ASCHE / MORGENSTERN – SPLIT (cassette by Cling Film Records)
This is a split-cassette by two former Ars Moriendi -members (an industrial
band which came form Herford, Germany) and I think it’s one of the best
cassette-releases in the last time. Asche creates one long spherical and
trancy soundtrack, which is entitled “That loop in my eye”, it consists
mainly of endless-loops. The whole track changes direction again and again,
so this never gets boring. I found this very emotional & charming.
Morgenstern (the only female member of A.M.), on Side two, has 3 tracks and
creates choral-like monumental soundscapes, atmospheric guitar-experiments
and tribal rhythms, metallic effects, etc.. and the cover-artwork is simply
unbelievable, a horrible looking framed thing that you can hang on your
walls. Great release! (FdW)
Address: <Kevin.VanVolcem@rug.ac.be>
SOLARUS – CRYSTALLIZED (CD by Relapse)
The one band from Kipp Johnson follows his excellent debut CD by what
Relapse calls a mini CD, but with it’s playing time of 43 minutes it’s much
longer then any recent post-rock doodling. So it’s normal CD boys. The six
tracks take off where ‘Empty Nature’ was left: heavy bass playing, against
a backdrop of heavy dub rhythms. The long and at times empty tracks are of
a disturbing beauty, highlighting in the ‘Messianic Slur 1’. Starting out
wandering through fields of crickets and other environmental bliss, the
whole instrumentation doesn’t start until after 5 minutes and evolving
ultimately into an 11 minute opus. If the disappearance of Scorn caused too
much grief for you, then his is a worthy successor. (FdW)
Address: <relapse@relapse.com>
NAMANAX – MONSTROUS (CD by Relapse)
The fourth CD by Mr. Relapse himself is again a step forward. His first two
were simple effective blast of noise caused by the disuse of foot pedals,
but with his third CD ‘Audiotronic’, he did the best thing a man can do:
entering a 24 track studio, and take noise on all channels, thus being able
to have much more compositional control over the result. On the inside of
this new CD we see a man behind a mixing board, Mr. Namanax himself
probably? The CD is compromised of four long tracks. The title piece opens
with guitar plucking but grows as a beast into a wall of noise, with
tape-scratching at the end. Also the second track is quite noisy, being
built around loops, short-wave and effects. Both of these tracks are nice
as more happens in here then a ‘regular’ noise CD (no names mentioned), but
a bit too tame. The other half is the best. ‘Promethean Screams’ starts
with a throbbing sound, and slowly a random generator produces small blocks
of synth sounds. From far away the feedback crawls into your ears. This is
cleverly built tension. The ‘Journey To The Battle Of Varanax’ is the
longest piece and opens with organ loops (the one with keys, not the vital
ones), in which slowly more and more layers of looped noises are added.
Again a lot of creepy suspense is felt here. Taking the fact that Mr. Bill
gets his inspiration from tons of horrible b-horrors, might add to the idea
that Namanax produces music for the movies alike. With right amount of
promo and money, he might even get a commission one day. (FdW)
Address: as above
DISSECTING TABLE – INTO THE LIGHT
DISCORDANCE – SUPREMACY
(both: CD by Crowd Control Activities)
So I must admit that I didn’t keep up with Dissecting Table’s output in
recent years. His first CD, by V2-Archief, was one of the first CD’s I ever
got, simply because it was hard to get good experimental music on CD’s. The
one’s after that I may have heard, but probably ignored them. Vaguely I
remember that D.T. was more darker ambient, and less rhythm focused. But
hearing this new CD I might be wrong altogether. The four pieces on this CD
sound for me the same as the V2-Archief CD. Heavy pounding rhythms, totally
distorted vocals, every once in a while a break and it starts out even more
heavy and distorted. Actually it was quite funny to hear this again after
not playing his music after so many years. In it’s genre one of the better
bands!
Discordance belongs to the latest generation of noise makers. Screamy
vocals, distorted electronics and a loop being thrown in here and there. In
it’s genre one of the more mediocre ones… (FdW)
Address: <crowded@ezlink.com>
ULTRA MILKMAIDS – JAIN UMPOULET
VANCE ORCHESTRA – ROLLERCOASTER MIND
(both: 7″ by Drone Records)
As a result of my last couple of reviews of Drone Records, somebody advised
to have a look at the vinyl itself to see what side A and what side B is.
So I did, and I am so relieved I can write much better reviews.
Ultra Milkmaids gain quickly a good reputation as ‘drone meisters’ and they
don’t let you down. The ‘Chickens In The Kitchen’ side consist of deep
drones, but with the ‘melody’ played on heavily processed toy piano’s. The
flip ‘Lover Time’ takes the same approach, but with appregiated guitars
they are more into Maeror Tri territory.
Vance Orchestra is the second Dutch band on Drone Records. Their first CD
by Noise Museum was a nice dark yet groovy ambient music. Altogether Vance
Orchestra are not really darky or drony, but wacky DJ’s. They take old
vinyl and put the needle on the record so that it sticks into one groove.
The result is a funny collage of found sound but maybe not entirely fits
the Drone Records principles… But said: very nice. (FdW)
Address: <DroneTroum@aol.com>
EKTROVERDE – MORTALAATTORI (CDSingle by Ektro)
Seven tracks on this short CD by a what might be a bunch of Finnish
schoolboys locked in a bedroom on a Sunday afternoon. Primitive bongo fury
and distorted guitars bounce off the walls in this messy mix of fun. The
packaging is as convoluted as the CD it contains. Got a few good samples
off it though. (MP)
VARIOUS ARTISTS – APOCALYPSIS EXPLICATA (2CD by Multimood)
A double CD set celebrating ten years of Swedish label Multimood, who have
in the past released some innovative CD,s much to their credit. There are
20 tracks spread over two full sides of silver, most of which are new
pieces.
Disc 1 starts with a thrillin’ numba by M’Lumbo (who recently squeezed one
out on Staalplaat offshoot Korm Plastics). This is more of their shuffling
madness. Stratified samples, the ghost of Hassell and unfortunate drums
which sound like the almost transparent shadow of Mr Roach. Tracks 2 and 3
are stellar scapes by Ashley/Story and Plancton. 4 and 5 are so similar
they could have been made with the same sounds. The latter is almost (but
not quite) saved by the snarling, squealing feedback and a scared child. Tr
6 by Gregorio Bardini (whohe ? – Ed) floats soft flutes across shifting
sand in this major contender for the battle of the bland. Robert Rich
provides a piece poetically titled ‘A Flock Of Metal Creatures Fleeing the
Onslaught of Rust’ which sounds like the inside of glacier. No panic, rust
encroaches slowly. An all too brief track, a domed space indeed, by Michael
Winnerholt which is nothing like the analogue chaos of his full-length CD
on this label a few years back. CD 1 ends with an uninspired composition by
Roedelius/Spitzer-Marlyn.
CD 2 starts with a previously released piece by Shinjuku Thief, which is
followed by Viddy Obmana, who has spent too much time listening to Jorge
Reyes. Tonal’s track sounds like the gentle conversations of satisfied
machines. Jeff Greinke’s night is filled with timorous beasties. Rob
Angus’s riddims are a turgid stew (his full-length CD on Multimood is
brill, tho’) The piece by Dome is a soundtrack for a yawn. The last two
tracks on this CD are perhaps the most daring, and the best – in that
ordure. Mark Kirchenmann mangles a bionic salad and Asmus Tietchen’s Tot
Derivat left me breathless.
All in all, a reasonable set with enough good material to make it worth
getting if you like softy softy drone stuff. Very good soothestuff for
innercranial explorers of the Pan of Brain having a rough flight. Great
landing gear. (MP)