number 1016
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week 3
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Vital Weekly, the webcast: we offering a weekly webcast, freely to download. This can be regarded as the audio-supplement to Vital Weekly. Presented as a radioprogramm with excerpts of just some of the CDs (no vinyl or MP3) reviewed. It will remain on the site for a limited period (most likely 2-4 weeks). Download the file to your MP3 player and enjoy!
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CELER - AKAGI (CD by Two Acorns) *
GINTAS K - MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (CD by Lietuvos Muzikos Informacijos Centras) *
BAMBI PANG PANG – DROP YOUR PLANS (CD by El Negotico)
SVEN KACIREK – SONGS FROM OKINAWA (CD by Pingipung)
MICHAEL VORFELD & RICHARD SCOTT & FRANK GRATKOWSKI - SIEBEN ENTRÜKTE LIEDER
(CD by Creative Sources Recordings) *
KEDA - HWAL (CD by Parentheses Records) *
TEN YEARS INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER MUSIC AND SOUND TECHNOLOGY
(CD compilation by Domizil)
LUMISOKEA - TRANSMISSIONS FROM REVARSAVR (LP by Opal Tapes)
GUIDO GAMBOA - SATURDAY'S NOTES (LP by Pentiments)
BIT-TUNER - A BIT OF LIGHT (CDR by Ous) *
WINTER MASS – WINTER MASS (CDR by Inversus Doxa)
MULTIMULT -  ZIGZAG (CDR by Thirsty Leaves)
MATT DAVIGNON - PINK EARTH (CDR by Ribosome Music) *
BRGS - 46/3/84/115 (CDR by Zvocniprepihi) *
JAN KEES HELMS - BLOOT GEVEN (CDR by Vent Records) *
THE SAND RAYS - SENOR TRAINWHISTLE (3"CDR by Ceil) *
MASDA (cassette, private) *
NEEDLE & THE PAIN REACTION - PORCUPINE (CD by Naptr Records)



CELER - AKAGI (CD by Two Acorns)

Music for a yoga event is something that seems hardly out of place in the world of Will
Long's project Celer. While yoga is not something I practice (and perhaps I should at
this tender age and with these muscles). Celer created the music live, using two
reel-to-reel tape machines and two tape loops of keyboard with similar time
structures, but each with different, overlapping chords. They create different
configurations, and as such Celer is the best Brian Eno student; on his 'Music For
Airports' he uses a bunch of loops of varying length, which overlap at different
points.
But whereas Eno chooses a variety of sounds, Celer here keeps it all very close
together with his organ sounds. During the performance various people fell asleep
and it's easy to see why. Not because the music is boring; for if it
would be boring I would say 'change the tune' and play something less boring
and prevent from falling asleep. This music has that tranquillity that fits the state
of sleep. Now, I am not the sort of person to mix sleep and music; I know various
people who like to sleep with music on, and there have been sleep concerts by Robert
Rich and Steve Stapleton (soon pianist Max Richter comes with a music piece that lasts
8 hours soon; I wish I slept solidly 8 hours a night; sadly, a different story), but when
it comes to sleep I prefer the good old fashioned silence. However during the day I usually
 take a quick power-nap around half past three - no coincidence just when I was playing
this CD and this music worked quite well for taking a quick sleep. The changes are very
 minimal throughout these nearly eighty minutes and I was thinking: maybe Celer
should have go all out and done a 8 hour version of this, released as a single file
on a DVD? No doubt I wouldn't still played that when trying to catch some real sleep.
Maybe the whole sleep thing defies the reason of this being music for a yoga event, which,
as far I know doesn't involve sleep. There is not a lot change and the music goes on,
almost ad infinitum - well that is 1 hour, 19 minutes and 44 seconds, but have this
on repeat for a while, when you are meditating and you'll soon be fast asleep or
levitating - and that is a compliment. Celer is just one of the best students when
it comes to Ambient lesson, and 'Akagi' is as such a masterpiece. (FdW)
   Address: http://www.thesingularwe.org/twoacorns/



GINTAS K - MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE (CD by Lietuvos Muzikos Informacijos Centras)

The K stands for Kraptavicius, but I admit, Gintas K is easier to pronounce. He's from
Lithuania and has been around for quite some years with the production of electronic
music. In the 1990s he was part of Modus, an electronic industrial group, but later on
working solo, mainly focussing on using the laptop as the place to be when it comes to
transforming sounds. He has many releases on such labels as Cronica, Baskaru, Copy For
Your Records, Ilse and others. Gintas K calls his music, cleverly, electro-acoustic music,
and that is very much true. He takes recordings of everyday objects, acoustic events and
 field recordings and manipulates those beyond the recognition. The outcome however
is something that can be very quiet and introspective, but it can also be very noisy or
almost rhythmical. This CD is compilation of works he composed since 2004 and which
have been released before, so it is not always a surprise, but even for me there is new
stuff to explore. Selecting these pieces has been a careful process and also the running
order is something that was done with some consideration; while at seventy-three minutes
this is quite a lengthy CD, it moves very gently between all the various styles in which
Gintas K operates. A gentle piece is followed by a very modern electronics piece, then
a bit of noise; rhythm pieces, as in clicks and cuts from ten or more years ago, are
sparse around here. Maybe that's something that is no longer of interest? For me
this release wasn't a big surprise. I know his music quite a bit, and while in general
I am not blown away by some of his more noisy outings, I quite enjoy his more
mellow music, in abundance here. I may not need an introduction release, but if
you heard the name Gintas K before and you are curious to hear what kind of
music he produces, then this is a very good place to start. (FdW)
   Address: http://www.mic.lt/en/



BAMBI PANG PANG – DROP YOUR PLANS (CD by El Negotico)

Bambi Pang Pang is a very capable trio from Antwerp, Belgium. It is a collaboration
of Seppe Gebruers (piano), Laurens Smet (bass) and Viktor Perdieus (soprano sax).
All three have a history in Ifa Y Xango, a septet that was into improvisation. Laurens
Smet is also member of drone band Tandaapushi , recently reviewed here. Now we are
in a totally different context: jazz. They had the opportunity of working with drummer
Andrew Cyrille. They met at the Jazz Middelheim festival. Veteran Cyrille worked with
John Coltrane, Coleman Hawkins and Cecil Taylor, to name a few. So an honour for
these three young Antwerp musicians, I suppose. The CD consists of eleven pieces.
Pianist Gebruers composed four of these. But also Smet and Perdiues contribute
both with several compositions. Of course a composition of Cyrille is included, ‘Dr Licks’.
It first appeared on an album by him with Anthony Braxton in 2004. Plus some group
improvisations.
A successful and inspired meeting as these recordings prove.
Well-balanced free jazz with fine interplay. Their excursions often are of a ballad-like
nature, with many gentle and delicate gestures. At moments however I hoped for
more ‘dirt’ where things were a bit stereotype for my tastes. (DM)
   Address: http://www.elnegocitorecords.com



SVEN KACIREK – SONGS FROM OKINAWA (CD by Pingipung)

Kacirek is a composer and musician from Hamburg, who studied drums and marimba.
His works are often the result of lots of travelling and research. This is the case with
his newest work, ‘Songs from Okinawa’. Fascinated by the traditional music of the
Pacific islands south of Japan, he made recordings over there and added an instrumental underlining. The population of these islands mixed their traditional music with
western music, imported during US occupation. Their songs are of a great clarity a
nd have charm. Kacirek recorded several of them, performed by different singers and
often accompanied by an Okinawan banjo-like instrument, the sanshin. At home he
added xylophone, marimba and piano. His additions complement and fit wonderfully
with the vocal melodies. There is a real unity, which is often not the case in projects
like these, where traditional music recordings are combined with modern western
possibilities. The cd is fairly titled ‘Songs from Okinawa’ because that is what we
above all hear on this CD, Kacirek’s respectful tribute to this musical culture. A joy! (DM)
   Address: http://www.pingipung.de



MICHAEL VORFELD & RICHARD SCOTT & FRANK GRATKOWSKI - SIEBEN ENTRÜKTE LIEDER
(CD by Creative Sources Recordings)

Of these three, Michael Vorfeld is the guy I know. His music has been reviewed quite
a bit in Vital Weekly; he's a percussion player with quite a reputation in the field of
 improvised music. I am not sure if I heard about the two others before. There is
Frank Gratkowski on bass and contrabass clarinet, bb clarinet and alto saxophone
(a previous work by him was reviewed in Vital Weekly 560, but not by me) and
there is Richard Scott on modular synthesizer, what I call sometimes the 'new
laptop' (everybody has one!). I don't think I know him. In February last year they
recorded these seven pieces in Berlin, which were mixed by Scott later on. What
can be noticed is that despite the use of a modular synthesizer much of these
seven pieces sound like more traditional improvised music. Especially Gratkowski's
addition to the menu seems conventional to me. But also Vorfeld occasionally goes
along in that way, banging the hell out of his kit. In 'Ungelöst', the sixth piece,
the modular goes more upfront and the others play a much moody tune. This
is the shortest piece on offer here, but for me it's also the best one. Gratkowski's
contribution also seems to be the jazziest one, in a very free role of course, which
makes this probably also more conventional than I would love to see. When this trio
hit upon a quiet tone, a sustaining cluster, such as in 'Kurs Haltend' or that previously
mentioned 'Ungelöst' there is immediately tension; I would have loved to see more of that
experimental film noir music and perhaps a bit less conventional free jazz/improvised.
 There is however some great bits to be found here, but not throughout. (FdW)
   Address: http://www.creativesourcesrec.com



KEDA - HWAL (CD by Parentheses Records)

Behind Keda we find a duo of E'Joung-Ju, a musician from Korea now based in France
where he hooked up with Mathias Delplanque. The latter (born in Ouagadougou, Burkina
Faso) we know for his work using electronics and computers. E'Joung-Ju plays the
Geomungo, a six string traditional Korean wooden instrument). 'Hwal' means 'bow'
in Korean. The album was recorded live but then 'dissected for a whole year' by Delplanque.
I am not sure what to make that bit of information. To what extent is what I hear live
and what is studio manipulation? Maybe this is of relative importance, but then why
mention that? One of the things I would like to know is to what extent does Delplanque
use the music as played by E'Joung-Ju, or are each of these players doing their bit, of
course in close interaction with the other. Listening to their music I'm inclined to say
the latter, as there is quite a bit of room for rhythms that owe to the world ethnic
music and dub. It is quite a massive production of electronic beats and rhythms,
with the Geomungo playing on top. I was reminded of the music of Jah Wobble,
although perhaps a bit less bass heavy here. These six pieces (the seventh is a solo
piece for the Geomungo) use quite a minimalist approach, with the rhythms being
expansive and big, forming a big ring around the Geomungo, a warm bed if you.
Delplanque uses his electronics to place accents inside the rhythm, the dub element
if you will. All together this has quite an 'ethnic' feel but also sounds very electronic. I
t's a mixture that works very well here. I wonder how they perform this live. (FdW)
   Address: http://parenthesesrecords.bandcamp.com



TEN YEARS INSTITUTE FOR COMPUTER MUSIC AND SOUND TECHNOLOGY (CD compilation by Domizil)

The ties between Domizil and the Zurich based Institute For Computer Music and
Sound Technology are very close. People like label boss Marcus Maeder also work
at the institute. The Institute celebrates their tenth anniversary with an eight-track
compilation. People with all sorts of background work at the Institute (mathematicians,
engineers, psycho-acoustics, media artists) and they 'critically explore the tradition of contemporary
and electroacoustic music using methods of both classical and artistic research'. Along with the CD
there is a booklet in which each artist is introduced and
writes an explanation about his work.
We have here music by Philippe Kocher, German Toro-Perez, Marcus Maeder, Martin Neukom,
Jasch, Bojan Milosevic, Dimitris Maronidid and Jeroen Visser; an international company.
All of them create fine pieces of computer music, of elegant processes, of sine waves
 being treated, of processed voices (Jasch), of broken up sounds, of sustaining sounds.
None of these pieces was a truly standout piece, although I thought the piece by Marcus
Maeder was the best. Some of this struck me as quite classical in approach. I think I mean
that as a compliment, but I can see that one could think there is no a lot of development in
computer music. I for one like to stay out of that discussion. These eight pieces are surely all e
xpertly made and do exactly what you expect of this kind of music. (FdW)
   Address: http://www.domizil.ch



LUMISOKEA - TRANSMISSIONS FROM REVARSAVR (LP by Opal Tapes)

This might very well be my first introduction in the world of Berlin based duo
Lumisokea, being Koenraad Ecker and Andrea Taeggi, originally from Belgium and Italy. T
hey have had releases before on Eat Concrete and Opal Tapes and take their cues
from anything with a rhythm: dub, techno, noise but also musique concrete and
traditional percussion music from Asia and Africa. Everything that can help to 'induce
trance-like states'. In their concerts they receive help from visual-man Yannick Jacquet (Legoman). On this new record they use samples from one Vladimir Popov, who has a bunch of self-
built instruments, and which were exhibited in 'Generation Z: Renoise' exhibition in
Berlin in 2014. Apparently these instruments were made in 1910s 1920s in Russia,
and subsequently destroyed but later on restored. I had no idea about all of this and
what to expect, but if you google a bit you will find some pictures of primitive objects
that make noise - perhaps not unlike the futurists original 'Intonarumori'. Lumisokea
sampled these objects and transformed them into something that can very well be
called 'dance music'. There is a strong 4/4 beat in some of these pieces, but it's not
some industrial kling-klang that has a techno beat. The music has a greater richness
than just a bang on a can; Lumisokea wave on top of their pieces extra beats and
underneath there is a wealth of bass sounds rumbling about. Sometimes you believe
you are in factory, right next to the conveyer belt, while somewhere across in this hall,
objects fall to the floor. This, I believe, is not dance music as such (although I think you
could if you want to), but these poly-rhythmic excursions are here to listen and experience;
perhaps even bringing the listener to a trance-like state. This is quite an excellent record,
I think. It moves all around the place and not just in the more common dance music area.
 It also has lots of moody textures and all of that makes a highly varied record. (FdW)
   Address: http://opaltapes.bandcamp.com/



GUIDO GAMBOA - SATURDAY'S NOTES (LP by Pentiments)

Perhaps the best thing to nothingness is a LP with no information. But of course a
bit silly (unless you are a well-known rock star wanting to go undercover). But what
is shared on this particular cover comes close to no information. On the spine it says
the name of the musician and the title, and on the back 'dedicated to Mario D. Gamboa',
'Mastered by Joe Panzner' and 'Pentiments 2016', the latter I assume to be the label.
Nothing else. In a world filled with information on the holy Internet there should be
 something to find about this, one would think, and indeed there is a bandcamp
page for this LP, same information, but tagged 'experimental, electroacoustic
musique concrete noise Chicago'; discogs tells us Gamboa has one release; this one.
Plus there is a bunch of people sharing his name. Now, hardly any information e
quals a short(ish) review, but now you know where this comes from.
I simply know nothing about Guido Gamboa and can also assume something about
this record. There are seven pieces on this record and the tags look fine to me.
In one-way or another this is from the world of musique concrete and noise. There
are quite a lot of field recording being used around here, all highly obscured, but I'd
say taped around the city, rather than the countryside. I am not sure why I think this.
Maybe it has to do with the somewhat 'busy' sounds he uses; something that gives
the music a mechanical touch, maybe at times even an industrial feeling. Then there
might also be instruments used, a saxophone for instance in the fourth piece, but
for all I know this might be another field recording (down at the local jazz club, but
then heavily treated?). A third group of sounds are hand-manipulated sounds with
the use of contact microphones. All of these sources are put together in the form
of sound collages. As such I don't think Gamboa does something that is very 'new',
but I must say he does a great job. All of these pieces are densely layered with
sounds, cut and stuck together in an imaginative way, full of tension and dynamics.
The seventh piece is a short, noisy beast that puts a distinctive end to the music;
it has been a great ride through the big city, filled with cars, bars and industrial
wastelands and occasional quietness. Perhaps this is a most promising new name,
but what's with the obscurity? Come on! (FdW)
   Address: http://guidogamboa.bandcamp.com/releases



BIT-TUNER - A BIT OF LIGHT (CDR by Ous)

While this is available on a double 12" and download, the press text mentions a CD
also, but I am pretty sure inside this digipack there is a CDR. So I'm not sure where
to put this in this week's issue. Bit-Tuner is from Switzerland and he 'oscillates
between bass music, electronica and techno, while he pulls his tracks together to
become a gloomy, but euphoric bass monster'. The world of dance music is something
that I always feel a bit alien about. It has to do with the fragmentation of the scene
 I guess, all of these sub genres that exist. And sub sub genres. I have no idea where
the music of Bit-Tuner fits in the bigger scope of dance oriented music. Maybe it's
not at all about dance anyway. Some of these pieces seem a bit slow to my (non-)
dance ears.
While I was playing this, as well as enjoying, a thought crossed my mind:
maybe Bit-Tuner doesn't want to play a specific genre. There are bits here which
reminded me easily of seventies cosmic music but with a stronger beat to it, albeit
of the slower variety. Sometimes a beat reminded me of broken beats, drum & bass
(including tacky ambient synthesizer washes, never a particular favourite of mine),
big beat and never something like strict techno or electro beats. Synthesizers play
however a big role in his music and these added indeed to the somewhat moody
character of the music. Sometimes I was reminded of a beat or melody, like in 'Just',
which sounds like something I already heard before. All of the variations Bit-Tuner
 has to offer make this sixteen track (another interesting aspect: all of these tracks
are quite short and to the point, like Bit-Tuner's interest is in writing a fixed song,
rather than something that DJs can mix around, almost like a pop song) album
quite enjoyable, even for those who don't dance but want to sit back and enjoy
a fair bit of good electronic music. (FdW)
   Address: http://www.ous.ooo



WINTER MASS – WINTER MASS (CDR by Inversus Doxa)

Winter Mass is a trio of Sayoko (voice), Jacques Di Donato (clarinet, percussion)
and Frederick Galiay (bass, AKS synth, keyboards). The poems and vocal melodies
are written and composed by Sayoko. The music is by the hands of Galiay. This is
their debut album, recorded in Paris in the summer of 2015. They took time to
develop their music as they exist since 2010. Di Donato played with Brel and Boulez
and everything in between. Galiay is part of Sleaze Art, but involved in many other
experimental adventures as well. Sayoko is a Japanese mutli-disciplinary artist (composer,
musician, author, performer) living in Paris. She has several solo albums out, like
‘Empties’ on Zorn’s Tzadik label. As Winter Mass they present a collection of eleven
 ‘songs’. They bridge abstract sound textures with melody and song-format. It is
fragile and poetic music. They develop delicate, often spacey textures. Subtle and
tasty. With a detailed and coherent palette of sounds. A real pleasure! (DM)
   Addresss: http://www.inversus-doxa.fr/



MULTIMULT -  ZIGZAG (CDR by Thirsty Leaves)

Multimult brings us to Bucharest, Romania. Multimult is a very open formula that
can cover very different line ups. This time it is a quartet of:  Cälin Torsan (clarinet,
alto sax, tenor recorder, fluier, voice), Victor Podeau (electric guitar), Andrei Kivu
(electric cello), and Juan Carlos Negretti (drums). With ‘Zigzag’ they present an
improvised set, recorded early 2015 in a Bucharest studio. Released by Thirsty
Leaves a small label from Greece in a limited edition of 100 copies. The CD counts
three pieces, ‘Zig’, ‘Dedal’ and ‘Zag’ together taking about 40 minutes. The opening
track ‘Zig’ starts in a call and response way with nice flute playing by Torsan,
inspired by traditional music. I had to think of the flute player of Taraf de Haidouks
 for a moment, also from Romania. Gradually it turns into a heavy rock oriented
outburst. ‘Dedal’ again has Torsan in  a prominent role on wind instruments with
Negretti is the main participator. ‘Zag’ is the longest improvisation and shows intense
interplay between all four of them. This track did it for me. Here all players make
more or less equal contributions. I especially liked the electric cello in the hands of
Kivu. Although we deal with excellent players, who have many ideas, there is also
something that I miss in their expressive improvisations. A certain playfulness and
flexibility. So I hope they take more time to grow as a unit! (DM)
   Address: http://www.thirstyleaves.weebly.com/



MATT DAVIGNON - PINK EARTH (CDR by Ribosome Music)

Here's someone who has been around for a long time, with works reviewed in Vital
Weekly 475, 545, 728 and his duo Oa in Vital Weekly 993, but it seems that when
Matt Davignon started to use the drum machine as the central point of focus of his
improvisations that he started to release some of this work. At least, before reviewing
'Bwoo' in Vital Weekly 475 he already had a ten-year career in improvisation. But as
said these days it's the drum machine and now also the 'sampled singing voice' - which
I assume is his own voice. So far I quite enjoyed his releases and this new one is no
 different. When I started 'Arrival/Pink Earth', the opening piece here, I thought I heard
some buzzing insect, until I realized this was the music (and that mid-winter it might
 be a bit strange to have buzzing insects), which was on a slow course of minimalist
changes. Expansion was a steady thing and over the course of these nineteen minutes
Davignon kept adding sounds. What started out with voices, became, via electronic
processes, small rhythmical particles, which I assume is of course the rhythm machine.
 It all has a slow but steady pace; it's both ambient and something more than just that.
It has an experimental edge, slightly unsettling but not too much. The rhythm machine
does not tick away a steady rhythm, but through small manipulations becomes wobbly
 and shaky, such as in 'Lepidoptera'. Before I was thinking of Asmus Tietchens, and perhaps
that's still a valid reference, but Davignon's music is less refined, which is something I liked
very much. The label refers this to Zoviet*France among others and which some of the
processed voices scattered around here, I can surely see a similarity. I think this is his best
work so far. (FdW)
   Address: http://www.ribosomemusic.com



BRGS - 46/3/84/115 (CDR by Zvocniprepihi)

One of the more famous graphically noted compositions is the 193 pages book
called 'Treatise', composed from 1963 to 1967 by Cornelius Cardew, then a member
of AMM. Cardew himself died in a car accident in the late 70s yet this work, along
with 'The Great Learning' (another cornerstone in modern classical music), lives on
and inspires to this very day musicians. It is filled with lines, symbols, and shapes and
comes without any instructions to the performers as to how to perform this. You can
pick a page and play with a group of musicians or solo. If you look for it, I am sure you
can find it on the Internet somewhere.
Jaka Berger, who usually goes by the name Brgs, is a percussion player and in 2009
he first heard about 'Treatise', when he heard Keith Rowe speaking about it (another
member of AMM, but you knew that, I hope). I assume the title of the release refers
to the pages Brgs performed from the score, so if you have access to a copy it's
nice to see what is being performed, even when there is of course no single way
of performing any of this. The graphical notations are mere hints or approaches
to performance; a way to get started if you will. Of course you can decide to ignore
the whole 'Treatise' thing and just listen to the music; it was a way for Brgs to start
and for you to listen to, but you can do that without the score.
Brgs (see Vital Weekly 977 for four of his earlier releases) plays his kit with a variety
of objects and sticks, and uses some pedals and mixing board on the side. All of this
result in four strong pieces. The drum kit is something that stays recognizable through
 these pieces, but Brgs shows a love for dynamics; sometimes it borders on the quiet side,
contemplative but occasionally Brgs also bursts out in an excellent free mode, banging
all of the kit, such as in '3'. Sometimes overtones are played to quite some extent,
which works very well with some of lines in the score. It makes that this quite a good
release of improvised music by a highly gifted player in the field. (FdW)
   Address: http://www.zvocniprepihi.bandcamp.com



JAN KEES HELMS - BLOOT GEVEN (CDR by Vent Records)

While we list Jan Kees Helms here as the main artist, this is actually a compilation of
three groups, Jenjen, Post Mortenm and StringStrang; but then, with Helms at the
controls of each of these groups, it's perhaps also not a compilation. 'Bloot Geven' ('uncover' is
perhaps the best translation) is Helms' first long movie, after many short ones, and
it's inspired by eight poems written by Allen Ginsberg, with images people doing ordinary
things such as singing, pealing potatoes, drinking, making love or meditating. While there
is not much conversation in the movie, apparently, the voice-over is done by GW Sok,
erstwhile singer from The Ex.
None of that is something we hear on this CDR, as there is only the music, although
the movie is usually presented in combination with live music (maybe something for
a DVD-R release one day, I thought). From the three projects, Post Morten is Helm's
oldest and I believe StringStrang his latest; I am not sure where JenJen fits in, and
if that's something he does with other people. In the early days, twenty or more years
 ago, Post Mortem fitted the then current noise scene, and did so for quite some time.
Noise is not really the current interest of Helms if these sixty-one minutes is something
to go by, but the difference is in the details. JenJen opens up with four pieces, and I mus
t admit I don't know much about it. In some way there is a bit of noise going on, through
 what could radio waves mixed with electronics/feedback, in a highly minimal manner. It is
 quite enjoyable. Post Mortem is already a notch more moody than JenJen, also with a
minimalist take on sine waves that sound like sea sounds in the first piece, and a sampled
 voice in the second and a bit old-fashioned industrialism in the third. The two long
StringStrang pieces are icy atmospheric pieces of heavily treated guitar sounds in the
best tradition of droning guitars, such as the various incarnations of Dirk Serries
(with whom Helms occasionally works) or Machinefabriek, all on this similar dark ground.
It's good to hear the music and it would even better to see the movie that goes along with it. (FdW)
   Address: http://www.vent-sounds.co.uk



THE SAND RAYS - SENOR TRAINWHISTLE (3"CDR by Ceil)

Behind The Sand Rays we find Jim The Younger, who, in a previous carnation was Jim
DeJong, also know as The Infant Cycle, but the short note that came with this says
'nothing to do with The Infant Cycle' - why mention it, I wondered. Why not go all the
way 'new', and not mention your own name, not even in a variation? The cover says
'not a 7"', and I can see that, but it's only when you start playing this that you realize
what it means. There are two pieces on this release; one is 6'28 and the other 4'46 -
 so perhaps it was The Sand Rays' idea to release a 7" of this. There is no information
as to which sounds are used here but in 'Pingray 2' it seems there is some sort of loop of a heavily scratched record, plus some assorted electronics to cook up some droning passages to
along with the scratch. In the title piece there is also a bit of drone like sounds, which
could either be from the use of train sounds or heavily processed whistles - maybe the
title doesn't leave much to guess? Both of these pieces are quite minimal when it comes
to development or changes. They are there, but mainly operate on a level of changing the equalisation to add to the variety of the music. Within the limitation of the music that
 is something that works well. I am not sure if a 7" would have been a great idea, but
maybe next time some more music on such a small disc would be nice; so we have a
somewhat better idea of what The Sand Rays could be about. (FdW)
   Address: none given, none found



MASDA (cassette, private)

Four songs on a cassette limited to 100 copies by this trio from Wichelen in Belgium.
Mathias Spriet, Tuur Delodder and Jan van den Abbeele; no instruments are mentioned.
But it seems there is a guitar somewhere, a rhythm machine, electronics and a voice.
To start with the latter: this sort of weepy voice, reciting lyrics somewhat monotonous,
does not blow me away. That's a pity as the voice plays a central voice in these pieces.
Otherwise it seems that Masda is a bit post-rock like, heavy on the guitar playing
moody bits, using an e-bow and such like to carve out a melancholically atmosphere.
 It is spiced up with the addition of electronic sounds, samples and the drum machine
 that ticks time away in a friendly manner. Sometimes they let go and it becomes a
bit noisier, such as towards the end of 'Mix Up With Those Folks', which, if I have
 anything to say about it, would be something they should do more. The short
piece 'JC' is instrumental and quite nice, because it is quite different. The production
of these songs is quite good, and while not entirely my cup of tea, I quite enjoyed
this release; it's just perhaps not exactly for the pages of Vital Weekly. (FdW)
   Address: http://masda.bandcamp.com/album/masda-cassette



NEEDLE & THE PAIN REACTION - PORCUPINE (CD by Naptr Records)

And yes, there is also a new CD out by Needle & The Pain Reaction, their fourth album
 of 'much energy and is more dark and aggressive as before'. They are from Belgium
and play 'dark energetic hook filled, groovy sonic guitar rock since 2000'. They have
no idea who or what Vital Weekly is and what we write about. If you like dark energetic
 hook filled, groovy sonic guitar rock more than we do, then Needle & The Pain Reaction
might just be something for you. No review, but we mentioned it's release. That might
have been the purpose sending this CD anyway. (FdW)
   Address: http://www.needle.be



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All written by Frans de Waard (FdW), Dolf Mulder (DM) <dolf.mulder@hetnet.nl>,
Niels Mark (NM), Jliat (Jliat), Freek Kinkelaar (FK), Jan-Kees Helms
(JKH), Michael Tau (MT), Peter Johan Nijland (PJN) and others on a less regular
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