DICK RAAIJMAKERS – THE COMPLETE TAPE MUSIC OF (3CD by Donemus)
Why, so may I ask, why I am reviewing this triple CD, other of course then
getting a promotional copy? Am I skilled enough to write about the work of
Dick Raaijmakers? Won’t I be mere translating into my own words what is
said in the booklet – what, book of 200 pages – hardbound?
For those unaware, the usual introduction. Dick Raaijmakers is the founding
father of electronic and electro-acoustic music in The Netherlands, and
started his career in the late fifties. He worked at the Philips Electronic
Studio (when, oh joyeus times, multinationals spent their money right),
assisting Varese while he composed ‘Poeme Electronique’. His first work was
a pop tune, the very first electronic one, with the launce of Sputnik as
it’s theme. Gradually he moved into ‘serious’ areas, composing electronic
music. Reducing the input to crackles and hisses, his work is not just an
independent musicpiece, but in a more wider sense, music in action. Many of
his works featured in this anthology are either for film and theatre. With
much regret I can say I only witnessed one, but one that describes his
music best: ‘Intona’ is a work in which Raaijmakers destroys 12
microphones, each in a different way. The concert space is a laboratorium
and he walks to every table, where the victim/microphone is waiting for its
destruction. He sets them on fire, drowns them in water, saws them up etc.
Each action is done with great care – not the joy of violence, but the
scientific approach. Each microphone is ‘on’, so the audience hears the
scream before the silence. The audience sheers, but there is not really
much to laugh about. Music, theatre and concept meet in one memorable
event.
Now that Dick is no longer teaching (being 68 years of age), he spent the
last 2 years producing the delight captured on three discs (the above
‘Intona’ is not included), and as far as I can remember this is his first
release in many many years (his LP on Donemus were sold at a ridiculous low
price to get rid of the overstock dates back to the early 70s, if I am not
mistaken. The booklet lacks a discography, but we have already learned that
releasing records was of no importance to Dick). One can of course wonder
wether these CD’s can reflect one bit of the importance of his work, as
many of it is in combination with film or theatre. But with such well
extended liner notes, photograhps and diagrams it is well compensated,
although it never replaces the original thing. In one case the destruction
of the music being part of the performance, so the documentation here is
highly amplified tape hiss!
The early works are still the best. The three pieces are displays of
tape-splicing of acoustic sounds recorded. On disc one we’ll also find this
long deleted LP, which is still a stunning piece of one microscopic sound,
that comes in five parts.
The second disc has 3 soundtracks to films, and I must admit it didn’t do
much for me. Too static. But the pieces dealing with our beloved chairman
Mao are again great. One of these being the hiss piece, and another with 8
chinese violins being played slow.
The third CD opens with 2 ‘feedback’ pieces. Appartus are connected wrong
and start their own sound production. The pieces are also the principle
pieces that led to Raaijmakers ‘Ideophonen’: speaker installations which
make sound by themselves (a short excerpt can be found on the ‘CD for the
Instable Media’, released by V2 Archief years ago). Despite the somewhat
clean sound, this could also been featured on a Merzbow CD – except that
these two pieces date to 1967. On this third CD there is also the hilarious
ping pong piece. To describe all the implications of this piece, would mean
to re-write the booklet.
This three CD set is not only a retrospective work, but also an eye-opener
for many who work inside experimental music, but whose ‘noise’ is aimless
(and thus harmless). Every inch of work by Dick Raaijmakers is filled with
ideas and should be studied by many. (FdW)
Address: Paulus Potterstraat 16 – 1071 CZ Amsterdam
CRAWL UNIT – TUSCON MON AMOUR (7″ by Drone Records)
It has been quiet for a while for this label dealing with the little
beauties in life. Crawl Unit breaths life again, with two cuts from a show
using electronics, borrowed cymbals and materials gathered at the
performance site (which was next to a sewage system hence the natural
reverb?). He builts a hugh wall of scraping sound on one side, a bit of
metal chairs moving on concrete sound and on the other side it’s more
droning in pitch black with the scratches in the background. I may write
this in a jolly way, but I really do like this, although, I must admit I
much more in favour for this kind of music to extend beyond the 6 minute
format. But that’s a different story. (FdW)
Address: <dronetroum@aol.com>
AMON – AURA (7″ by Drone Records)
My first encounter with the Italian Amon (who have 2 CD’s out and 1 tape,
all of which are unknown to me). One side (I never can tell with Drone
wether I am listening to the a-side or the b-side!) has a dark sound of
slowed down sounds, which is just alright. Nothing spectactular. The other
side is more or less more of the same. Hummmmm (FdW)
Address: as above
VARIOUS ARTISTS – ENCODESPLENDOR (CD by Gift/No CD)
To be a remixer is no easy trade… how else could we describe this?
Esplendor Geometrico may be regarded as founding fathers of minimal, hard
driven dance beat stuff, and since they are around since long, they deserve
a remix album. I wonder why Arturo Lanz, of course a E.G. member kicks off?
I must admit that I am too unfamiliar with ‘Balearic Rhythms’ (the CD of
which 3 tracks are remixed), to note much difference between this mix and
the original. Sonar (excuse me, but I always think they are a copy of the
original) take it with a slowed down version of ‘Muertre A Escala
Industrial’, but the original is unbeatable! Numb tries their hands at
‘America’ bringing in a more recent beat, but the synths suck at times.
Saverio Evangalista does better with his more housy induced beats over a
track from Sheikh Aljama – although not a floor filler. Coil! Yes, finally
a great minimal slab of low end bass and far away waving sounds. There is a
striking similarity between the recent Muslimgauze sounds and the fucked
beats of Eplendor. This track (obviously from Sheikh Aljama) wouldn’t look
strange on ‘Vampire Of Theran’ or ‘Zuriff Moussa’. Justo Bagueste samples a
drum and adds microscopic waves of shortwave, whilst MSB take ‘Nador’ in
more current dance music areas. Winterkalte is more noisy and rather
pointless. Victor Sol also stays close to the original of ‘Moscu Esta
Helado’. Chris & Cosey close with 30 Km De Radio in good dance moods.
In all quite a divers album, which makes you wonder why it exists – other
then cheer love of a great band! It doesn’t seem to bring Esplendor in new
musical areas, as some of these stay too close on the original, and it
would have been nice to see what some Drum + Bass junglist or technoid
would have made out of it. But nevertheless a nice tribute. (FdW)