LITTLE PRINCESS – WET BEGINNINGS (CDR by Time Stereo)
KOM DE BAGFRA ORCHESTRA – BUNKER (CD by Spacekontroller)
HALANA 4 (Magazine & CD)
The future is here : internet music label NoType
LITTLE PRINCESS – WET BEGINNINGS (CDR by Time Stereo)
Little Princess are a lesser known noise group from the USA, but they
played Rotterdam (The Netherlands) last year, so I had a chance to witness
their noise onslaught. Effective, nice, maybe not innovative. Their recent
CDR, which stops at just under 36 minutes, is packed in a shiny fluorecent
green cover, with ditto shiny lettering in orange. Presumably the extended
soundtrack to a movie (reviewed after hearing the CD). Some wrong
connection is made in a home stereo and the thing just explodes. This is
the large first track… the four others are likewise noisy, but much
shorter. The fourth and fifth track even seems to have some form of
sampling, but stay firmly on the noisy edge. Quite alright put together.
I have nothing with film, video or any visual means, so I must be the least
likely person to review the film. There is a carton figure that lives in
the wood, under the ground and who is washed away by rain. Nicely edited
sort of cartoon, but then film in the ‘real’ world. Usually films are
loaded with metamphors, meanings etc, so this one might have been infected
by that too. But I am always the last one to find out. (FdW)
Address: <record.collector@cwix.com>
KOM DE BAGFRA ORCHESTRA – BUNKER (CD by Spacekontroller)
I got this already a while, but ignored to write about – I’m sorry. However
in between I played it a lot. How can something be so ‘old’, yet
captivating. There isn’t a single idea I haven’t heard before. Arpeggio
synths – beats below and melody lines even further down – told me if it was
from Fax Records five years ago and I would have said: yes, I know (I am a
liar). But then why do I like it now so much? Maybe it’s because of the
fact that it has been a long time since I played any of the old Fax/Namlook
stuff, or maybe I am just a retro kind of guy. So if Namlook is still your
man, then check this out too.
There is a CDRom part also, but I have no such application at home, so
sorry I didn’t comment on that. (FdW)
Address: http://hjem.get2net.dk/jbrandtp/
HALANA 4 (Magazine & CD)
I hope I am not insulting all editors of magazines that I always receive
and never review by reviewing this one. Halana is sort of special for me.
Not just because of the CD (that too!), but also for it’s editorial policy:
not just a stappled bunch of interviews and reviews, but also (and I have
the idea it’s happening more and more) artists who write whatever they do
in a sometimes arty, sometimes down to earth, sometimes philosophical way.
They cover the more ‘spiritual’ musics.
On the CD they feature six artists who are also in the magazine and I will
write something on them. Rafael Toral is not just a meister of drones, but
can do his portion of improv plucking on the guitar. Richard Bishop does
the same (I’m moving into muddy territory here!) but then on an acoustic
guitar. The musique concrete part of today comes from IdBattery, who rumble
aabout with stones, sticks, leaves and other naturalia. Certainly a strange
piece is by one Ralph Haxton (the article on him my eyebrow go up: does
this guy really exist?) which is funny mixture of ‘found objects
(typewriter??), organ tones, guitars and prototype McNaughton sound board’
– ever since The Hafler Trio I get suspicious every now and then, and this
one of those occassions. The late Motoharu Yoshizawa provides a beautiful
solo improv bass piece in which plucking and bowing go together. The last
piece is a composition by David Tudor (also the late) on his Neural Network
– and is more noisy then you would expect if you know his piano playing.
Bravo, another well done issue, well done music, so onwards to issue 5.
(FdW)
Address: <halana@halana.com>
The future is here : internet music label NoType
by Jos Smolders
Within a year or two we will be able to download the latest Madonna album
from the internet. If we want it, that is. Seriously: all major record
companies are now seeking a safe method to distribute their music on the
web. They have to, piracy has become so wide spread and they are so afraid
to lose a buck. In the process they are stampeding all that has been built
up in the last few years. In the next millennium mp3 players will be
banned. At least that is how the industry sees the future.
No type is a music label that has started releasing music through the
internet since October 1998 and it does a great job at it. All kinds of
experimental stuff as well as catchy rhythmic drones are ready for download
from the notype website. Below we review a few of their releases.
Tomas Jirku – immaterial (128kb/sec 44khz stereo)
Jirku constructs very basic abstract rhythms which are gently laid down in
a bed of sound. It’s definitely the stuff that Frans de W would call micro
wave. Oh so quietly a sort of a hint towards a groove is built up. By using
reverberation a spacey atmosphere is created. If you like the 12 k label
stuff, then this one’s for you.
Recommended for download: everything.
Stack Overflow- transfer interrupted (128 kb/sec 44khz stereo)
Especially the pc users among us know the term stack overflow though hardly
anybody knows what is actually going on with the machine when this message
interrupts our work. This mp3 cd consists of a lot of computer based
rhythm and noise. Interrupted of course now and again, and then continueing
the stream. Although some of the melodies tend to be rather worn out the
production is quite interesting. Hell, sometimes it’s even downright
commercial. But then some strange twist is added. Ruining things for the
guy who first thought he might score a hit with this stuff.
Recommended downloads: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9
Asyncdrone – we who are distant (56 kb/sec 44khz mono)
This one starts off with a 6 minutes guitar feedback flange that reminds me
of the legendary Chrome at the peak of their cyber punk era. Perfectly
fitting the title of the mp3 cd. This stuff continues where the Chrome boys
stopped. Brilliant scenery with lo-fi guitar and voices in a haze of cheap
reverberation. After a few songs things become even lower-fi and the guitar
is recorded with cheapo mics in a cheapo room. To return to more
athmospheric pieces in the end. It’s not all good stuff but the good stuff
is certainly worth downloading.
Recommended downloads: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7
Period Three – moving systems (64 kb/sec 44khz mono)
This is probably the weirdest among the notype tribe. I think it is a very
strong collection of composition because they are so consistently abstract.
The instrumentation is rather simple fm synthesis stuff, sometimes one
single vco, combined with cheap rhythm boxes. No fancy smooth production
but all a bit off edge. All of the music is rhythmic, following a simple
structural route. There’s a hint at Kraftwerk’s Autobahn at number 7; the
weakest of the whole set.
Recommended downloads: everything except 7.
Thin – snap-on-grooves (128kb/sec 44khz stereo)
Thin is the guy who yields the most to the danceable area. He produces
catchy drum n bass rhythms which are interlaced with sound snippets. This
is how the label itself introduces this mp3 cd: “What better way is there
to welcome the summer than a slab of jazz-infected drum n bass, which will
insidiously reap through your open windows & make your neighbours do the
bliss levitation dance in the middle of the street? think that only happens
in the movies? here’s your chance to a second bet”
Recommended downloads: everything
Go to http://www.notype.com and freak out!