkyoats
NOT HALF – NOISE 9 (CDR by Dimetrodon Recordings)
After years of hibernation (actually hiding in breakcore with no visibility in these pages that is), Al Conroy is back with Not Half, many of his recent releases are to be found in Vital Weeklies from 700 onwards. I reviewed a whole bunch back in Vital Weekly 741, and here is a new one, ‘Noise 9’, the latest offering in a series called ‘Noise’. Now, don’t let that title deceive you very much, as this is not the latest HNW release of some dude with a bunch of distortion boxes and wrong connections into his computer. The sampler of some kind is his trick of the trade, and to start with the bad news first: I think its all a bit too much, clocking at seventy-five minutes, one track being twenty-three minutes, and two around the thirteen minute mark. It seems that much of this was made ‘on the spot’, sensing the atmosphere of the moment, and putting it all down to tape – erm computer. Now that may be nice, but then it comes, me thinks, down to editing the stuff. Shaping it up, make a composition. There are good number of occasions to be pointed here where Not Half toys with some really interesting ideas, that of blending popmusic with noise, but looses himself in a longitude of the piece. Perhaps a track title like ‘Doing The Least Amount Of Work Possible’ (the longest piece here) is a programmatic, but actually here it works well, in a sort of crude attempt at atmospheric music. I think a piece like ‘Live, In A Cave Somewhere’ could certainly benefit from more rigorous editing, bringing down nine to four minutes and something similar could be done with ‘In The Nonsense Of Talking’. The piece ‘Zinkontlasting’, recorded with boy-trouble Peter Zincken, is a bit of redundant voice cut-up from a radio show. There are some very nice ideas to be found on this release, but all could benefit from making some more radical decisions. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/nothalf
ST. RIDE – PRIMITIVO (CDR by Niente Records)
Niente Records is a small label from Italy. St. Ride is a duo from Genova. Edo Grandi plays synths and percussion and Maurizo Gusmerini plays voice, synthesizer, guitar and percussion. Primitivo has 17 songs and most of them have a great creative potential. The two musicians make a base of repetitive elements and on this basic layers they experiment with sounds, counter-rhythms and crazy use of voice. The atmosphere is childish. Give some musicians some equipment and free-space and let?s go wild. But they are not playing like kids, but they play with a strong affection to counter-rhythms and short cuts with their instruments. The music gets by this approach mix between compositions with a song-structure and free-improvisation. The tracks are no longer than 3 minutes, which gives a high attention for the musicians to do their experiments in this short period. This album is a step forward than the album Cercando Niente (Vital 754) and is more balanced. Looking forward to their new creations. (JKH)
Address: http://nienterecords.blogspot.com/
INSTAGON – SCARY CITY (CDR by Love Earth Music)
Instagon is a band which is active since 1993 and is situated in Sacramento. Their latest release is called Scary City and arrives in a DVD type case and poetrybook of Lob. The poetry is more alike a short story which has been told in a poetic manner. Lob tells us about a man who lives in the city and how he survives city life. One question is cannot release me: ?If the day breaks, who will fix it?? The poetry and music fits well together. The music is a mix of several live-recordings in 2008 till 2010. Most of the music are like free improvisations with a mix of a The Police bass-loop, noise, postrock, free-jazz, sound-art and more. Fourteen different musicians worked on this release, but the concept of the sound is clear and has a variety in between several borders. If you are interested how words and music will combine with each other, than this release will be interesting for you. But I think it can much stronger. I am more interested in poetry which uses less words to tell the story or atmosphere. The same applies to the music, too much information to create a scary city. The release is a good start to combine words and sounds, but as well the text and words makes me not scary enough. The musicians and poet have a lot of potential, hopefully the next release will be much stronger to create an oppressive atmosphere. (JKH)
Address: http://www.loveearthmusic.com
MANDOM ALL THE WORLD LOVES A LOVER (CDR by chefkirk)
CHEFKIRK MARLO EGGPLANT SPLIT (CDR by chefkirk)
IVAN LISYAK SOUTH WEST LINE (CD by Avant Whatever)
Oscillator and guitar feedback – the utilization of “equipment” Calling itself in the first instance a power drone (but is equally universally descriptive!) the sound is sourced from … audio oscillator, electronic switcher, broken function generator – (Don Haugen) and – no-input mixing board – (Roger H Smith)… is more or less what you expect- the oscillator being taken trough its paces, chugging like a motor boat, it speeds up it slows down while an audience no doubt looks on. Or in the latter case (Ivan Lisyak’s South West Line) guitar feedback qua feedback! The only idea I have about this is that its an enthusiast thing, I know some think that is all anything is – and I’ll give them their due- even if their argument like all DIY is somehow self defeating especially when it comes to the real world which it seems it must deny. How so, well I can in the right shops buy CDs of sounds of 1930s stream trains… and no doubt other shops will sell other “material”- and it takes little imagination as its been done (to death) in the past to pass this off as music and or art. Pity it isn’t? Well no, I could get into a debate as to why it is or isn’t but one is never forthcoming. Ok its fine to drag out some gear and run it through its paces to an interested audience, like model railways, and its not that it might not be art but due to the casual onlookers that is not a problem. But if the question is asked then answers are forthcoming. The material being the message WAS an idea and this idea once explored becomes yet another museum piece. Not that I think it is correct but you might start with part 7 of What is Philosophy. I’m expected to say such things. And of course its not necessary, but just as you don’t accidentally find a higgs boson down the back of the sofa – neither is it possible to create a work of art accidentally…. I don’t agree with Dasein’s throwness and inability to separate itself from the world, but its hell difficult to deal with this idea, even more come up with something… That we can have an abstract art in the first place was a result of a great overcoming- that is its achievement- that is a knowing overcoming not the accidental noise of the saw-mill or feedback guitar. At its lowest level art is a demonstration of *art* – at its best such demonstrations remain valid in their still to be discoveredness which is the open endedness of being – Dasein, and not the closed world of the railway modeler. (jliat)
Address: http://chefkirk.tripod.com/shop.htm
Address: http://www.avantwhatever.com/
A GUIDE FOR REASON – I-VI (CDR by Faith Strange)
A GUIDE FOR REASON – VII-VIII (3″CDR by Faith Strange)
Mike Fazio is one half of Gods Of Electricity of whom a CD was reviewed in Vital Weekly 527 and of whom I totally forgot, I must say, but here he is again, this time as ‘A Guide For Reason’, with a CDR already recorded in 2009 and a 3″CDR sort of companion release recorded this year. I have no idea why this took so long to release, but the digipack looks nice, and so is all of the design here, very stylish. ‘This music has no other reason than it exists’, says Fazio, and why not. Why should there another reason indeed. On ‘I-VI’ there are six long tracks of electronic music; the cover mentions a recording of diesel locomotive engines, and thank you’s for Ferial Confine, Mark Schomburg and Peter Christopherson. The music is experimental, and despite the diesel engines not very noise like. Lots of computer treatments it seems. One of those things I noted before, with Gods Of Electricity, is that then as well as now, these pieces are a bit long, although the music here is of an entirely different nature. Things work not as much as a composition, but more like a stream of sounds, vaguely nodding to ambient at times, to microsound/glitch music, and a bit towards gentle noise. Spooky at times, and I thought of this as quite nice. Not spectacular innovative or any such thing, but very nice altogether. A leap forward from the old Gods Of Electricity release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.faithstrange.com
IF, BWANA – 16 LIVE/CICADA #3 (3″CDR by Bastets Kitten)
There has been a strong connection between Vuz Records and If, Bwana, resulting in various old and new releases over the years. Here Vuz starts up another branch, Bastets Kitten (Bastet already being a CDR division), especially for the release of 3″CDRs. Al Margolis, for it is him behind If, Bwana, offers to pieces of ‘all other sounds, processing’ and Monique Buzzarte on trombone. These days quite a common feature: someone playing a real instrument, and Margolis on processing, thereby working in the field that can be regarded as a cross-over between modern composition and improvisation. Both pieces should be seen as companion pieces, I think. ’16 Live’ is quite dense with many layers of trombone, sparse electronics and a slow bass-like sound, which slowly builds up. ‘Cicada #3’ has repeated electronic sound, maybe a very slow sequencer, and the trombone sounds are more spaced out, also a bit less in quantity. Although both are very close, I think I preferred ‘Cicada #3′, with its just more dramatic build-up. But ’16 Live’ is a fine piece as well. Two excellent pieces of modern composed/improvised music. (FdW)
Address: http://www.vuzrecords.de
DAGSHENMA – ZAUMI (3″CDR by Electroton)
From Kyoto hails Higuchi Eitaro, who is part of Satanicpornocultshop and the Neji label and since 2002 active as Dagshenma. Like so many releases on Electroton, this too can be found in the world of glitch/techno. Eitaro’s work is ‘centered around the idea of implementing and manipulating the voices and songs of the ainu, an indigenous group from the north of Japan, into modern music’. That didn’t say much, at least not for me, but these grainy samples of voices and rhythms have a ‘bouncy’ feel to it. Almost like 8-bit electro, but that’s perhaps mainly due to the low rate samples used. It also shares affinity with mechanical jazz, if ever such a thing would exist. Nervous, hectic, and never really 4/4 based sequences. Quite an unusual hybrid and I’m not really sure if I really like it. I guess it has its moments, but never really got me. (FdW)
Address: http://www.electroton.net
KAPOTTE MUZIEK/RICHARD RAMIREZ – STATEMENT 1950 (cassette by Unlimited
Drift recordings)
RED HOOK – THE LIGHT OBSTRUCTS YOUR VIEW (cassette by Unlimited Drift
recordings)
More demonstrations of the continued fascination with Noise, (in order..) (electro improv/experimental lo fi micro sound rice crispies dog barking…?..?) Noise.. Harsh Noise and Wall, a never ending release of material on CDR and more recently cassette (again) in various conditions of graphic and textures…. which amongst some provokes resentment, blasÈ pseudo indifference etc. OK so within genres it can become pedantic, “doom metal” “shoe gaze” etc. (wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_music_styles) however these are nothing other than distractions, Noise.. Harsh Noise, Harsh Noise Wall, as if then given a broad definition anything much can go inside its boundary- fine for the record stores, but what about Joe Public and Joanne Artist. You may want a wall, for what – to keep people out, Hadrian’s – The Great Wall – or keep them in – Berlin 50 years ago, its structure and materials are also significant. Is it total and concrete – Vomir, made by whatever comes to hand and follows a given terrain. The label is only the beginning of a process of differentiation *in language* which only attempts to match reality. Velocities which are real, like sound works are “measured”. What is produced from this process of creation and measurement is *only* culture, society, world. i.e. the universe… of …. – we mean do we not? not the garden wall as opposed to carpet bombing – the wall of water as the destroying tsunami? Not the filigree patterns of the lake districts pleasant views which were once overpowering as anti-Christian sublime nature… the waves of sound and water as a dynamic movement as a chaos- destructive or otherwise a natural producer of tectonics? That infant(tile)? Idea of where space ends – at some wall? At some product? A wonderwall as the cosmic background radiation… collapse of the (w)all, of the wave from probability to an event… this is what (w)all (music) begins @- what (W)all music is about- as the (w)all here is a limit which is not reachable. (jliat)
Address: http://unlimiteddrift.blogspot.com/