PHILL NIBLOCK – TOUCH WORKS, FOR HURDY GURDY AD VOICE (CD by Touch)
THE SILVERMAN – STATE OF UNION (CDR by Terminal Kaleidoscope)
CD SLOPPER – SASKIEWOXI (CD by OR)
DION WORKMAN & ROHAN THOMAS – K (CD by Sigma Editions)
TORE HONORÉ BØE – PRO MOTION (MP3’s at www.kunst.no/origami/tore)
AELAB – SPARKS (CD by Oral)
HANS FJELLESTAD – Red Sauce Baby; SHOW – Donkey (CD on ACCRETIONS)
RE:KUSAKI (Compilation cd by Angelika Koehlermann)
PHILL NIBLOCK – TOUCH WORKS, FOR HURDY GURDY AD VOICE (CD by Touch)
The first time I heard music by Phill Niblock was, I think, in 1980 or
1981. I bought a cassette ‘From Brussels With Love’ and there was an
interview with Brian Eno while in the background there was playing ‘Nothing
To Look At’ LP by Phill Niblock. I heard the entire interview without
trying to pay much attention to Eno’s babbling, but trying to concentrate
on the music. My interest was aroused at that time for minimal music, and I
vaguely picked up the name Niblock somewhere. Years later I got the
original LP. Niblock’s output has been quite small and underrated, at least
that’s why I think. He isn’t as known as the famous minimalist twins, as
obscure as the guru, or digging the archives as others. If Niblock gives us
something it’s new work. This new CD has three recent works. In the past,
Niblock used multi-track equipment to layer pieces of say a flute, or a
cello. By cutting out the attack, one contious soundstream emerged. At
first hearing maybe static, but at close hearing constantely moving.
Especially when played loud, music fills your room and by moving through
your space, frequencies change. Much a like Alvin Lucier, but using
traditional instruments. The days of analogue multi-track and tape splicing
are gone, as Niblock uses Pro-Tools and samples now. The first piece is
made with gurdy hurdy samples played by Jim O’Rourke. These are then
layered over 24 Pro-Tool tracks, some changes in octaves and a beautiful
tapestry unfolds. The other two pieces are like twins. The first uses a
vocal samples in pretty much the same fashion and has a quasi religous tone
to it. In the third piece, this is repeated but added is singing in real
time (and spread over an additional 15 tracks). I think Niblock has
succesfully adapted new recording techniques to arrive at what he is good
at. His own unique minimal drone music, free of melody and rhythm.
Unlike many other Touch releases, this comes with a highly interesting
booklet in which Niblock tells us about the ins and outs of his recording
technique. Great release!!! (FdW)
Address: www.touch.demon.co.uk
THE SILVERMAN – STATE OF UNION (CDR by Terminal Kaleidoscope)
The Silverman is one of the two remaining founding fathers of The Legendary
Pink Dots. But unlike frontman Edward Ka-spel, his solo releases aren’t as
many. This is third full solo release, and serves partly as a sketch book
of ideas and stuff he did on a solo tour. The music by The Silverman only
has a far away resemblance of the Legendary Pink Dots, like just one layer
is distilled and used as the backbone of an entire new world. It could be
described by that dreaded term ambient, but it doesn’t justify it. The
sounds inside this release are at times far too alien to be filled under
ambient. It moves along many different territories, ambient, cosmic, new
age, but it takes out the best elements and it is presented in a rather own
way. Music that is like a disturbing dream, not a nightmare but a
surrealistic dream. (FdW)
Address: P.O.Box 38253 – 6503 AG Nijmegen
CD SLOPPER – SASKIEWOXI (CD by OR)
CD Slopper is one of those names that buzz around, and you have a vague
idea but you can never release place them, as they do not have particular
many releases available. CD Slopper is the relationship between Oswald
Berthold and (founding member of Farmers Manual) and Florian Hecker (artist
in his own right). This is the hardcore laptop scene, using them way before
anybody else. In just under 38 minutes they throw 44 tracks at you,
possibly using every plug in they can find. Strange scratchy rhythms and
buzzes, jumping back and forth. Most of the times abstract, noisy but at
times with a recognizable sound. I must admit I have some trouble with
this. It sounds all too easy, like stuff that you heard before, but then on
the other hand it is funny, it’s short pieces. So in the end it arrives at
‘yeah ok’. (FdW)
Address: www.orpresents.net
DION WORKMAN & ROHAN THOMAS – K (CD by Sigma Editions)
Dion & Rohan are Aussies who live(d) in The Netherlands for some time. Dion
runs the Sigma Editions, known for popularizing Vladislav Delay aswell as
releasing his own music with Mimit, Parmetier and D. Haines. I have no clue
what ‘K’ in the title stands for, but maybe Kilohertz? Even when this is
relatively short (just over 37 minutes), it is a very intense release. It
dwells at very high end glitches and an almost imperceivable high end
drone, which gradually becomes a very fat low end one. As I usually play
everything at a considerable low volume, I can easily state this is very
intense listening stuff. The second track is just entire drone thing
covering various sides of the sine wave spectrum and is maybe less intense,
but on the other hand maybe a bit more listenable. Both of these tracks are
very similar to Saichiko M no sampler input and is certainly not for the
weak of heart. Short, but nevertheless consistent throughout. (FdW)
Address: www.sigmaeditions.com
TORE HONORÉ BØE – PRO MOTION (MP3’s at www.kunst.no/origami/tore)
Mr. Bøe has been so kind to read my last review of his Serum 10″ it seems.
In that review I wondered what Serum would sound like without the
scratches. Well, it’s available for download, so I can now listen to the
original version. First of all, my favourite speed is not the actual one.
It is defenitely faster, but it starts with crackles as well. Still, this
version is different and, above all, shorter. But all these 9 tracks are
very short and concise. Sometimes defenitely too short, if I’m asked. Then
again, this is the strength of the tracks in some cases. And for internet
handicapped persons like myself (with an analog line and a slow modem), it
is a relief as well. Back to business: Bøe gives us a range of different
tracks and a wide range of different sound sources, blended together in an
almost calm way, but without ever losing power. Clear acoustic sounds merge
with distorted electronics to create very short soundscapes, that are gone
before you know it. Very well done stuff. I want more. (MR)
AELAB – SPARKS (CD by Oral)
AElab is a Canadian audiovisual project, making immersive installations
using sound, video, light and photography. Sparks is the residue of a work
based on the ideas of Tesla and was edited in such a way as to be able to
stand alone. The CD contains three tracks of an ambient nature with some
clicky influences here and there. Now I am not your average ambient fan,
but somehow this music captures my attention very strongly. The sound
quality is very good, with a lot of space (I do not mean reverb) and with
the use of sound sources that I certainly couldn’t figure out. The sound is
actually quite immersive, but without an overdose of FX or other gimmicks.
Things are constantly changing and moving, and somehow this is quite
powerful stuff. The combination between drones, clicks and synth sequences
works very well indeed and is certainly an enrichment of the click or
glitch genre. (MR)
Address: www.oral.qc.ca
HANS FJELLESTAD – Red Sauce Baby; SHOW – Donkey (CD on ACCRETIONS)
Label and musicians are new to me. Accretions is an artist-based
independent label in San Diego, California. With both cds they throw
release number 19 and 20 into the world.
A solo cd by Hans Fjellestad; Show is Hans Fjellestad (keyboards,
electronics) and Damon Holzborn (guitars, electronics). Fjellestad studied
compostion and improvisation with George Lewis and piano with Krzystof
Brzuza. Damon Holzborn studied improvisation with George Lewis and guitar
with Celin Romero. He also studied composition with Frederic Rzewkski,
Brain ‘New Complexity’ Ferneyhough and others. Fjellestad composed for
film, video, theater and dance. He perfoms regularly as a solo
improvisor-painist and is member of several music ensembles as
keyboardplayer. As videographer/editor he worked with Johnny – Rotten –
Lydon, Soundgarden, Rhino Records, etc. Holzborn is mainly actiove as a
guitarst in several music ensembles in southern California. Both are
foundsing members of the Trummerflora collective (www.trummerflora.com).
They play together since 1992 and did many concerts in California. They are
described as “an electroacustic improvisation duo that explores the
territory between open form and structured improvisation and noise art.”
The cd ‘Donkey’ contains 7 pieces, all live recorded in 1999- 2000. They
are guest appearnces by Matt Ingalls (clarinet, violin) and Marcus B
(turntables, electronics). Their music sounds a little academic. These guys
are serious. The electronic sounds produced made me often think of old
electronic instruments. Information enclosed gives no clue. It is hard to
make any comparisons. I liked especially the contributions by Matt Ingals
in two tracks on clarinet (track 2) and violin (ttrack 6). He adds more
colour to the whole.
The solo cd by Fjellstand has three solopieces Fjellestad playing piano,
prepared piano and additional electronics.. The other pieces have different
line-ups. Two pieces for two pianos. Three pieces for bigger line-ups
including. There is information included on all tracks. Fjellestad plays
with the relation between composition and improvisation: “The compositions
on Red Sauce Baby maintain an improvisational nature and sensibilityu, with
teh composer role relating more to what John Zorn calls a ‘prompter’. In
this cxontext composition is not so much a strategy for controlling the
musical output, but more a catalyst for a musical event. (DM)
Address: www.accretions.com
RE:KUSAKI (Compilation cd by Angelika Koehlermann)
Sorry to say, the “Bye bye babe”-album from Japanese singer/songwriter
Michiko Kusaki, apparently passed my nose without attention, when it was
released in 1999. To me and to other unlucky ones, Angelika Koehlermann,
the label responsible for the release of “Bye bye babe”, gives a second
chance to experience the excitement of Michiko Kusaki’s pop-tunes, thanks
to this tribute album entitled “Re:Kusaki”. With full respect to Michiko
Kusaki, the magic tones of “Bye bye babe” are transformed into unusual
sound-sculptures created by artists such as Pita, DMX Krew and Chicks on
speed. Thus the listener is confronted with a wide range of interpretations
stretching from wacky techno across Shibuya-kei kitsch to violently
distorted black metal. Quite successfully the Angelika Koehlermann-label
not only gives us a second chance They inspire us to pay our attention to
Michiko Kusaki’s original work of art. Not bad at all! (NMP)
Address: http://angelika.koehlermann.at/