SOMATIC RESPONSES – TOUCHING THE VOID (CD by Hymen)
JANEK SCHAEFER – HIS MASTER’S VOICE (CD by audiOh!)
CLICKS & CUTS 3 (CDx2 by Mille Plateaux)
ADRIEN75 – COASTAL ACESS (CD by Source Records)
SUDDEN INFANT – TURNTABLE COOKBOOK (CDR by Gameboy Records)
THE FALLOPIAN BORTHERS (CDEP, self-produced)
LANDING – FADE IN/FADE OUT (CDEP by Strange Attractors)
LOTAHING ROBOTS – LOATHING ROBOTS (CD by Worthy Records)
NIMH – FROZEN (CDR by Afe)
J. LINDREN – FLYKTIG LIKT RÖKEN FRåN FÖRTVIVLANS FLADDRANDE FLAMMA
(MP3+PDF by Fukk God, Let’s Create)
PROEM – NO_CARRIEr (CDEP by Component Records)
VROMB – MEMORIES PARAMOLECULAIRES (CD by Hush Hush)
VROMB – LE TOURNE-DISQUE (CDEP by Ant-Zen)
JASON LESCALLEET – MATTRESSLESSNESS (CD by Cut)
TOSHIYUKI KOBAYASHI – MINIATURE FILM SET (3″CDR by Amidisk)
ODOT.LAMM – MY FAVOURITE THINGS (CD by Active Suspension)
REPEAT – POOL (CD by Cut)
I’VE NEVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAD DONE IT (CDR by Rossbin)
ANDREA MARUTTI – TRACES 94-95 (3″ CDR by Taalem)
I:WOUND – TRIPTYCH 2: SKARZ (3″ CDR by Taalem)
INTERNAL FUSION – NEDENBAHE (3″ CDR by Taalem)
LECANORA – KRACK (3″ CDR by Taalem)
DESACCORD MAJEUR – LA NEUVIEME HEURE (3″ CDR by Taalem)
LIQUID SPHERE – HYPOCRACY (3″ CDR by Taalem)
NIMH – LAMMA MEMORIES (3″ CDR by Taalem)
JAMES P. KEELER – 5 SHADES FOR A GREY ROOM (3″ CDR by Taalem)
SITI OOKESTRA – NEW BEAT FOR BABY (CDR by Negative Foundation)
SUFFER/ENJOY (CD by Antifrost)
SOMATIC RESPONSES – TOUCHING THE VOID (CD by Hymen)
Third full length-album from the two Irish brothers, John and Paul
Healy, calling themselves Somatic Responses does stay true to the
sound of their previous albums. And that certainly is not bad news.
The sound of Somatic Responses is unmistakable. Not because that the
combination of harsh breakbeats and technoid sounds are new and
unexplored. Quite a few artists on German label Hymen as well as
fellow-label Ant-Zen Recordings work within that area. What separates
Somatic Responses from others is the ability to combine harsh sounds
and warm ambience into a superb blend. Beauty meets ugly. Like
floating in landscapes of futuristic decay, the listener gets
surrounded by harsh technoid breakbeats that swirl inside dark waves
of sonic ambience. Sinister as well as beautiful. Somatic responses
manage to stay balanced between if not extremely aggressive, then
quite abrasive noise and soundscapes of beautiful ambience. Somatic
Responses works in areas between Industrial, Power Noise and
Drum’n’bass, but certainly the musical spectre stretches much further
than just that. Title track “Touching the void” has a funky feeling
of broken break-beats and a sort of spacey melody, that reminds me of
one of the very first jungle-releases ever and my unbeatable
favourite within the breakbeat-style: T-Power’s “The Self-Evident
Truth of an Intuitive Mind” released on S.O.U.R. Records back in
1995. “Touching the void” is an, in all senses, superb album by
Somatic Responses, if not their best work to date. I think I vote for
the last! (NMP)
Address: www.klangstabil.com/hymen
JANEK SCHAEFER – HIS MASTER’S VOICE (CD by audiOh!)
This is Schaefer’s first ever recording using the completely live
process of the Tri-Phonic Turntable dated back to 1997. I opened the
hand numbered, very limited edition, hand lathed vinyl which comes
with an additional cd-r to delight. Subtle sophistication, black on
black printing, the packaging is artfully subdued. The sound ranges
from electronic ocean waves and open static electricity to the title
track which is a Plunderphonic collage, Schaefer’s first in this
style. We hear T.S. Elliot reading from a mono-based extract of a
mid 1940s poem as Schaefer manipulates the tone arms, plays with
speeds and other sound differentials. The finished piece is
stunningly open and warm, almost like a scientific technician
explaining his process to a class. It’s hard to easily capture the
larger sonicism on this recording, but it is a perfect example in
some real basic audio differences between vinyl and CD. The warmth,
the crackle, the hiss, all seem more cozied up in bed with you here
as the transluscent grooves spin. We are treated to sci-fi anthems
and warped, woodpeckery perky percussion. Steamy, filtered blasts of
fine hosed air, billowing out and sucking in. It’s so crisp and
clean. Sounds like a lab at the edge of an island. Schaefer himself
has painstakingly put the package together and to lustrous effect.
Get ’em while there hot (off the press)! (TJN)
Address: http://www.audioh.com
CLICKS & CUTS 3 (CDx2 by Mille Plateaux)
Germany’s Mille Plateaux, the powerhouse of mimimal experimental
electronica, has unveiled its new Clicks & Cuts 3, becoming the
latest in a continuum of its series dedicated to all the smaller,
finite, mini sounds around. Included here are a veritable who’s who
of the genre. No called anything from click/cut to microsound to
techno redux to my preffered, beatless, this collection of buzz, hiss
and static has a delicious creamy center. Tracks are included by Alva
Noto, Michel Stavöstrand, Swayzak, Tim Hecker, Atom Heart’s Geeez N’
Gosh and many others. From what is evidenced herein the sounds are
expanding and exploding. Funkier, deeper beats this time around.
There is a concentration on breath and voice in tracks from artists
like SND to Luomo. Claudia Bonarelli’s contribution “Disarm The
Police” has a pulse-pace, slow-slow-quick-quick-slow. This double
disc has street smarts and attitude, unlike its colder, sharper
predecessors. But with this new found freedom there may be a certain
rejection of what was previously built into differentiating this
series from others. Or maybe the dialogue has just opened up wide
and said AHHHHH! A nice surprise is a piece by Boris Polonski which
just takes formula and screws around with it. Having fun with a Mouse
on Mars vs. Wurlitzer aesthetic, a happy lil’ theme peeps up behind
all the sporadicism. I find this blending finely right into the
always startling and fun sound-art work of DAT Politics’ on “Bubble
Queen” with its compu-voices stretched and tweaked ala Richard James
and/or V/VM. Deru (Benjamin Wynn) re-enacts what could seemingly be a
full functioning lung in his big bellowing “Migrade” which has a
tender thematic approach. Frankfurt-based composer and educator,
Ekkehard Ehlers offers a nice surprise, an abstract and droned-out
wash of dulled pastel sounds, with a recycled feel, an end of the day
stressed out letting go, a Nyquil-infused hybrid of sound noise. The
theme, if there is one, is lighter-on-your-feet fractured techno
beats with well oiled heels planted firmly in a time machine destined
to strut somewhere in the future. Clicks & Cuts 3 is a unique
experiment in equivalents, making a universal association of artists
based on several continents. It’s post-disco, post language
barrier. This recording seems to blend “old skool” clicks/cuts with a
sultry beat of divine rhythms as clearly evidenced in the warm down
tempo “Lovers Inn” by Antonelli Electr. Tim Hecker’s “Brownwedding’
weaves sonic sewing machines and a trail of suppressed voice with a
peculiarly micro-hidden dance beat. Though many tracks paraphrase
what Berlin producer Pole (Stefan Betke) has been doing for several
years, the “sound of right now” is just all warm and fuzzy – perfect
for these winter months! (TJN)
Address: http://www.mille-plateaux.net
ADRIEN75 – COASTAL ACESS (CD by Source Records)
Adrien Capozzi has developed a sort of conceptual venture through the
twisting, oceanic California coast. Like sleepwalking through a
timewarp morphing into a resilient layering of complex ambient beats,
just under the surface. This debut is a quiet, plotting adjunct to
suspenseful movie themes, a dance on the surface of a big blue ocean.
A lullaby for a new millennium. (TJN)
Address: http://www.source-records.com
SUDDEN INFANT – TURNTABLE COOKBOOK (CDR by Gameboy Records)
Sudden Infant is the long running project of Joke Lanz, member of the
Swiss Schimpfluch-Gruppe. As the title states this cdr presents
Joke’s vinyl manipulations using records by the Germs, Cramps,
Minton, Schnebel, Kraftwerk, Suicide, Lydia Lunch among others. Joke
abuses these records through 24 tracks in 46 minutes. The tracks are
structured and short, often with a base loop holding the compositions
together with some “scratching” on top. Other tracks are more
abstract and fragmented, and these i prefer, when the source vinyl is
not readily apparent. The extended vocal snippets wear thin after
awhile, whereas the abstract pieces invite repeated listenings. As
always with Joke’s work there is a good sense of humor throughout,
often lacking in noise music that can take itself too seriously at
times.
(JS)
Address: http://www.angelfire.com/pa2/gamenoise/
THE FALLOPIAN BORTHERS (CDEP, self-produced)
Hailing from St. Louis, the fallopian brothers have created a
drone-based audio work that is built to accompany DVD projection. Set
up almost as a non-band format, the fallopian brothers use field
recordings and guitar treatments on this disc drawing from deep dark
space. The four-track, half-hour recording has a bold bellows and is
mystically sleep inducing. Understated Indian-infused rhythms dance
through its conclusion. Though I could ‘imagine’ what I might see at
one of their live performances, reaching a nearby sofa would provoke a
certain out-of-body-experience while listening. (TJN)
Address: <fallopianbrothers@hotmail.com>
LANDING – FADE IN/FADE OUT (CDEP by Strange Attractors)
Strange Attractors is without a doubt Portland Oregon’s newest, far
reaching instrumental label. Part Constellation, part Alien8 and part
Staalplaat, this Pacific Northwest label is one to watch. As Fade
In/Fade Out opens we have the sweet melodic guitar drone from this
Connecticut-based four-piece. Shaped organically, the near ambient
tones wash and swirl in slow-motion. This will appeal to stalwart
fans of Windy & Carl, Godspeed You Black Emperor and Flying Saucer
Attack. A blend of occasional sweeping vocal and pigmented by bass
guitar and micromoog, the sound seems endless. Drenched in supposed
forest imagery, lost in the glimmer of a stream or the brilliance of
white water rapids, this recording proposes the feeling of
suspension. At almost 40 minutes, this is almost a full length, but
hints at a deep
future. (TJN)
Address: http://www.strange-attractors.com
LOTAHING ROBOTS – LOATHING ROBOTS (CD by Worthy Records)
Matt Bourassa and Anne Sulikowski (Psychosomatic Climax Machine) make
up this electro tinkering team. This disc is totally off-center,
dreamy in a way. Sulikowski has been busy as both a DJ and under
several recording monikers. This is sensitive music for worn ears.
This set is low to the ground, puzzling as it wraps around and
engorges itself slowly, time released and snakelike. These sounds
seem interchangeable – could be used as part of an installation,
maybe for film, and just plain to chill to. This is somewhere between
K.K. Null and infinity. This hour long aural fantasy is filled with
steam, electronic voices and an impenetrable wall of low-fi noise.
You won’t find this in your local towering record store. (TJN)
Address: <worthyrecords@hotmail.com>
NIMH – FROZEN (CDR by Afe)
Giuseppe Verticchio composed this limited edition hour-long piece in
2000. Milan-based Afe Records takes the necessary steps to getting
this deeply tonal recording distributed to an addition 100 lucky
folks all over the world. It’s a long-play piece, track sequenced
into parts
of drone hum, as dark as nighttime in the woods. Inebriating between
its infrequent peaks, this disc has all the gusto of a revving
aircraft, or power plant. This is beatless and bottomless. (TJN)
Address: http://www.aferecords.com
J. LINDREN – FLYKTIG LIKT RÖKEN FRåN FÖRTVIVLANS FLADDRANDE FLAMMA
(MP3+PDF by Fukk God, Let’s Create)
Jonas Lindgren should be familiar name to some, recently appearing on
the lowercase 2.0 and circle0 compilations. This is the second
installment in Lindgren’s fire trilogy, the first of which was
reviewed in Vital 323. For these four songs Lindgren uses
synthesizers, toy melodica, and field recordings with signal
processing to somewhat disguise the original sources. The first track
starts slowly with quiet and deep drones and a light shimmering
melody floating on the surface. The second, entitled Irrbloss, runs
through changing landscape of colored drones. My favorite track,
Mandala, is the longest running at over 9 minutes. A drudge like
melody repeats and loops through, ever so slowly. Think of lowercase
heavy metal, or glitch punk. The closing track, is a short piece
returning to the feel of the first track, with more muffled drones
with gentle ringing tones produced from the processed toy melodia.
A great installment to the series, and its free to boot. (JS)
Address: http://www.fukkgod.org/
PROEM – NO_CARRIEr (CDEP by Component Records)
Metal beats, slower than your average sparkling dance floor. Cold
open space with winds and eerie deep triggers and snaps. The title
track has a deep percussive beat on this six-track, 20 minute 3″ disc
unleashed by Connecticut based Component Records. This disc is more
concerned with its conceptually built sounds than another needless
flight into tedious house or techno – but is flavored by both genres
to an extent. The recording sounds as if it were inside a cavern –
its got crisp full sound, almost as if it were being played live
right alongside you. There is a flirtation with gameboy framework and
at times sounds like Rachmaninoff meets a fencing team. What makes
his work so fun is its attention to spectral possibilities and the
way he does not hesitate to find the undisturbed side of his mixer.
Proem has an afterlife. (TJN)
Address: http://www.componentrecords.com
VROMB – MEMORIES PARAMOLECULAIRES (CD by Hush Hush)
VROMB – LE TOURNE-DISQUE (CDEP by Ant-Zen)
Hugo Girard is an electronic enfant terrible, but may never be a
household word. I kinda like it that way – almost like “our little
secret”. There is a waltzing, mystery to all of his work. On
Memoires paramoleculaires this Montreal-based sound architect has
interpreted the work of scientific experimenter Heurel Gaudot. What
results is a real experimental montage of sounds, from mechanisms to
gasses to meters and monitors, amped and quieted. There are moments
where things seem to pick up and illuminate live wires in an antidote
for sci-fi curiosity. This hour-long trip is like sailing on a
two-dimensional horizon line and bleeding off its edge. This
conceptual recording has no storyline for you to connect the dots,
though it may make your head spin in circles for a moment in time.
On Le tourne-disque Girard uses the language of pitter patter beat,
with almost pop syncopation. This makes me move. These three tracks
almost represent remixes on a theme. Layering percussion atop
itself there are moments of uneasy silence and dramatic pause. A
French girl speaks, maybe the girl appearing on the cover? Vromb
takes steps to alter the staid beat-for-beat sake syndrome by putting
the listener in an aural lockdown, building and teasing in its
valleys. This is Girard at his most playful. Le tourne-disque is a
limited edition 3″ collectable, clocking in at about 20 minutes, is
certainly not your average CD
single! (TJN)
Address: http://www.hushush.com/
Address: http://www.ant-zen.com
JASON LESCALLEET – MATTRESSLESSNESS (CD by Cut)
I saw Jason Lescalleet earlier this year playing a concert in a
student building in Bard College. It was a church like setting, and
Lescalleet who mostly facing the wall with his back to the audience,
rumming about with some old reel to reel recorders, contact
microphones and a guitar amplifier. The off and on wall of noise
approach sounded quite impressive, certainly with the sparse light
inside this small church and the rain pouring outside, but I was also
thinking that this kind of ambient/musique concrete stuff sounded
also a bit outdated. I knew some of his work with others (like John
Hudak, Nmperign and Greg Kelley), but from the sparse information of
those releases, it was hard to tell what kind of instruments he was
using, if at all and therefore it would be good to see a solo release
by him, and this is then his first CD. Each track is dedicated to one
or more persons, which is funny, because one starts to search for
relations between this piece and to whom it is dedicated. The first
piece is a pure sine wave experiment ranging all over the sonic
spectrum, but it’s uniform approach is not well spend on me. The
other five tracks are what I remember of the concert: looped sounds
maybe originating from contact microphones, analogue synthesizers or
maybe shortwave radios. Lescalleet plays around with dynamics a lot:
things can go from rather soft to rather loud and it’s the suprise
element that is important for his music. I must say that even when I
like this CD to some extent, I still think that it’s a bit old styled
ambient industrial/musique concrete music, but one that is better
recorded (and in most cases also better worked out) then much of the
old glut on cassettes. So, even with this idea of an old retro, still
a nice done solo release by Lescalleet. (FdW)
Address: www.cut.fm
TOSHIYUKI KOBAYASHI – MINIATURE FILM SET (3″CDR by Amidisk)
Amidisk is a new small label from London, whose first release is a
cute 3″ CDR by Toshiyuki Kobayashi, which might be a small soundtrack
to a likewise small film. Sounds of an undefined nature are fed to a
hungry computer – chirp chirp, and like a little robot the computer
starts to speak the language of science fiction. Strange, at times
nerving soundtrack of life on planet X (the discovery is: there is no
life), were the camera pans in to rocks and sand but the wind blows
the camera over and suddenly we watch the sky over Planet X. All of
this in less then fifteen minutes. And Kobayashi delivers the perfect
soundtrack for such a movie. (FdW)
Address: <ktoshi_yuki@yahoo.co.jp>
ODOT.LAMM – MY FAVOURITE THINGS (CD by Active Suspension)
Ah, remix records. Who needs them? Probably the artists who like to
remix, the labels who like to show off with great remixers and maybe
rik publik who wants his favourite remixers on a CD (again?). Here
the entire backcatalogue of Oliver Lamm, who is now baptized
Odot.Lamm, gets the full remix treatment via a whole bunch of
remixers, from Blevin Blectum to Team Doyobi, from Gordz to Noak
Katol. To mention two knows and two unknowns – at least for me.
Lamm’s records, previously released by Active Suspension, were a fine
mixture of laptop wizzardry with pop tunings and musings, but weird
enough to be really captivating. It’s hard to see this collection as
a bunch of remixes of the original, because almost all of them sound
like they could have been recorded by Oliver Lamm. So the idea of a
remix album that brings the original into new territory is not met
here. That is a pity, from the label’s point of view, because it will
not bring O.Lamm many new fans from new territories. However the
music overall is quite nice, even when it stays so close to the
original. Domotic has the funniest contribution with his casio
doodlings, Gordz rock way out, Steve Roden’s microscopic research is
nice, but maybe out of place and Noak Katol deliveres the finest
moment, with glitch pop and christmas bells. (FdW)
Address: www.activesuspension.org
REPEAT – POOL (CD by Cut)
Among all the improvisational music projects in the world, sometimes
a collaboration arrives which lasts for a longer time and almost
becomes a band. Repeat is such a band. It’s Toshimaru Nakamura, the
famous no input mixing board improviser and Jason Kahn, the likewise
famous percussion player and laptop improviser. ‘Pool’ is their
fourth CD and it’s a studio CD. Seven tracks were recorded in a day
and five of them were mixed by Jason and two by Toshimaru. The main
focus in their sound is lengthty, stretched sounds, almost ambient in
nature, but the pure tones involved make it more classical in
approach then living room ambient. Especially the five tracks mixed
by Jason are very austere in approach, very single minded on a few
tones. It sounds like they have been remixed by Alvin Lucier. The two
tracks by Toshimaru are much longer, but also how a deeper interest
in looping sounds and a more rhythmical in approach. There are more
vivid, and almost sound like Ikeda doing a mix of both his ‘Matrix’
CDs. Interesting approach this CD to see the same material being
worked out so differentely, and both end up with a great result. (FdW)
Address: www.cut.fm
I’VE NEVER THOUGHT YOU WOULD HAD DONE IT (CDR by Rossbin)
How sweet: a compilation for a wedding. Although by now I have mixed
feelings about the whole idea of marriage, I think it’s a very nice
thing to do. And certainly when you have friends inside the music
business who are willing to send you a musical tribute. Here for the
wedding of the labelboss of Rossbin a whole bunch of artists send in
their songs. Unfortunally these are not always love songs, but maybe
that’s not what Mr. Rossbin wanted anyway. Rossbin is a label which
deals with mostly improvised music, fringing on the edge with noise.
So expecting love songs is not the right thing, but the piece by
Ferran Fages with his ‘Portabel [sic] Feedback Systema’ doesn’t like
love nor a labour of love. ‘Reveling A Wedding’ by Archery Target
with it’s loop of a waltz and noise comes much more to the idea. But
for the bigger part these tracks are ‘just’ music pieces and not
specially commissioned pieces of music for weddings. The results are
sometimes quite nice (Tu’M, Stelzer/Talbot, John Hudak, Jason Kahn)
and sometimes result too much is sonic freakery. Just like any normal
compilation, I’d say. Maybe it’s like a marriage: there will be good
days and there will be bad days. I hope this marriage will last long.
(FdW)
Address: www.rossbin.com
ANDREA MARUTTI – TRACES 94-95 (3″ CDR by Taalem)
I:WOUND – TRIPTYCH 2: SKARZ (3″ CDR by Taalem)
INTERNAL FUSION – NEDENBAHE (3″ CDR by Taalem)
LECANORA – KRACK (3″ CDR by Taalem)
DESACCORD MAJEUR – LA NEUVIEME HEURE (3″ CDR by Taalem)
LIQUID SPHERE – HYPOCRACY (3″ CDR by Taalem)
NIMH – LAMMA MEMORIES (3″ CDR by Taalem)
JAMES P. KEELER – 5 SHADES FOR A GREY ROOM (3″ CDR by Taalem)
Taalem is a sublabel of Harmonie, a French label that is specialized
in releasing dark ambient music. In their Taalem series there have
been so far eight releases in 3″ CDR format, all very simple in
layout: a crystal box with a sticker on the front and back and
nothing else. Without doing justice to each release, this review is
an overview of all releases so far. Andrea Marutti works also under
the names Amon and Never Known and is a master of dark soundscapes
using mainly analogue and digital synthesizers. Although his approach
is nice, it’s also a bit too much on the normal side of affairs like
this. But executed with care. I:Wound has many releases on his own
label, and Sascha Karminski is a collector of sounds found on the
streets, mainly in a country like India. Many of his releases are
multi-layered, and thus chaotic assemblages of street sounds, with
just a little bit of sound processing.
Internal Fusion has two lengthy pieces which do not sound like a big
surprise if one knows his CD on Staalplaat. A mixture of samples,
dark electronics and rhythms in a pseudo ethnic style. Behind
Lecanora is Cyril Herry, whose previous names included Exotoendo and
Sechres Mound, his collaboration with Cedric Peyronnet, aka Toy
Bizarre. His three pieces also deal with sampling of various acoustic
instruments, like cello and violin (euhh me thinks of course). The
result is intimate chamber music.
Desaccord Majeur is a kind of sister band with Internal Fusion (with
whom they made a CD as Tlon Uqbar) and here too pseudo ethnic
rhythms, sampled tablas and street sounds are embedded in a less dark
ambient atmosphere. Liquid Sphere is a new name for me. They have
apperentely released some works, but this is my first introduction.
The four pieces are dark ambient pieces of a more raw nature, a less
refined Main or Lull, kinda like slowed down instruments which have
been attacked by a bunch of sound effects. Also new for me is Nimh,
aka Giuseppe Verticchio, who works exclusively with instruments from
Thailand, which he processes through effects. The trumpets trough
delay sound of course ritualistik, but it’s nice music – even for me,
the non lover of this kind of stuff. Keeler also works as Wilt, whose
CDR on Mystery Sea we reviewed before (Vital Weekly 323 and his CD on
Ad Noiseum, Vital Weekly 344). More dark, unearthly rumblings from
his side. I think it’s a bit more looped then before, but overal no
major career move.
Many sides of ambient industrial are covered in these eight 3″ CDRs,
so there is a little bit for everyone in this nice series. (FdW)
Address: http://come.to/taalem
BIG SITI OOKESTRA – NEW BEAT FOR BABY (CDR by Negative Foundation)
Big Siti Ookestra of course you know as Big City Orchestra. They have
been underground before the word existed. Releasing still, after all
these years, CDs, CDRs and cassettes (for some reason there was never
much on vinyl by them), in which they poke fun with popmusic (in
‘Beatlerape’), radioplays and industrial music. Most of their CDs
have a bunch of ‘real’ tracks and a bunch of sounds freely to be used
by anyone, the ‘Big City Orchestra Sound Effects Library’. Here
volume 11 already. Primarily Big City Orchestra is project by one dAS
and Robo, plus guest players. From these 47 tracks, six are songs and
41 are sound effects. These sound effects are mainly spoken word
lifted from radio and tv. I must say I rather prefer the non spoken
word sound effects to use. The six tracks are lengthy excursions in
industrialized rhythms, loaded with dark edged sounds of synths.
Every inch of the sound is filled with something, a beat, noise and
more beat and noise. Although this is not a bad release at all, I
must say that I had hopes to see some more development for Big City
Orchestra which would maybe be about time now. The way it sounds
here, is what we know from from the earlier works too. It would be
nice to see how they could try and change industrial music…
Address: <jurjoen@st.jyu.fi>
SUFFER/ENJOY (CD by Antifrost)
Now here is a concept for you: every track on this compilation was
recorded within a maximum bandwidth of 200hz, so a track is between
zero and 200 Hz or 991 and 1191 herz. For those not in the know: zero
is very low, 20.000 is very high. It’s not an easy task for a
composer to limit oneself in such a small frequency range. For this
kind of experimental music it’s no wonder that nine of the eleven
tracks are below 2300 Hz and only two 14000 to 17000 Hz, meaning
there is hardly any midrange track. Experimental music these days is
mainly an excursion in radical frequencies and not necessarily about
experimental music itself – me wonders. The two high frequency pieces
(by Jason Kahn and Kim Cascone) are indeed ear piercing pieces, and
even in Cascone’s case a barely audible one. That’s the last track on
the CD and bites the first one on the CD, by Francisco Lopez which is
also barely audible, except for a dramatic bump towards the end of
the pieces. Whereas Lopez’ piece is hardly there and more zero Hz
then 200, the second track by PG 13 is more 200 then zero and Utah
Kawasaki’s piece is more in between (all of these operate from zero
to 200) – it’s interesting to see the differences. All of these
eleven pieces operate on a minimal level as you can imagine.
Sometimes the limitation doesn’t do the music justice (like the
Philip Samartzis piece), but overall the musicians do a good job. And
what’s also good is that this CD doesn’t sound like an arty test
record. (FdW)
Address: www.antifrost.gr