ETANT DONNES WITH MICHAEL GIRA – OFFENBARUNG UND UNTERGANG (CD by DSA)
JONATHAN COLECLOUGH & ANDREW CHALK – SUMAC (CD by ICR)
CHARLEMAGNE PALESTINE – SCHLINGEN-BLÄNGEN (CD by Newworld)
PAPA BOA – TETE A QUEUE
M.F.COTE – COMPIL ZOUAVE
(CD’s by Ambiances Magnetiques)
NOISE KILLS PUNK DEAD (Compilation CD on Opulence! Records)
THE SCOTT FARKUS AFFAIR – SORROWS LEARN TO SWIM (CD on Opulemce! Records)
MIL MULLIGANS – CAUGHT IN THEIR TYEETH (CD on Corn Chopper Records)
RETRO-A.K.A. – SYNAESTHESIA (CD on Korm Plastics Introductionary Paperbacks)
KAPOTTE MUZIEK – 5IVE (CD-R on Bake Records)
ETANT DONNES WITH MICHAEL GIRA – OFFENBARUNG UND UNTERGANG (CD by DSA)
Another new CD by two French brothers with yet another celebrity, Michael
Gira. Formerly known as The Swans and currently as Angels Of Light. Also
involved (not on front cover however) are Mark Cunningham (of Mars and
Raeo) and Saba Komossa (from the group Delkom).
They perform a poem here, which was written by one Georg Trakl. The only
thing I know of this writer is that he was born in Salzburg in 1887 and
died during the first World War (in 1914). That’s what is written in the
bio, but nothing of the sort of things he wrote etc. Maybe that’s in the
booklet, since the package has space for a booklet, but my copy doesn’t
have it. I assumed it would be no problem, since I understand a little bit
of German. I was wrong. It’s not that Gira’s German is badly pronounced (it
sounded more like American speaking Austrian to me), but my attention got
quickly lost – even when I tried to follow the lines of the poem. I guess I
am not fit for this. Quickly I start to regard the voice as an instrument,
equal to all the other sounds used. I am sure this is not a valid way of
‘consuming’ this, but it’s a valid way of listening and appreciating this
for myself. So all romantic talk about war, destruction and revelation are
lost on me. Having said that, I do think this is a very enjoyable CD for
what I make of it: beautiful music that fits well a text that I may not
completely grasp (but hey do you understand every word of an opera?) (FdW)
Address: <dsa@wanadoo.fr>
JONATHAN COLECLOUGH & ANDREW CHALK – SUMAC (CD by ICR)
Of course I keep forgetting what I already reviewed in the pages before,
but according to the press-thing that comes with this CD, I wrote some nice
words about it before. About a year ago, I wrote about the LP version that
it’s one of my favorite pieces of dark drone music from last year (I do
remember I was late getting a copy). That LP had one side and lasted maybe
20 to 25 minutes. Maybe I wrote something that said ‘this should be on CD’,
or something similar, but who on earth could have realized it would be this
massive: 71 minutes! Of gorgeous long tones, waving flutes sounds and
earthly rumblings. This kinda like a particular blend of the softer
Organum, think ‘Ikon’ or ‘Submission’. Hauntingly beautiful.
Oh yes, some remarks to this release. It’s limited to 500, which is 300
more then the original LP, and its the first release on Colin Potter’s
label in many years and the first CD on his label. Let’s hope he will be
re-issuing some of his old tapes (in particular ‘Intergration’
compilation). (FdW)
Address: ICR – The Watertower – Cop Lane – Penwortham, Preston PR1 0SR – UK
CHARLEMAGNE PALESTINE – SCHLINGEN-BLÄNGEN (CD by Newworld)
Good ol’ pal Palestine may need no introduction. The forgotten son of
minimalism is back, through excellent CD’s on Barooni and concerts (with
his grand piano, organs or with tech minimalists Pan Sonic). Many of the
works released are in fact older works – works that had been shelved for
whatever reason. ‘Schlingen-Blängen’ is no exception. It has been a work in
progress for many years and was premiered in Holland in 1979 and recorded
almost 10 years after in the same small church in Holland. The Holland trio
is not completed, because, au contraire to what one may have expected, its
not released by Barooni, but by the US New World, again 10 years after. The
work is a 71 minute drone of clustering organ sounds. The booklet says
something like ‘that it is hard to describe because so little happens in
it’, which is true for the fact that it’s indeed hard to describe, but I
found that a lot is happening. Sometimes small changes, but some appear to
be radical too. This is one of those works were I know people say ‘ah, you
press a few pedals down and the whole machine sets itself to work’, but
then again they might say the very same thing for paintings by Yves Klein
or Barnett Newman. But that’s of course not the issue here and arguments
like those should be ignored. The simplicity of works like
‘Schlingen-Blängen’ defies indeed descriptions. Pure minimalism at it’s
very very fine best. (FdW)
Address: <newworldrecords@erols.com>
PAPA BOA – TETE A QUEUE
M.F.COTE – COMPIL ZOUAVE
(CD’s by Ambiances Magnetiques)
An impressive debut by a new band from Montreal: Papa Boa. Four musicians
Bernard Falaise, Remi Leclerc, Frederic Roverselli and Pierre Labbe
assisted by seven other musicians present 12 songs that are very wild and
hybrid. All band members are new to me, except Remi Leclerc, who is known
for his participation in Miriodor, making a kind of Canterbury-styled
music. The music of Papa Boa originated from a process where improvisation
and composing techniques go hand in hand. Although of this complex process
the music sounds very direct and raw. Rock ‘primitivism’ and improvisation
make a perfect explosive mixture. The result is a very up-to-date kind of
‘rock music’ that is very enjoyful, sometimes reminding of Etron Fou
Leloublan. Must be great fun to see them live!
One of the seven collaborators on this release is M.F.Cote, who is
responsible for another release by Ambiances Magnetiques. Cote plays drums
and live electronics. He is composer and improviser. All these qualities
can be enjoyed on this solo-album ‘Compil Zouave’. Cote composed for dance,
theatre and film. He is known for his work in the Bruire ensemble. He is
also a first-generation member of the Ambiances Magnetiques collective. His
compositions on this solo-effort are played by an ensemble of 20 musicians,
Pierre Bastien and Martrin Tetreault among others. It is difficult to find
out what kind of game Cote is playing here. Very humorous music, no boring
persiflage’s. Here is played with much musical wit with the music of Miles
Davis, Chet Baker, reggae, eastern music, etc. Fake jazz, semi-jazz Call it
how you like. Deconstruction may be a good name for the way Cote uses the
music of Baker and others. Inventive and original where you wonder it comes
from. It gives a new and very interesting light as to how reinterpret
already existing music. (DM)
Address: www.cam.org/~dame_cd
NOISE KILLS PUNK DEAD (Compilation CD on Opulence! Records)
THE SCOTT FARKUS AFFAIR – SORROWS LEARN TO SWIM (CD on Opulemce! Records)
MIL MULLIGANS – CAUGHT IN THEIR TYEETH (CD on Corn Chopper Records)
Well, after a long lasting onslaught of emails, I have finally received
these promos for reviewing.
So, I’ll start with the compilation, which features (let me get this right
now) 67 bands of diverse origins, although most are from the States, some
from Japan and some from other countries. Most of the tracks can be seen
as noise, not so much the hardcore stuff, but rather the kind of trashy
late night home recording or live taped things. There’s also some more
experimental stuff here, but most of it seems to be in its infancy. Aside
from the chickens and the burping there are actually some interesting
pieces on this CD. But you have to search for them!
The Scott Farkus Affair is a rock band with firm roots in the traditional
rock idiom. I don’t know a lot about this kind of music, but it reminds me
of the Chilli Peppers and Nirvana and so on. Nothing new. The epilepsy
warning on the disc of Mil Mulliganos makes no sense whatsoever to me,
since they listened very well to the Police, the Pixies and bands like
that. So who should be warned? (MR)
Address: www.opulence.net
RETRO-A.K.A. – SYNAESTHESIA (CD on Korm Plastics Introductionary Paperbacks)
This is a short release (35 min.) with 9 tracks, that starts with the least
interesting track of all nine. So don’t stop after the first one! Just too
many FX and not enough real suspense. Track two, however, is sort of heavy
microwave stuff and very well done indeed (except for the 909 kick, maybe).
Track three is a short and pretty rude electronic noise piece, followed by
four, which is more atmospheric and builds up quite a good tension with
long and drony sounds. To complete the circle, it ends with the sounds from
the beginning. Number five is a dark affair with a low bass and rumbling
sounds and some high twitching. All builds up to a strong tension and is
then cut off, leaving the high sounds trailing. Track six is pretty
rhythmic track, with a shifting emphasis and changing tones. Rather short
and not the best one. The same goes for track seven, which lacks real
tension. Track eight is a short one again, consisting of heavy cutups. Very
nice indeed. The last one has some really interesting samples, accompanied
by a faraway drone and fluttering sounds. A pretty moody affair, but
sensitive and well composed. This is definitely my favorite. All in all not
a bad debut, but as far as I am concerned, still a little too dependent on
FCC for the sound and not always strong enough in composition.(MR)
Address: www.staalplaat.com
KAPOTTE MUZIEK – 5IVE (CD-R on Bake Records)
This CD-R by Kapotte Muziek is a studio work by Frans de Waard, originally
intended for another label, but never released there. The five tracks date
from 1997 and could be regarded as ‘industrial ambient’ or something. All
are about ten minutes long and feature the one and only MS20 (and maybe
even some other synths?). The pieces build up slowly and shift between the
different layers that are used, creating a sound that is for a large part
built up by overtones. This resonation has a somewhat mesmerizing effect:
put it on, start looking out of the window and you don’t realize that 50
minutes have passed, once it’s over. Weird actually: music that you’re not
really supposed to listen to. Still, I enjoyed it. Maybe this stuff can be
used in modern esoteric therapies?(MR)
Address: www.staalplaat.com