R. SUNDIN – INTERNAL REFERENCE (CD by Bonbonrecords)
PAUL TERMOS – WORKS (CD on X-OR)
TORE HONORÉ BÖE – SIESTA (CD by Jazzassin Records)
DAVID JACKMAN – GUN, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303 – INCH, MK 1 (picture 7″ by
Robot Records)
AMON TOBIN – SUPERMODIFIED (CD by Ninja Tune)
DORGON Y SU GRUPO – DORGON Y SU GRUPO (CD by Jumbo)
AMBRE & MARK SPYBEY – SFUMATO (CD by Hushush)
SZKIEVE – DES GERMES DE QUELQUE CHOSE (CD by Hushush)
JOHN WIESE & TIM KOH – 1 (CDR by Helicopter)
JORGE CASTRO – LA TRANQUILLIDAD DE TU PRESENCIA (2CDR by Fusion Audio)
RAMFEJL – KUNST/KOMPOST (CD-R by Fase-A)
TAYLOR DEUPREE – .n (CD by Ritornell)
ANDREAS BERTHLING – MENGERZEILE & GRUNBERGER (CD by Staalplaat)
GOEM – PUNIK (CD by Staalplaat)
R. SUNDIN – INTERNAL REFERENCE (CD by Bonbonrecords)
After reading the text on the CD, stating that all sounds were recorded
from computers and computer releated equipment, I thought this would be a
microwavy release. Well, I was wrong. Although some of the sounds could be
traced back to their origins, in this case the computer is still a machine
with moving parts, so essentially mechanical. The recordings are basically
acoustic. The concequence for the music is strong, because this is not a
digital work, it is an electro acoustic one. Sounds are recorded, treated,
edited and layered to create compositions. The first track builds up slowly
with dark repeating sounds, to which higher sounds are added. These slowly
take over, but the quiet atmosphere stays more or less the same, until
everything gets louder. With a sudden cut we’re in track two, which is
considerably more violent and basically goes in the opposite direction of
track one: it slowly builds down. A lot of hiss and several clicks
constitute the biggest part of the track. In the end only a very soft hum
is left. I thought this one took a little long. Third one starts very quiet
again and stays pretty much like that, but the sound changes completely in
the course of the track. Andthen the same thing happens as before: a sudden
break and we’re in track four, which is a lot noisier. Clicks in the front,
moving seperately on the right and left channel and getting pretty erratic.
This has more power than the ones before and is my favorite so far. The
composition is more abrupt at times, but it still has the slow changes as
well. The end is sudden and uncompromising. The last track takes it from
there with a quiet start and a burst of edited glitches (or so) and then
stays on the level inbetween untill there’s a break again with a high
pitched whine being left. Another break and then some of the weirdest
sounds I’ve ever heard. This piece is almost a collage, with all these
changes. And the best one of the CD. In all this is a good record, although
I have to admit that it’s not my personal favorite of Sundin. (MR)
adress: http://bonbonrecords.cjb.net/
PAUL TERMOS – WORKS (CD on X-OR)
The development Paul Termos made as a musician and composer is typical for
many dutch musicians that are – like Termos himself – normally associated
with the impro-scene. Playing ‘instant composed’ and totally improvised
music in the seventies, many of these musicians started to integrate
composed elements in their playing and developed themselves into composers
of ‘serious music’. Somebody like Maarten Altena is a good example of this.
In the case of saxplayer Paul Termos we have to add that he already studied
composition in the seventies, Ton de Leeuw being his teacher. Termos played
in some of Holland’s most important impro-groups: Maarten Altena Quartet
and Octet, Guus Janssen Septet, ICP, etc. Later he had his own Trio and
Tentet. As a composer he has already built up an impressive catalogue. This
cd makes some of these compostions available for a broader audience. They
are composed between 1986 and 1997. The humour and irony that is also
typical for many of this dutch colleagues (Misha Mengelberg, Guus Janssen)
is missing here. The compositions of Termos breathe of something else. The
first piece ‘1991’ written for Ensemble Loos (piano, sax, percussion) is
inspired by early forms of Abstract Art. “The piece deals with primary
figures. Little blocks, rectangels, horizontals, verticals and diagonals of
different volume and portent – each transformed into their most direct
musical equivalents.”
Also the following compositions are written for small line-ups: ‘Vocalise
X’ for piano and voice, ‘Vueto Ossesso’ for soprano-recorder, ‘Blues for
M.Duchamp’ for piano and ‘Fortuna’ for 4 instruments and choir. So his
music does not deal with color and rich interplay of many instruments and
exuberant sounds. On the contrary he develops his music in an obsessive and
consequent way around sober and dramatic forms. This results here on this
cd in 5 very concentrated pieces (DM).
TORE HONORÉ BÖE – SIESTA (CD by Jazzassin Records)
Böe may be best known for his activities relating to the Origami network, a
worldwide group of musicians and artists, collaborating on different
projects. The material for this solo album was recorded in Africa and later
edited into this CD with five tracks. The first track is a mesmerising
piece with sounds that sound like things I should or could know, but don’t.
In a sense this makes it very mysterious, but on the good side of it,
because at the same time it’s all very clear and open. The atmosphere is
quiet, even relaxed. The second piece starts with very crisp sounds, that
are looped and on which slow, but clear ringing sounds are added. The loops
change every now and then and an Arabic (I presume) voice sets in. Again a
very clear sound, with the loops sometimes becoming something of a beat and
then changing again. Track three starts with a high whistling sound with an
environmental recording under it. The layers are merged and sometimes sound
like one. In the course of the piece the sound thickens and thins out
again. Not as mysterius as the first one, but certainly as strong as the
other two. Track four is unlike the others: a very dark drone is the main
ingredient here. Sometimes we hear some higher sounds rustling on top, but
they always submerge in the drone again. Very quiet, so open up your ears
here. The last track actually starts with a traffic jam it seems, but one
of such distant proportions, that it could also be morse code on a bad AM
channel. Tinkling sounds are added ad once again layers merge into one. The
pitch of the piece slowly shifts up and down and in the end we are left
with the tinkling sounds. The general atmosphere of this CD is quiet and
open and gives ample opportunity for the mind to wander. At the same time
it’s more than strong enough to listen to really carefully and enjoy it
thoroughly. A very good work. (MR)
adress: Jazzassin Records, P.O. Box 1402 Leangen, 7444 Trondheim, Norway
DAVID JACKMAN – GUN, MACHINE, VICKERS, .303 – INCH, MK 1 (picture 7″ by
Robot Records)
OHHHHHHHHHHHH what a rush.I mean, this is pure fucking rock. Two Tommies
man their maschine gun – as indicated by title and photo (pos/neg) – and
that’s what you hear. There are some slight panning differences from side
A to side B – but it’s a maschine gun. Whither goeth the lock groove?
That’s the only thing that’s missing from this. Limited to 385 or so,
depending on whom you believe at eBay.
I hope the maggots realise the sheer genius they’re chowing down on when
they get to David Jackman. (DC)
Address: <none on disc; Robot Records, presumably>
AMON TOBIN – SUPERMODIFIED (CD by Ninja Tune)
Organ grinds down the groove and for this a drive may be called on –
professionally or automotively, either is fine. The drum solo is
announced. But what has been modified, in a super way? The beat? The
rhythm? Lycra? Much applause and crackling of records sampled. Apparently
this record is “all clean”, oddly enough. So says the promotional sticker.
The pantshaking bass makes a gradual reappearance, and these sounds shimmer
like hot pavement; a pall in the pile. Yet no matter how “strange” the
sounds – there is always the beat, present, as backup, as safety.
Is the point to “keep it real”? Is it utterly important to blur the line
between the sample and the original instrument? The point of origin – and
the super-modified? Oddly enough, now comes the human beatbox. And, of
course, these days there are maschines that re-create the human beatbox.
And do the influences on the music come from deeper sources than
referentialism and popular culture? What one wants to be, to see, to be
like? As a person? How underrated is that? The rhino jockey comes into
play, building and expanding its charge…and then the rhythmic steel, bass
and horns. Is the idea to present sounds logically, or sequentially? Not
just in this album – but in any series of recordings? (DC)
Address: <http://www.ninjatune.net>
DORGON Y SU GRUPO – DORGON Y SU GRUPO (CD by Jumbo)
Soundings. As if reeling in some spirit lost off the Long Island Sound.
That saxophone, this accordion. Pooling about in the waters, seeking the
anchor? From one piece that falls to one that seems to creep all the way
back up, the sounds mass in the achingly slow act of congealment, meant for
something – but what, exactly? A wound closes up and the scar brings
either the cops or the ladies. The vibes – shivering in the unexpected –
lure everyone. A panic of clarinet and accordion, guitar and a wobbling
tone wind up the action – the end…? (DC)
Address: <dimsumclip@aol.com>
AMBRE & MARK SPYBEY – SFUMATO (CD by Hushush)
SZKIEVE – DES GERMES DE QUELQUE CHOSE (CD by Hushush)
More releases from the label that brought us the slightly disapointing
Hafler Trio CD. It seems as if Hushush has a special link to Mick Harris,
ex of Napalm Death, still of Scorn and much more, as besides LP’s by him,
they have a threesome with him, Mark Spybey (Download, Dead Voices On Air)
and Ambre. Three CD’s, with a combination of each (Mark & Mick, Mick &
Ambre and this one, Ambre & Mark). Ambre is for me the least known
component, but they have members of Snog, Xingu Hill, Imminent Starvation
etc.). Kinda hard what to expect. This particular collaboration was made by
mail: Mark sent Ambre a bunch of sound material, and Ambre fooled around
with it in the studio. It’s mostly a dark ambient affair, with hidden out,
deep frequencies of droney bass sounds, and repeating layers of samples
that is the top the cake. It’s the kind of music that made Maeror Tri and
is clearly inspired by a whole wave of dark isolationist dronists from some
years ago. Having said that, I still think that this CD, in all it’s dark
and at times symphonic glory, is quite alright.
Labelheadhoncho Dimitri is also doing his music thing under the name of
Szkieve (which is a missplled equivalent for the word ‘Skew’ in Belgium,
where Dimitri hails from). His music is quite like the Ambre & Spybey, but
in a much abstract form. Eleven pieces of fairly static ambient drones,
low-end rumbles, hisses and an occasional high pitched tone that
oscillates. I assume that much of the sounds here are generated from
samples that are fucked up, or otherwise treated beyond recognition. I see
a thank you going out to Scott Gibbons, aka Lilith, and maybe I wouldn’t
have thought about it, but that’s indeed a point of reference. This CD is
well put together with very interesting music and is well executed. (FdW)
Address: www.hushush.com
JOHN WIESE & TIM KOH – 1 (CDR by Helicopter)
Despite the fact that this release looks very demo-like, it’s really for
sale. Just the bare necessary info is what we get. Of course we know John
Wiese for his excellent releases on his Helicopter label and this might be
also released by this label (it gets the cataloguenumber 006). John teams
up with a guy named Tim Koh, whom I never heard of. He’s responsible for
all the high pitched sounds, and John for the low end rumblings. Their
sounds are thrown into a computer and probably fucked around some more
times. Apperentely they paid close attention to recent doodlings on labels
such as Mego, as the five untitled improvisations sound like outtakes of
Rehberg, Bauer and Fennesz (well or any other combination) live. Wiese
moves away from traditional noise, which is a good thing. Those paths we’ve
seen, and he now enters a new territory, that of improvised laptronics.
With elements of sheer noise (such as in the third track), clicks and
beeps, Wiese and Koh find their way into the world of microwave. Welcome
boys. (FdW)
Address: http://home.earthlink.net/~johnwiese
JORGE CASTRO – LA TRANQUILLIDAD DE TU PRESENCIA (2CDR by Fusion Audio)
I am of course clueless who Jorge Castro is, save for some sick jokes I can
make on him such as the nephew of El Jeffe. He presents his work on a
double CDR from Fusion Audio, a label I never heard of – my mistake
probably. From what I understand from the spanish liner notes Castro’s
music is all generated from the sound of guitars, captured during
improvisation, also using echo and no computers. Castro gets his influence
from Robert Fripp, just like Micheal Peters, whose CD I reviewed a few
weeks ago. With the same source of inspiration, Castro arrives at a
different conclusion as Peters. ‘Cielo’ started out with a heavy, slightly
distorted strumming, so I feared noise, but during the 15 minute excursion,
this track grew into a moody, atmospheric, partly dwelling on feedback like
sound. ‘Navegando Por El Mar De La Esperanza’ is three times as long and
moves along various shores and landscapes. In much more pace he reaches for
the sounds by Jeff Pearce (his recent CD for Hypnos was reviewed a few
weeks ago), but Castro’s effects processings are less refined then Pearce.
No problem for me, I do like those lo-fi ambience.
Disc 2 has also two of these lenghty pieces and are likewise beautiful.
Great ambient stuff of the more daring kind. (FdW)
Address: <fusion@digital-intersect.com>
RAMFEJL – KUNST/KOMPOST (CD-R by Fase-A)
First release for both band and label. However is behind Ramfejl, I don’t
know. Ramfejl produces five long pieces of noise made with a synth and some
simple sound effects. Quite harsh noise, partly inspired by Merzbow
probably but less interesting. For a start not bad, but it’s going a bit
behind what we already know in the field of noise. It proofs clearly what
CDR releases can be about: the exploration of new artists and new sounds,
with diamonds hidden away somewhere. (FdW)
Address: <ramfejl@e-box.dk>
TAYLOR DEUPREE – .n (CD by Ritornell)
Taking the science of nanotechnology as its theme, this is an album of
digitised electronics, lovingly miniaturised and placed under an electron
microscope. Tiny particles of sound revolve and chime on .n, which is the
most abstract of any of Taylor’s albums that I’ve heard (at least in
comparison with an earlier work like comma,) although .n again takes the
idea of repetition as one of its core concepts. Don’t be mistaken that this
is some kind of quietude-marathon, where every binary blip has to strain to
be heard over the roaring silence; no, this is definitely there, and all
the better for it. Here, the building blocks of sound abide; there are no
lush synthesiser sweeps, or excessive filtering, only the barest and
cleanest’ of sine-type tones and pulses, crushed and re-shaped to
unrecognisable forms on the man’s trusty Mac. A very pleasurable listen
indeed and with the usual Ritornell packaging (the design of which
incidentally I quite like) complementing the disc’s contents rather
appropriately. (BL)
Addresses: www.mille-plateaux.com
ANDREAS BERTHLING – MENGERZEILE & GRUNBERGER (CD by Staalplaat)
GOEM – PUNIK (CD by Staalplaat)
Two new CD’s in the new ‘material’ series from Staalplaat. This series is
appearantly dedicated to microscopic sounds and the “glitch”, “clicks” or
whatever people call it… we all know what it is.
Andreas Berthling, a name new to me, has a very simple approach, even a
little lo-fi if I dare to say. Throughout you hear very minimal things that
do not really shift into anything special, it is like he is provoking the
listener a bit in an interesting way, altough the results could become more
sharp and dynamic.
Goem’s CD is recorded at the EMS studios in Stockholm, so my guess is that
what we hear is a lot of the studio’s special gear, although they do not
seem to completely freak out in there wich I would have hoped for. One
thing that immediatly strikes me is that at some points this sound more
somewhat towards old industrial music (TG) than any “glitch”. Not meant in
a bad way at all. As with Andreas Berthling this CD is very minimal, but
more dynamic. The only problem I have with it is that the tracks build up
into a steady beat, so to speak, that goes on for too long without any
surprises in it. But that might be just a personal taste for variety I
have. (HB)
(address: www.staalplaat.com)