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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 454
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week 52
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MORCEAUX_DE_MACHINES - ESTRAPADE (CD by
No Type)
MARTIN TETREAULT & OTOMO YOSHIHIDE - GRRR (CD by Ambiances
Magnetiques)
KATTOO : PLACES (CD by Hymen)
GUM - VINYL ANTHOLOGY (2CD by 23Five)
A MONUMENTAL STRUGGLE OF GOOD VS. EVIL (CD compilation by Privatelektro)
ROMVELOPE - ONE COURSE MEAL (CD by Adaadat)
KIYOSHI MIZUTANI & DANIEL MENCHE - SONG OF JIKE (CD by Niko
Records)
DENSHIZATSON 8 (Magazine & 2CD compilation by MSBR Records)
PIERRE ANDRE ARCAND - ATLAS EPILEPTIC (2CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
SMPLR #1 (CDR by Esc. Rec.)
LIQUID SPHERE - HAMMER OF WISDOM (CDR by L.S.I.)
THRESHOLD OF HEARING/THRESHOLD OF PAIN (4CDR compilation by Mimeograph)
MATT DAVIS/GRAHAM HALLIWELL (CDR by Absurd)
DEAD ROADS - HOWLIN' GHOST PROLETARIANS (CDR by Absurd)
KLIMPEREI - LA TORDEUSE A BANDES OBLIQUES (CD by Absurd)STORM
OF CAPRICORN - A SECRET TO SHARE (MP3 by Cauldron Music)
IN SILENCE WE PRAY - HEAVY RAIN (MP3 by Cauldron Music)
MORCEAUX_DE_MACHINES - ESTRAPADE (CD by
No Type)
MARTIN TETREAULT & OTOMO YOSHIHIDE - GRRR (CD by Ambiances
Magnetiques)
If I am not mistaken (and usually I am) this might be the third
CD by Canada's noise duo Morceaux_De_Machines, aka Erick D'Orion
and A Dontigny, but here they are guested by Diane Labrosse (with
whom Dontigny already made a CD), Otomo Yoshihide and Martin Tetreault.
They play on some of the live tracks on this album. Morceaux_De_Machines
are, I think, best described as a live-improv musique concrete
noise outfit. They use records, cds, electronics and computers
and cook up a steamy mix of cut 'n paste sounds, taking apart
the exisiting sounds (of vinyl, of cds) and putting them in this
huge blender called mixingboard and effects and rather go for
the louder and nastier elements, than say, something smooth and
soft. It was hard to tell that there were live tracks on this
CD (I read the liner notes usually afterwards), but in hindsight,
I think the stuido pieces are a bit concetrated and denser and
the live pieces something more loosely structured. There is a
certain Merzbow influence to be detected here, but than of the
'Memorial Gadgets' period (late 80s Merzbow). Overall a nice work,
but at over seventy-five minutes also a lenghty experience. More
= more seems to be their point. Nice one anyway.
The same Otomo Yoshihide and the same Martin Tetreault toured
Europe in the springtime 2003, playing fifteen concerts in sixteen
days, under which one I saw at Extrapool. Of course every concert
was recorded and the results are thematically organised for release.
'GRRR' contains the noise aspects of the concerts, and to be released
are 'Tok' with the more fragmented stuff and 'Ahhh' with the more
smoother moments. Both Yoshihide and Tetreault play turntable
and objects. As indicated this is indeed a disc full (very full
at seventy four minutes) of noise. Yet, I am altogether not very
sure if this was a good idea. In a concert situation the two go
in one concert from loud to fragmented to soft and back again.
That makes the concert by Tetreault and Yoshihide to a breathtaking
experience. But when they cut out, say all the noise elements
of all concerts and isolate them on one CD, it's a different thing.
It may appeal to noise-fans alike, but for me (not always a noise
fan) it was simply too much. I rather had one CD documentating
all the various aspects of duo, the best moments of every concert.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.notype.com
Address: http://www.actuellecd.com
KATTOO : PLACES (CD by Hymen)
Under his solo-project Kattoo, Volker Kahl (member of cutting
edge electronica-band Beefcake) takes the listener on a quite
interesting trip to eleven different landscapes of sonic brilliance
with the debut album titled "Places". The album stylishly
floats in familiar soundspheres to the Beefcake-project, which
means flowing, cinematic soundscapes of moody, mellow, beautiful
and ugly atmospheres. Musically Kattoo first of all belongs to
the dark techno-scene but during the 60+ minutes joyride, Mr.
Kahl comes around a number of different expressions. On the rhythm-side
we are confronted with breakbeats ranging from relaxed drum'n'bass
to a more aggressive sort of rhythmic workout. Moody ambientscapes
creates the melodic touch mean while, a mass of voice-samples
and cinematic sound clips makes the album sound like a movie soundtrack.
There is an excellent use of sampled orchestration giving an almost
symphonic feeling on the album. Overall this is a very nice album
for the adventurous listener. (NMP)
Address: http://www.klangstabil.com/hymen
GUM - VINYL ANTHOLOGY (2CD by 23Five)
Long before DJs were the superstars (and why they are, I am still
trying to figure out), working with vinyl as musical material
was something that was delt with by the more experimental musicians.
That was long before anyone thought of 'turntablism'. The use
of vinyl goes back to just before the second World War when John
Cage started working with them. In the old cassette days of the
eighties, vinyl was used, maybe, but I'm guessing here, as a poor
man's medium: no instruments were required, just a record and
means to record the result on. Non and Christian Marclay are the
best known musicians in the 80s working this way. Australia's
Andrew Curtis stuck notes in record stores in Melbourne, seeking
people to form a band, and only one person responded: Philip Samartzis
(the latter now known for his releases on Staalplaat, Dorobo and
Dr. Jim). Curtis and Samartzis called their musical project Gum
and they started to work with old turntables and likewise old
records and if we are to believe Jim Haynes' liner notes, this
was by accident. Samartzis had a bad copy of an Eno record and
it skipped. Gum produced two LP's and were twice featured on 7"s
(one on RRR's 'Testament' boxset and a split 7" for Korm
Plastics). Now this entire lot, plus a couple of unreleased tunes,
aswell as one live track, are released on this double CD. This
sums up the entire history of Gum and it's good to hear all of
this again (haven't played the records in ages!). Gum deals with
both the musical content of vinyl aswell as the material of vinyl.
Crackles and surface noise became as much music as the locked
musical grooves of the record they are using. Each of the tracks
is a minimal set of tunes, with a more destructive edge to it
than say the lush turntable preparations of say Philip Jeck. Gum,
named after an SM magazine, uses sometimes taped voices from sex
films, but it's always hard to notice it somewhere, except in
the surprising more musical '1-800-GUM'. Fans of Jeck, Yoshihide
or Schaeffer wondering what the roots of these musicians are,
should definetly check Gum out. It's defintely a true archeological
music source to them. (FdW)
Address: http://www.23five.org
A MONUMENTAL STRUGGLE OF GOOD VS. EVIL (CD
compilation by Privatelektro)
Compilations are a nightmare for reviewing? And what if they are
with a nightmareish title like this one? On other hand, compilations
can be a great collections of music. In this case it's a nice
introduction to lots of new names for me, lots of interesting
musical surprises. Of all the artists I recognize only [sic] aka
Jen Morris. Her track has a slight abstract industrial touch.
The track by Parachute is a kind of post-glitch ambient developing
to drone till the end. Manami N. vs. Triphaze use a vocal with
the glitchy electronics. Maybe a bit tricky thing with this compilation
is the general common sound of all the artists, all are in a general
edgy ambient areas, experimental, music for listening, no electro
dancing here, don't let the label's name full you. No stand-out
tracks, but all good. Harsher tracks are from Klaswar and Stefan
Goetsch, while moments of pure ambient bliss are by Harold Nono
and c:\. The others are: Everest, Rev. Benn Schipper, Dead Fish
Audio (fiat rmx) and Triphaze. It would be interesting to hear
more music from these less known names. (BR)
Address: http://www.privatelektro.de
ROMVELOPE - ONE COURSE MEAL (CD by Adaadat)
Romvelope used to be Kema Keur (but I expect that is only funny
to my fellow Dutch readers) and is Adaadat's co-founder Bjorn
Hatleskog. If you paid attention in the last weeks, I reviewed
a compilation on that label before and this mayhem is now continued
on this CD by Romvelope. Aided by MC Kanboija, Lazy Susan, Utai
Hirokawa, Libby Floyd, Ommm, Eraser99, DJ Shabushabu and Gavin
- all of them on vocals - this is also mayhem taken into popmusic
territory. Romvelope freely quotes (or samples? - who knows) such
diverse popmusic styles such as RnB, electronica, techno or hip-hop,
but effectively messes around with all of these notions and comes
with his own free style, his own blend of popmusic. It's all a
tad bit too weird to be on any chart sometimes soon, but given
the right video clip (animation me thinks) and the right exposure
on MTV it could all happen very soon. With fifteen tracks this
is a lenghty affair though and some tiredness leaps in. Keeping
this at thirty minutes, meaning the perfect popalbum length, this
could be a great pop LP. For the fans of Donna Summer and Felix
Kubin alike. (FdW)
Address: http://www.adaadat.com
KIYOSHI MIZUTANI & DANIEL MENCHE - SONG
OF JIKE (CD by Niko Records)
DENSHIZATSON 8 (Magazine & 2CD compilation by MSBR Records)
This is the second release by Kiyoshi Mizutani (one time collaborator
of Merzbow) and Daniel Menche, following 'Garden' on Auscultare
Research (see Vital Weekly 400), and like 'Garden' this is based
on field recordings made in a village called Jike Yokohama. These
recordings were made by Mizutani and Menche adds a cello, acoustic
guitar and an antique phonograph player to the scene. Two tracks
here were mixed by Mizutani and one by Menche. The first piece,
by Mizutani, is a strange affair: the dry field recordings are
only occassionally intercepted by a likewise cello drone and towards
the end vinyl crackles sounding like crickets. Much more dense
is the mix Menche did. He 'thickens' the material by layering
various field recordings over each other and adding bits of sound
effects. Despite the density of the recordings, Menche creates
a very minimal mix too, but one that has more musical events than
the first Mizutani piece. The third piece, again by Mizutani,
but here with more additions of 'other' sounds, such as the rumblings
of metal. Again a very peaceful piece of music. All three tracks
are very subtle, even with some of Menche's more piercing sounds
half way through his piece, and minimal. Probably just as peaceful
as sitting in Japanese garden.
From the same source I also received the latest issue of Denshizatson
magazine, number 8. This magazine is all in Japanese, so a bit
hard for me to read. But the first part is filled with reviews
of concerts in Japan by such people as Whitehouse, Af Ursin, Bastard
Noise, Slogun, Con-Dom and Genocide Organ. The bigger second half
is filled with reviews of current releases, aswell as a 'Back
To 1980s' section: an introduction mainly the UK, US and German
underground of that period. Most interesting is however the double
CD that comes with this issue. One CD is the general Denshizatson
release, and one is a labelsampler for the Austrian Steinklang
label. Many of the old school industralists appear here, like
Con-Dom, Genocide Organ or Sickness and they are absolutely fine
to hear again. However the finer pieces on this compilation come
from people such as Af Ursin (with a beautiful drone piece), Jim
O'Rourke's meaner drones or Sightings free rock experience. Unfortunally
the Steinklang sampler had just old school industrial and likewise
darker than dark gothic pieces to offer by such bands as Legion
Condor, Allerseelen, Sektion B, Rasthof Dachau, Viron and Radio
Murmansk, to name but a few of those pleasent people. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mountainoceansun.com
Address: http://www.msbr.com
PIERRE ANDRE ARCAND - ATLAS EPILEPTIC (2CD
by Ambiances Magnetiques)
The name of Pierre Andre Arcand is to me an old one, one from
the time I was serving beer at an arts-centre. Arcand participated
in one exhibition with a piece by telephone. Over the years I
have been pleasentely surprised by his work, which is really something
that crosses the territory of art and music, but also crosses
soundpoetry and mechanical music. Much of his works deals with
loops, repeating sounds. Usually, per piece, he has a bunch of
the same loops running back and forth, but through some sort of
system, these loops are in constant, but subtle decay. Maybe nowadays
this decay comes from a self-built Max/msp patch; at least the
cover indicates such a thing. On the video CD that comes with
this package we see how this works out visually. Some of these
films are short, consisting of one line, and last only a couple
of seconds. Others multiply the image and a genius play arises
of the various mutations of the image. The music here seems new,
and this is not the visual component of the audio CD. Over the
years Arcand has built a small but strong oeuvre of similar works,
which sounds unlike anything else in the field of sound poetry
- at least to my knowledge. 'Atlas Epileptic' is the strongest
work to date and perhaps also the most complete one, for it's
combination of audio and video. (FdW)
Address: http://www.actuellecd.com
SMPLR #1 (CDR by Esc. Rec.)
Although this is Esc. Rec. sampler #1, this is not really the
first release by Esc.Rec. That was the most curious 'J'ee Haw'
release and the remix double CDR thereof. But now the label moved
from Rotterdam to rural Deventer and releases this compilation
as a showcase of forthcoming releases. Eleven tracks by eleven
bands (I think, maybe there is somebody who works under a variety
of names) of which I know #slo-fi (sometimes known as ~slo-fi
or /slo-fi). The compilation opens with a couple of intelligent
dance musics by acts such as Marius, Radion, Dreamspeed and Parkside,
the latter incorporating a nice bunch of vocals too. All of these
can be classified under the banner of Warp. #slo-fi's straight
forward techno track breaks the release and after that things
get more varied with some more experimental material by Maga or
the happy hardcore by Toxic Chicken. A nice compilation with
some fine music and a most promising start for this label. (FdW)
Address: http://www.escrec.com
LIQUID SPHERE - HAMMER OF WISDOM (CDR by
L.S.I.)
The follow up to 'Hypcrazy 2 & 3', reviewed in Vital Weekly
418, sees a continuation of the Liquid Sphere sound: the heavily
processed drones and field recordings, all in a setting of dark
electronics. I detect in some pieces, such as 'Freedom With A
Blindfold' or 'Serve The Purpose' some more noisy elements than
before. Maybe some of the tracks are a bit too lenghty for the
material they have on offer. Some of the ideas are maybe a bit
too simple to be really working well on the limited amount of
sound material. Things work best when kept shorter, me thinks.
Again, nice but nothing beyond the ordinary. (FdW)
Address: http://www.membres.lycos.fr/zuhll
THRESHOLD OF HEARING/THRESHOLD OF PAIN (4CDR
compilation by Mimeograph)
Sometimes things are pretty clear, like with this. "Threshold
Of Hearing/Threshold Of Pain" pretty much sums up what this
is about. This 4CDR set documents two evenings in Seattle by a
group of artists. One night they set out to play very soft and
one night was to be very loud. I assume all of these artists are
the usual suspects of 'boys with toys', erm 'gentlemen with computers'.
Even without cranking the volume up too much, the two discs of
the Threshold part, are pretty loud. Of the seven pieces only
the piece by Steve Barsotti on disc two is pretty soft. In the
pieces by Vance Galloway and Model 563 things get pretty nasty,
frequencywise. Absolutely way above threshold. Likewise something
similar can be said of the two 'Pain' discs. Do not expect some
over the top laptop Merzbow frenzy in these pieces. At their very
best the are semi-distorted cracks, embedded in a field of feedback.
For these people it seems that 'threshold' and 'pain' are never
far away. The artists (also included are Mateo Chavez, Jake Elliott,
inBoil and Watfix) work on the fringes of electro-acoustic music,
field recordings and 'pure' computersounds. Microsound it is,
loud or soft. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mimeograph.net
MATT DAVIS/GRAHAM HALLIWELL (CDR by Absurd)
DEAD ROADS - HOWLIN' GHOST PROLETARIANS (CDR by Absurd)
KLIMPEREI - LA TORDEUSE A BANDES OBLIQUES (CD by Absurd)
Three new releases by the ever so active and musically expanding
Absurd Records, from Greece. The first release is by Matt Davies
and Graham Halliwell, respectively on trumpet/field recordings
and saxophone/amplified feedback. Their duet was recorded in April
2003 at the Old School House in Norwich. The three pieces captured
here are quite intense, ranging from the usual inaudible onkyo
style to more meaner textures of feedback and saxophone/trumpet
howls. Although it must be said that the playing of both instruments
is more the recent Dorner type of playing and it's hard to recognize
it as a saxophone. Quite nice music, along the lines of much of
the Grob or Erstwhile releases, even when the electronica side
of things is fairly remote here. Intensely improvised music with
a lot of attention required.
Dead Roads is the duo of Fabrice Eglin (guitar, amp, walkman)
and Michel Henritzi (guitar, amp, lapsteel). Eglin before worked
with people like Jerome Noetinger and Benjamin Renard and Henritzi
is the man of the Dustbreeders aswell as the A Bruit Secret label.
Their eight pieces recorded in Metz this year are dedicated to
Rowland Howard (formerly working with Lydia Lunch and Birthday
Party, if I remember correctely). In a way you could say they
play blues music, but one of a very free style. Strumming guitars,
playing free notes and attacking the guitar with motor driven
objects, they rock freely through these pieces. Apart from some
reverb used on these pieces, they all sound natural dry. A bit
far away, giving these pieces a spatial, almost desert like quality.
Alienated music from and for deserted places. Cowboy music.
Klimperei is a name that has been around for ages, but somehow
I never got around hearing it very well, maybe for the odd compilation
here and there. For some reason I always think of Klimperei of
children like songs, I don't know why this is, but in the case
of 'La Tordeuse A Bandes Sonores' this is also true: it was recorded
for the first birthday of Maria Amaryllis. Klimperei play no less
than twenty-eight tunes here, most of them lasting under two minutes.
Playing piano, glockenspiel, maybe an organ and a guitar somewhere.
Or maybe the whole thing consists of sampled instruments, including
the complete Orff instruments for children. Sweet, dreamy music,
no offensive note insight. Just like with the recent 'Music For
Baby' (see Vital Weekly 451), it is of course hard to guess whether
children will really like this sort of music, but I am sure they
will. It's way way better than much of the children's version
of house music that is being played in kindergarten these days.
This CD by Klimperei should be its alternative and the world would
be a better place, I think. And with those tinkling bells here
and there, it's at the same time another perfect alternative christmas
tune aswell. (FdW)
Address: http://www.anet.gr/absurd
STORM OF CAPRICORN - A SECRET TO SHARE (MP3
by Cauldron Music)
IN SILENCE WE PRAY - HEAVY RAIN (MP3 by Cauldron Music)
Good to spend time reviewing listening kind of music, after a
partying night with high-energy high-bpm drum'n'bass. Cauldron
Music is another French label, another example of the vitality
of today's French music scene. I don't know more about who Storm
Of Capricorn is/are, but I guess from the site's web address it's
a French project, and if interested you can check the site for
more info about the people. A Secret To Share is an EP that presents
an interest in dark ambient, atmospheric, neoclassical elements
combined in the music. Few voice/talking samples appear sometimes,
but often they're in the background and not very recognizable.
Perhaps those samples have to do something with the American president
Kennedy who's photo is on the cover, but I'm not sure and it doesn't
make a difference to me concerning the music. It's a mix of lo-fi
atmospherics (often droney) combined with sounds of classical
instruments which are most noticeable in the first track, and
the mentioned samples. Ambient going to drone of a more obscure
kind. Nice release and a good platform for creating more music
in that style.
The drone moments are even more obviously there in the first 8-minute
track of the Heavy Rain EP by In Silence We Pray. Very good stretched-out
drone composition, a mix of electronic atmospheric bass, some
silent crack-sounds like treated field recordings, plus a little
lo-fi and obscure again. The second track, called Heavy Rain 02,
is different. It has a cinematic soundtrack fell through it, of
a better, more interesting kind. An obscure field recording of
rain falling down goes from start to end in the 5 minutes, and
it's changing slightly. Some blurry voice samples appear once,
who knows what about. Again, interesting release and more can
be done in the same style, specially like track 01. (BR)
Address: http://www.cauldron.fr.st and http://www.storm-of-capricorn.fr.st