ABSTRACT Q -SELECTED FREQUENCIES FOR UNREPRESSED NEURAL EVENTS (CD-R by
Open Circuit)
OBSOLETE FARMER – TURNTABLE (CD-R by Hazard Records)
RADIO WORM – 002 (CD-R by Dodorama)
THE EVOLUTION GARDEN – RETURNING HOME (self-released 2CD-R)
JEAN-FRANCOIS LAPORTE – MANTRA (miniCD by Metamkine)
UNITED STATES OF BELT – SPARKLE NIGHT, MOJAVE (CD by Champ)
THE BAD POET NECROFOLIA (7″ by Old Gold)
MAENAD – FLOWERS FOR SOLOMON (miniCD by Refined Clinical Research)
ABSTRACT Q -SELECTED FREQUENCIES FOR UNREPRESSED NEURAL EVENTS (CD-R by
Open Circuit)
Both band and label are new to me, although the label’s homebase is at
Staalplaat. Eight tracks are featured on this disc, of which the title
suggests heavier stuff than is actually on there. The first track is a
technoid piece with some poppy elements, but not really dancefloor
compatible, I think. The second one goes more into the electronic ambient
direction with bell sounds and an occasional sequence riff. The third one
is a track made by electronic mosquitos on a faraway planet. Pretty nasty,
also because of the hectic beat that sets in later. Some poppy melodies
again. Fourth one is a real techo ambient piece and so far the least one
imho. Track five sets in with a beat that sounds pretty nice (almost
microwavy) and has a very slick guitar sample and some fuzzy sounds on top.
It stays on the subtle side and is pretty funky. My favorite so far. Number
six comes in from the dark side of the earth, but also shows us that
Kaftwerk is still worth listening to. Also pretty funky at times and some
very nice sequences. The seventh track also has its funky riffs, but the
beat lacks power, which is quite a pity (aside from the too heavenly
synths). The last track is by far the longest with its sixteen and a half
minutes (the others are all somewhere between four and seven minutes). It
starts with long synth tones and actually reminds me a little of Kraftwerk
again (Kometenmelodie), until short sounds set in and the other synths die
out. A rythm of electronic pulses is left for a while and then the synths
set in again, this time with a bass drum. And so the piece builds up slowly
and changes every now and then. A bit too dramatic for me though. (MR)
adress: opencircuit@staalplaat.com
OBSOLETE FARMER – TURNTABLE (CD-R by Hazard Records)
Nine tracks made exclusively by torturing one turntable and vinyl. And no
overdubbing. Sounds a little conceptual and actually the music sounds like
that as well. All the things one can do with a turntable and a record are
done here: scratching, cutting the vinyl, skipping the needle and so on.
Normally I tend to regard conceptual from their own context. But in this
case I think the concept is a little on the weak side and, if this is not a
conceptual project, the music is not strong enough. Of course I like sounds
of crackling vinyl and the needle cutting through tortured grooves as much
as any other, but in this case I miss the step after that: composition. So
overdubbing might in this case actually have been a good idea….(MR)
adress: obsoletefarmer@yahoo.es
RADIO WORM – 002 (CD-R by Dodorama)
Dodorama in Rotterdam is one of the few places in The Netherlands where all
kinds of music are programmed on a small scale. They have now joined forces
with some other initiatives in a foundation called WORM. They present small
festivals of music, film and other forms of art. And they have a radio
program called Radio Worm. Of this program, which is broadcasted once every
month, they release a CD-R with all the participants. This one is number
two and features too many names to list here. It also features too many
musical styles to name here. At first, this disc may sound as an incoherent
whole, but after a while it becomes totally refreshing that there are so
many different things on here. All the tracks have been mixed together, but
in this case this blasphemy actually helps to enjoy the music. I will not
say anymore. Just try. (MR)
adress: bookings@dodorama.nl
THE EVOLUTION GARDEN – RETURNING HOME (self-released 2CD-R)
A Dutch trio experimenting the paths of ambient. This first release is a 2CDR set, not entirely filled with their work, but still almost a 90 minute affair. They list as instrument backing sounds, samples, bass and guitars. That is clearly heard here. The samples provide a bumping background loop, over which the bass and guitars freely float with their e-bows and effects. Rather put together, or so it seems, by means of improvisation. Even when much of the titles and the bandname seem to refer to new agey doodlings, much of this music will be way too dark and too mechnical for the average lover of heavenly therapist music. And, having said that, they are much more too my liking as I had anticipated while opening the package. Stripped to the best pieces (there a few weak brothers in here too), this could easily fit on a label like Hypnos. (FdW)
Address:
JEAN-FRANCOIS LAPORTE – MANTRA (miniCD by Metamkine)
UNITED STATES OF BELT – SPARKLE NIGHT, MOJAVE (CD by Champ)
One Jean-Francois Laporte is a total unknown for me, and his biography leaves still uninformed. He is the founder of Totem Contemporain, “An ensemble that experiments with invented instruments and unconventional sonorities”. Unconventional indeed is this piece Mantra. Entirely made by using a cooling compresssor for skating rinks, without adding manipulations. Laporte calls sound events Mantra’s. The events should have a some duration in soundand it should repeat itself. The slow moving of the machine drone doesn’t provide me with any coolness (which I can use in these hot days), but it’s certainly a piece of sound that I like. From the sharp edged sound it moves to a very dark drone after six minutes to return to the Organum like sound after 16 minutes. Strongly compelling. A soundtrack that could fit to a very minimal film, of a white screen gradually getting white and then gradually going white.
More outdoor recordings are presented on a CD by United States of Belt. They have recorded sounds throughout the USA last year and assembled this almost 45 minute soundscape. It’s mainly like wind blowing in a microphone with the occassional outburst of an insects or a car passing. A quiet CD that works well when play a little bit loud. The base sound of the wind forms a nice tapestry and the miniature sound events are at their best. A strong one piece CD that might me slightly think of Lopez’s work which is more audible then much of his output, but less hectic then his La Selva. As usual I’m clueless to the who and what about this CD, so I recommend writing them yourself. (FdW)
Address: <metamkine@compuserve.com>
Address: www.champrecords.com
THE BAD POET NECROFOLIA (7″ by Old Gold)
Every once in a while I receive a nice little package from a nice little label Old Gold. Sometimes a record, sometimes a CD, now a 7″. The Bad Poet Necrofolia is group housing a guitarist, drums, violas, vocals and keyboards. I anticipated a whole bunch of free improvised noise (this label was in those areas before), but these are rather standard played songs, a bit folky, very sweet, no violence. Peace & happiness. I didn’t follow the lyrics, as usual, so there might well be sung ‘kill everybody’, but that’s ok. The spirit is positive. Sunshine is here.
Address: <oldagolda@hotmail.com>
MAENAD – FLOWERS FOR SOLOMON (miniCD by Refined Clinical Research)
In their blurb the band refers to ‘modifications of everyday life with synthesizers and samplers’ – err yeah right. Ok, so who doesn’t, I’d almost hasten to say. The voices that aree apperent here are all culled from a late-night Christian radio programm and set to a set of synth washes and drones that are rather sweet. No harsh angle involved, but there’s an overall unsettling atmosphere, like waiting for an enormous outburst that isn’t coming. As said quite weird music, that harkens let’s say Coil and The Hafler Trio together. But altogether it’s a short CD (21 minutes), whereas a longer album could have proved to have more impakt. Now it’s just a nice start (FdW)
Address: <cmuberti@monmouth.com>
Correction:
MICHAEL PETERS – ESCAPE VELOCITY is actually called ESCAPE VELOOPITY.
for more info, best check his webpage:
= <http://www.mpeters.de/mpeweb>http://www.mpeters.de/mpeweb