ANTONIO TESTA & ALIO DIE – HEALING HERB’S SPIRIT
FIVE THOUSAND SPIRITS – MESMERIC REVELATION
(CD’s by Crowd Control Activities)
MICHAEL RATT – WRECK’S PROGRESS – CATALOGUE (VOL.1) (CD by AMIM)
RENE LUSSIER & MARTIN TETREAULT – DUR NOYAU DUR (CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
FRED FRITH GUITAR QUARTET – UP BEAT (CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
ASMUS TIETCHENS – GLIMMEN (CD by Erostrate)
ESCAPE MECHANISM (CD)
CHRIS HALLIWELL – WHAT DARK IS THIS (CD-R by Sous Rature)
ZBIGNIEW KARKOWSKI & HELMUT SCHAFER – DISRUPTOR (CD by OR)
R. SUNDIN – DREAMSKETCH (CD-R on Bake Records)
YOUNG FARMERS CLAIM FUTURE – NOT A FESTSCHRIFT (CD on Lowlands)
HASHISHEEN – VARIOUS ARTISTS (CD by Sub Rosa)
HAZARD – NORTH (CD by Ash International [R.I.P.]
ANTONIO TESTA & ALIO DIE – HEALING HERB’S SPIRIT
FIVE THOUSAND SPIRITS – MESMERIC REVELATION
(CD’s by Crowd Control Activities)
Crowd Control Activities moves into an entirely different territory with
the release of these two new releases. To list the entire instruments means
to retype the entire stock of an average Fair Trade shop on their ethno
section. Much of the seven tracks have a droning background and added are
layers of drums, percussion and various wind instruments, including the
voice. The opening track ‘Shuar’ reminded me of Jorge Reyes (where is he
now?) and other points of reference are O Yuki Conjugate, Vidna Obmana and
Steve Roach. Quite a nice release, moody and atmospheric without falling in
kitschy new age allies.
Behind Five Thousand Spirits we find one Raffaele Serra and Alio Die, AKA
Stefano Musso again. Their CD is along the same lines as Healing Herb’s
Spirit, but it’s darker, more abstract and it lacks the percussive side.
For me, the lover of the darker stuff, this is the more daring release,
because it’s less easy and more demanding.
For a label that we so far connected with harsh electronics, these are most
welcome and will hopefully an eye opener for the industrial crowd. (FdW)
Address: <crowded@ezlink.com>
MICHAEL RATT – WRECK’S PROGRESS – CATALOGUE (VOL.1) (CD by AMIM)
Wrecks’ Progress is a trio from Montreal led by percussionist Michel Ratt.
Together with Yves Charuest (keyboards-synthesizer) and Jean-Claude Patry
(guitar-synthesizer) they work out there concept of improvised music. At
first hearing the music sounds like a continuos flow of little intervals
within the same dynamically range. But listening more carefully this stream
of sound unfolds a very rich and complex musical world. Because of this
quality the music made me think of the first two albums by Agencement, the
long disappeared Japanese violin player. With a selection from 60 hours of
recorded music made since 1995 they present here there first CD. All the
selected material dates from 1996. Three more releases are announced: so
improvisation is one interest, to document (& catalogue?) it another. If
you want to jump into their ideas and theories about improvised music, a
booklet is included (in French!). As is often the case with improvised
music, intensive listening is required. This CD proves that this can be a
very rewarding experience (DM).
RENE LUSSIER & MARTIN TETREAULT – DUR NOYAU DUR (CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
Michel Ratt may not be very well known outside of Canada, but Lussier and
Tetreault sure are. Lussier played with Duck & Cover, Les Quatre
Guitaristes de L’Apocalypse Bar, Fred Frith Guitar Quartet, Heiner
Goebbels, etc. It strikes me that Lussier plays also in many duo
combinations: Fred Frith, Jean Derome, Robert Lepage and some others from
the French-Canadian scene. He seems to have a preference for improvisation
as a duo: it takes two to improvise? Here Lussier plays with Martin
Tetreault.
Tetreault is a French Canadian from Montreal who plays and performs with
turntables and related objects. He was in fine arts in the past. One day he
started working with records instead of cutting up paper, and so it all
began. Later – around 1989 – he participated in the Broken Music Exhibition
with Christian Marclay and played with many musicians inside and outside of
Canada. On the present CD, it is not only quoting from records what we
hear, using them as sound source and giving the listener experiences of
recognition. ‘The record’ and ‘the turntable’ are also used as such, as
objects with their own possibilities, apart from the music that is on the
record. Here the sound is very abstract (abstracted from what are
traditional sound sources to our ears). Lussier can be heard on acoustic
and electric guitars. The music is very exciting, radical sound
improvisation (DM).
FRED FRITH GUITAR QUARTET – UP BEAT (CD by Ambiances Magnetiques)
It has been a long time ago since I have heard a new CD from Fred Frith. In
the 80s I used to follow his career. But since he started profiling himself
as a ‘composer’ my interest declined. With listening to ‘Up beat’ it is as
meeting an old friend, where the meeting has to prove if the relationship
can be renewed or not. Frith started this quartet in the early 90s together
with Nick Didkovsky, Mark Stewart and Rene Lussier. Their first release
dates from 1997. I haven’t heard it. So I make a comparison with that other
guitar quartet: Les Quatre Guitaristes de L’Apocalypse Bar (also with Rene
Lussier). This guitar quartet delivered two albums in the 80s that are much
more traditional then Frith’s quartet. Avant rock echoing Conventum and
Henry Cow, where Frith’s quartet is much into the exploration of sounds and
dynamics. Not rock music, but with rock energy. Only a few tracks remember
of a music that they seem to have left behind: ‘Old Bones’ is an tune from
Massacre, ‘Out to Bomb Fresh Kings’ recalls early Doctor Nerve and ‘Red
Rag’ is in the end just a rag. The other material shows that they are
expanding the possibilities of guitar music. This quartet was Frith’s most
important performing group in the 90s and they prove that there is more to
be expected from them in the next century. (DM)
ASMUS TIETCHENS – GLIMMEN (CD by Erostrate)
If I’m not mistaken Asmus Tietchens will turn 50 this year, so he can be
regarded as the grand old man of modern musique concrete soon. Being an
autodidact, he has gained much experience in treating simple sound sources
into complex compositions. It must be said: usually they remain short (like
on this CD with it’s 12 compositions in 55 minutes), which may the
impression that Asmus is at his best keeping things short. Well, I’m not
sure if this is true or not, but the short time frame serves him well.
Usually CDs from Asmus Tietchens are like concept albums, like treating the
piano (on Notturno’) or voices (on ‘Aus Freude Am Elend’). I’m not sure by
listening to ‘Glimmen’ what his sources are. It’s all so heavily processed
that I simply can’t tell. Sometimes it’s just rubbing and scraping, a touch
of water. Asmus remains truely devoted to his own sound pallet and doesn’t
follow the recent paths of time stretching and making everything below
audible level. It’s a sturdy process of the good old analog means and
everything can be heard. There isn’t hardly a bad Tietchens CD, they are
good to outstanding. This one in between good and outstanding.
And while we are at it: The Hafler Trio were recently served with a tribute
CD, so maybe someone should do one for Asmus? (FdW)
Address: <erostrate@wanadoo.fr>
ESCAPE MECHANISM (CD)
A self-titled, self-released CD from the plunderphonic areas, usually
inhabited by people like John Oswald, Public Works and their predecessor
Tape-beatles. The latter provided with the world with a truly classic CD
‘Music With Sound’, which sums everything up from what plunderphonic is. If
ever you want 1 CD from these areas, get that one (it’s still available).
Escape Mechanism are on the same lines, and even though it’s a very nice
release, it gets not to Music With Sound’. Their sound is much a long the
recent Public Works material (as on ‘Matter’): steady drums, samples and
snippets of text, which are sometimes funny, political or both. It collages
reality into a new reality, one that is not telling more about the reality,
but that is a parody or satire on the seriousness of politicians and if
that is the intention of Escape Mechanism, then they succeeded well. (FdW)
Address: www.detritus.net/escmech
CHRIS HALLIWELL – WHAT DARK IS THIS (CD-R by Sous Rature)
Founder of this little CD-R only label with his own work. Four long pieces
(from 8 to 21 minutes) of what sounds (information side is rather small)
like improvised music going into different directions. The title piece
seems to be using cymbals, electronics and other metals that is put
together according to cut ‘n slice methods, with noise outbursts and sheer
silence sitting next to each other. ‘Seems’ uses blowing in a bottle,
sampled and layered. The alcoholic version f Phil Niblocks ‘Four Full
Flutes’? It sort of transforms into an ambient field of electronics – very
nice track. The third piece ‘From The Nerve Meter’ is a Merzbowish blow of
noise, which kinda did nothing for me. The final and longest piece
‘Plateaux Phase’ (not to be confused with a Crispy Ambulance LP of the same
title) is a sounds cape event with stuttering small electronics and a frog
chorus. Halliwell succeeds well in presenting his talent to do four
different things, but then totally different. Of that, three he does and
one could be skipped (and still you have a nicely filled CD). (FdW)
Address: <sousrature@angelfire.com>
ZBIGNIEW KARKOWSKI & HELMUT SCHAFER – DISRUPTOR (CD by OR)
Despite the fact that Zbigniew Karkowski produces music since many years –
I believe it gets close to 20 or so – his presence on records has been
rather small. This is changing, having released an album with Masami Akita
(also on OR) and with Tetsuo Furudate (on Staalplaat). Here is another
collaboration with, for me unknown, Schafer. After a droning and
occasionally with feedback intercepted intro, a super heavy rhythm is
started which is present throughout most of the first track (which is about
20 minutes). A sort of distorted techno rhythm of mediocre tempo (so not to
be confused with gabber). Maybe I could state that this is another example
of microwave, but in all it’s distortion it’s to heavy weighted to be
compared to Ikeda or Pan Sonic. Plus people might be dancing to this – I
don’t know, I don’t dance. The second track is likewise heavy and noisy,
but with a strange, high ticking sound. The last track, again over 20
minutes, starts out like a slowed down version of the first and is much
less pumping then the first. Sound appears to be on a very dynamic level
and is in overload. I never like warnings, but here is one: to fully enjoy
the music on this CD, play this really loud, since it’s absolutely
necessary. You’d miss a few things if you didn’t and that would be a pity.
(FdW)
Address: <or@touch.demon.co.uk>
R. SUNDIN – DREAMSKETCH (CD-R on Bake Records)
Aside from being a prolific musician, Frans de Waard is also very prolific
as far as releasing music of others is concerned. Dreamsketch is already
the ninth release on his CD-R label Bake Records, which has been operating
for something like six months now. And a very good one, I might add!
R. Sundin is the guy behind Bad Kharma and this is the first release under
his own name. Bad Kharma is the noisier of the two projects, but already
shows a strong interest in working with sound (and not only noise). This CD
contains 5 tracks (all 6 – 8 minutes) of pure musique concrete. Excellent
environmental recordings merge with sneaky scratching and clawing on woo d
and other materials and (especially over the headphone) evoke a sense of
space that is sometimes very dreamy and sometimes downright unnerving. The
compositions are strong, surprising and well structured and, although a lot
of different sound material is used, the CD as a whole sounds very
coherent. There are excellent breaks at moments you wouldn’t expect them
and now and then it’s possible to just dream away on gentle drones (but
never too long to lose one’s attention). This music has been made with a
lot of concern for time and detail, without drifting off anywhere. This one
defenitely holds a promise for the future. (MR)
Adress: www.staalplaat.com
YOUNG FARMERS CLAIM FUTURE – NOT A FESTSCHRIFT (CD on Lowlands)
The press release revealed that this is a CD-Extra, so there is also a
CD-ROM part on this one. Which I of course checked out. Some kind of funny
puzzle (using a lot of raw meat images) leads the viewer to an interview
with the people behind the project (which I haven’t read due to a lack of
time…). The prees thingy also states that YFCF are not musicians, artists
or technician, but just a couple of guys toying around with cheap software.
And I can agree to this statement. The audio tracks are sort of danceable,
but not really, and not very interesting to listen to, so I wonder what the
ieda behind all this is. Ok, it’s kind of funny… (MR)
Adress: lowlands@innet.be
HASHISHEEN – VARIOUS ARTISTS (CD by Sub Rosa)
I have long been a fan of Peter Lamborn Wilson. His texts as Hakim Bey
compiled in the Autonomedia book ‘T.A.Z. The Temporary Autonomous Zone,
Ontological Anarchy, Poetic Terrorism’ which was first published in 1985,
then in 1991 (and perhaps again, several times since then) remains a source
of continuous inspiration.
I re-experienced a previous incarnation as a corsair when I read (and
re-read) ‘Pirate Utopias’, also published by Autonomedia in 1995. His vivid
writing immersed me once more in the synaesthesic world of visible, audible
and reekable pirate communities of the 17th century. These short-lived
Moorish Pirate Republics were created by insurrectionaries and populated by
renegades, adventurers, rebels, heretics and free-men (and women), which
drew on the best of known philosophies, governmental structures and
military strategy to augment and strengthen it’s fight in the Holy War in
which it was engaged.
Then there’s the collection of essays titled ‘Immediatism’, published by AK
Press, which were originally broadcast (and published) as a series of Radio
Sermonettes in New York. This book contains further thoughts on Ontological
Anarchism. Ontological Anarchism suggests that “No ‘state’ can ‘exist’ in
chaos, which both as ancient myth and as ‘new science’ lies at the heart of
all projects. Since only absolutely nothing can be predicated with any real
certainty as to the true nature of things, all projects (as Nietzsche says)
can only be ‘founded on nothing’. Out of nothing we will make something
(the process of ‘project’). Out of nothing we will imagine our values, and
by this act of invention we will live. In effect chaos is life, all
movement is chaos. From this point of view, Order appears as death,
cessation, crystallisation, and (alien) silence. All ontological claims are
spurious, except the claim of chaos – which however, is undetermined – and
therefore government of any sort is impossible. Ontological Anarchy
proposes that we wake up, and create our own day – even in the shadow of
the State, that pustulant giant who sleeps, and whose dreams of order
metastasise as spasms of spectacular violence”
Of course throughout history there have been individuals who have tried to
readjust firstly their own reality, then the reality of others according to
this idea, albeit with different conceptual systems and by default,
different terminology. One historical personality who tried this (with
amazing success, it must be said), and who’s shadow can almost always be
found lurking in the ideas and writings of Peter Lamborn Wilson, is Hasan-I
Sabbah. I first encountered Hasan-I Sabbah in ‘The Illuminatus Trilogy’
written by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson, who cited Hasan-I Sabbah as
a model of brain conditioning and control.
In 1090AD Hasan-I Sabbah, aka ‘The Old Man of the Mountains’ founded the
mediaeval Persian sect of the Hashisheen, or Assassins. Indeed, some say
the secret of Hasan-I Sabbah’s rise to power is to be found lurking in
these two words – hashish and assassin – which some historians suggest are
derived from corruption’s of his full name: Hashishin. Hasan skilfully
modelled his secret order on the earlier Abode of Learning of the Fatimid
Caliphs of Cairo and on other Ismaeli sects. He broke with the Fatimites in
1094, however, and became a power in his own right, using hashish to create
an earthly paradise for his followers who could then be counted upon to
perform any act – including political assassinations – which Hasan required
of them.
Following his bold seizure of the mountain fortress in Daylam in 1090,
Hasan built an exquisite garden, which he would use as a lure and reward
for his network of secret agents. Situated in the middle of the desert and
accessible only by invitation and a journey through a series of convoluted
and well-guarded roads, this garden was presented as the Paradise of which
Mohammed spoke.
It was misleadingly described by Marco Polo as a place of exotic liquors
and drugs, with rivers of milk and honey, where succulent fruits and even
more succulent houris, skilled in all manner of seduction, awaited the
faithful who, not afraid of confronting death, and of committing murder,
were guaranteed their place there by Hasan. Once selected, so the story
goes, individuals unknowingly consumed a soporific brew. Upon awakening
they would find themselves in this ‘artificial’ Paradise, feeling far too
good, far more than Allah said they should, and unwilling and perhaps
unable to control their appetites for the toothsome delicacies, both fruit
and flesh, which floated before them, and which were so strictly denied by
Mohammed and his Law. After all the highest and most intense pleasures
should only come after death to those who strenuously deny themselves of
them in life.
Of course it may only have been the hallucinatory effects of the
concoctions they were administered which made them so susceptible to the
visions that appeared before them, and the whispered promises of The Old
Man of the Mountains. History is unclear, rumours abound. When it was
thought they had participated long enough in this Garden of Delight, they
would once again be induced to sleep and then wake up again, this time
amongst roughly hewn mediaeval masonry where they would undoubtedly commit
themselves to the cause and the deal would be finalised. These Assassins
would, after a secret training, be despatched into the world, and it is
said that some would work for a politically important family for years and
years, often even being accepted as a loved and trusted member of it.
However, if and when Hasan gave a sign, they would perform the required
execution without flinching, leaving behind on the pillow a dagger as the
signature of the organisation before disappearing into the night.
It is claimed that this network of operatives could reach as far as Paris.
They had been made aware that for the period of time in which they were
required to face death, they were immortal – indeed it is a holy man who
goes to meet death, rather than waiting for it to come to him. ‘Danger,’
wrote William Burroughs, ‘is a biological necessity.’
Hasan exerted almost total power over his followers and his influence was
widely felt, but he was only one of a multitude of conflicting powers at a
particularly turbulent period of history. The Assassins had to contend not
only with the competing factions within the Islamic Empire and the rise of
Turkey to dominance, but also with the Crusading Christians, represented
mostly by the Order of the Knights Templars, which was founded in 1119
Jerusalem just a few years before Hasan’s death. Originally founded to
provide protection to crusader in the Holy Land the Templars grew, like the
Assassins to be a power in their own right. And like the Assassins, it
wasn’t long before the original motives were forgotten and the initiates of
the order fought more for political power and loot, than for advancement of
their religious dogmas. One historian has suggested that the Assassins may
even have founded the Templars, though Western historians generally
discount this possibility. Despite the apparent animosity that existed
between them, the two organisations did co-operate occasionally, such as in
the attack on Damascus in 1129, and thereafter both became important
independent forces in the struggle for Palestine.
Hasan-I Sabbah died in 1124 after having fought on both sides of the
Crusades, but other Grand Masters of the order carried on his work until
their defeat by the invading Mongols under Hulagu Khan in about 1257. The
Mongols left not one stone of the foundations of the fortress of Alamut
unturned in their efforts to stamp out any traces of the libertarian
religion which rested on the now famous doctrine: “Nothing Is True,
Everything Is Permitted”.
In modern times, descendants of the fourth Grand Master of Alamut became
the Aga Khans and the scattered sect of Hashisheens still revere this
Ismaeli ruler as undisputed chief. The current Aga Khan is one of the most
powerful men in the world, who trades in countries, not acres, and who
remains unaccountable for any of the activities he is apparently involved
in. As he is not currently the topic of this discussion, I suggest you do
your own research – a web-search will undoubtedly reveal more
Peter Lamborn Wilson, the man who I mentioned at the very start of this
piece now has another feather in his cap. His prevailing interest in the
Assassins must surely have been the motivating force behind this new CD of
(mostly) spoken word on this Belgian label. He is given credit for
compiling the texts, some of which are from his own hand, which appear on
this release. Other texts present magical legends and myths, and
descriptions by enemies, admirers and members of the Assassins against
backdrops of (fortunately) unobtrusive music ‘to produce – under the proper
conditions – a visionary experience of the Hashisheen and their ‘inner
history’. Bill Laswell compiled (and made some of) the music which appears
here. Texts are read by the likes of Iggy Pop, William Burroughs, Ira
Cohen, Anne Clark and Sussan Deyhim and additional music is provided by Jah
Wobble, Techno Animal, Nicky Skopelitis and Eyeless In Gaza, to name but a
few.
As you will by now be aware, this is a subject so close to my heart that I
am willing to dismiss anything I think may be wrong with it’s presentation
here. This is a perfectly packaged and very precious jewel in the Sub Rosa
crown and one which must surely ensure them a place in the hourglass of the
history of documentation.
(This text contains extensive quotations from the ‘Hashisheen’ CD booklet,
Neal Wilgus’ book ‘The Illuminoids’ – available from Loompanics in the
States, and Peter Lamborn Wilson’s own writings. My acknowledgement and
thanks to them all)
(MP)
HAZARD – NORTH (CD by Ash International [R.I.P.]
Dead Ash still are still busy catching up with themselves releasing
back-catalogue numbers – how many more have they got I wonder ? This latest
by ex-Morthond-er Benny Nilsen is a stark, chilly release destined to
freeze the pants offa ya. Mr. Nilsen was born in Sweden, so presumably is
himself no stranger to the kind of spaces that can be heard on this disc.
Indeed, some of the soundtracks occur more as spaces than as any form of
music – wide, empty horizons unroll in front of us. The snow seems to suck
in all sound; occasional gusts of wind flirt with the pristine surface
creating crystal flurries, which hover for a moment like uncertain gossamer
slowly sliding off skin. An unzipped Bic doesn’t light – fire is unwelcome
here, and even breath falls like a curtain of fine icicles. The distant
line between snow and sky is so sharp it cuts your eyes and lingers too
long as a retinal memory. This is cold made audible. (MP)
Address: <touch@touch.demon.co.uk>