VICTOR NUBLA – ANTICHON (CD by Hrönir)
INFRA RED ARMY – Black Body EP (mp3+pdf by Nexsound)
MR. NATURAL|MAN GENERATED|PRAYING FOR OBLIVION (3-way split CDR by RRe.R)
BANGKOK IMPACT – TRAVELER (CD by Crème Organization)
KAITO – SPECIAL LOVE (CD by Kompakt)
PHOLDE – … AND WITH IT, WE SHALL DIVIDE (CDR by Panta Rhei Recordings)
GEOLOGISTS AND PROFESSIONAL TOURISTS VOL. 2 (compilation CD by N&B Research Digest)
VIOLET – GREEN (CD by Zeromoon)
SEAN BERGIN – MOB MOBIEL (CD by DATA)
GRAVITONES PLUS SOUNDINGBRASS (CD by For T)
COR FUHLER & HAN BENNINK & WILBERT DE JOODE – Tinderbox – (CD by Data)
YOSHIHIRO HANNO – 9 MODULES.+ (Cd by Progressive Form)
SETH NEHIL – UMBRA (CD by Edition …)
…A DAY AT PETIT LE MANS – 6 OCTOBER 2001 ROAD ATLANTA
JOE COLLEY – 6 FEEDBACK CHANNELS (Both 7″ by Edition…)
TOM COX – STINT (3″CDR by Kissy Records)
JASON SOLIDAY – …SORRY I COULDN’T FIX YOUR HORSE (3″CDR by Kissy Records)
AIDAN BAKER – AT THE FOUNTAIN OF THIRST (CDR by Mystery Sea)
AIDAN BAKER – EYE OF DAY (CDR by Foreign Lands)
VICTOR NUBLA – ANTICHON (CD by Hrönir)
The spanish labels Gracia Territori Sonor, Hrönir and Snapping the Other History joined themselves together under the name of Gliptoteka Magdalae. The three labels want to work together under one and the same umbrella concerning distribution, press, lay-out, etc.
Victor Nubla needs no further introduction I suppose. This veteran started in 1976 as a member of Macromassa. Over the years he built up a gigantic oeuvre, most of it solo-work if I’m right. ‘Antichon’ his latest work, was live recorded on february 7th and 8th 2001 at the l’Espai Hall in Barcelona. An ensemble of 12 musicians play some new compositions of veteran Victor Nubla. To name a few: Kasper T.Toeplitz, Pascal Comelade, Francisco Lopez, Io Casino. I think it is unique for Nubla to record a work with so many musicians involved.
‘Antichon’ is a suite in 10 parts and reflects the work and progress of Nubla of the last five years. The first part reminded me lot of his older work. A cyclic electronic piece with voice.
All in all I needed several listenings before I began to appreciate this work. Not that it is complex and unintelligble. On the contrary, the pieces are very accessible, moody and atmospheric. Collages of sounds and music picked up from the radio mixed up with samplers, bass, tapes, synthesizer, etc, etc. But without any significance that strikes you immediately (DM).
Address: <gracia-territori@ctv.es>
INFRA RED ARMY – Black Body EP (mp3+pdf by Nexsound)
Computer plunderphonics from Ukraine on this 3 track mp3 release free for downloading from Nexsound. Samples of string ensembles and percussion are reassembled with additional dashes of electronics into very atmospheric and thematic pieces. This can easily be the soundtrack for a film, perhaps the samples utilized are themselves taken from the music of other films. The second track seems to contain fewer samples and is more of a “live” piece with multitracked guitar that has the same hyper-flanged sound that is on the ok_01 mp3 release on Nexsound. The third track, Opti Mystique, reminds me a lot of Sergey Kuryokhin’s soundtrack work, in its thematic development and mood. In any case the compositions are very strong and engaging and never fall into the novelty trap that some plunderphonic/sample music succumbs too. After a few listens the music does not wear thin-there are still things one can discover. (JS)
Address: http://www.nexsound.org
MR. NATURAL|MAN GENERATED|PRAYING FOR OBLIVION (3-way split CDR by RRe.R)
First in what is a new series of 3-way cdrs by RReR from Belgium. “Print Sustaining Surface” is the title of the track by Mr. Natural and seems to be a clue o the nature of the piece. What seems to be an old record player spins on a scratchy surface. With each revolution you can hear the diaphragm of the record player breathing through its snot encrusted speaker. Slowly a high pitched is heard distracting from the surface changes happening beneath. An interesting work that explores sounds as texture. The second track is a collaboration between all three groups. A dark and menacing wall of grey sound that builds up to a noisy finish. The next three tracks are by Man Generated, who provide fine examples of destroyed rock, using stone age tools found after the house has burned to the ground. Think of Karl Blake’s Prehensile Tales work sans vocals and you’ll get an idea of what’s happening here. Praying for Oblivion closes the cd, and is the least interesting of the lot. It’s a noisy affair, but not very dynamic and uses a limited palette of sounds for its material. Still it works well with the preceding tracks on an otherwise very enjoyable release. (JS)
Address: http://mangenerated.tripod.com
BANGKOK IMPACT – TRAVELER (CD by Crème Organization)
Bangkok Impact is Finnish twenty something Sami Liuski and “Traveler” is a retro-throwback to 70s disco, deceased long before his was born. Though that doesn’t stop this young guy from adopting the chord progressions of his many ancestors from Moroder to Kraftwerk. Vocoder-play makes rightful inferences to the latter on the smart-ass “Don’t Be A Badboy” which also recalls mid 80s Pet Shop Boys. Dutch label Crème really have given this kid an opportunity and he proves that instead of the sandbox he went from Speak & Spell to Gameboy to Korg. “Masters of the Universe pt 1.” Is the first likely dancefloor hit from the disc bringing with it a slowly building bridge of percussion and blurry vocal. “Traveler” never hesitates to entertain and lift you – and at the same time does not suffer from the usual DJ syndromes of having to keep the energy as high the entire time. Herein Liuski plays with handclaps, synth-bending, and funky squawking percussion as heard on “Logarrhytmic” which pays certain homage to Herbie Hancock’s early foray into electronics. A scene is set on “Passenger” – it is a sci-fi, wabi-sabi, bbq and only the lonely have arrived at the ranch tonight. Its twangy guitar and corny synth drumming play with memories of Depeche Mode and Ultravox. The Peter Baumann-esque whipping (circa the Dominatrix) on “Black Zoo” helps to concoct a sizzling awakening. Once the theremin-like instrumentation starts up it’s a transference into a land of space rocks, circa 60s Technicolor. This track has more in common with Front 242 and early Wax Tracks days than it does with other directives on this disc, its good but is too obviously not mixed in properly. As it and the final track “Slot Cars” are marked as bonus tracks the important delineation is made, and as such are forgiven and thanked for giving the listener an earful of the faster, funkier places this new electronic whizkid is traveling to. (TJN)
Address: http://www.creme-organization.nl/
KAITO – SPECIAL LOVE (CD by Kompakt)
In the world of contemporary ambient music there is a fine line drawn from the early days of Eno and Tangerine Dream into the world of Taylor Deupree, Main and Lilith. With many technological advances in equipment, the electronic music form has just plain exploded and therefore more artists are working to keep us listeners sated, tranced, seduced, chilled out. One such artist is Kaito (Hiroshi Watanabe) whose newest release “Special Love” appears on Germany’s Kompakt label (home to the work of Mike Ink, Thomas Brinkmann and many other acousticians). “Special Love” is a sublime combination of cyclical tracks, layered in a delicate array of harmonies. At times I am reminded of early Vangelis, and even Jean Michel-Jarre. One thing is for sure, Kaito has done his homework and has ambitiously filled the air with homage to his predecessors. The bending of sequenced sound reminisces with eras gone by in a way that is so sensitive to keeping the cheesier end of new age above the line. Though, I am sure someone out there would challenge me on that here, as this recording doesn’t stray to far from a conservative range of tonalities. Perhaps the only negative criticism that could be made here is that the sweet, bright sound on “Special Love” may not risk enough, it’s so safely seductive. Though this is supposedly a remix record there is no signs of beats – there are only stripped down flowing passages that would not be hype with your average club kid. One might aptly call this a sleeper – so play it on repeat all night long. (TJN)
Address: http://www.kompakt-net.de
PHOLDE – … AND WITH IT, WE SHALL DIVIDE (CDR by Panta Rhei Recordings)
Toronto’s Pholde (Alan Bloor) is the quieter twin of Knurl. This is his latest recording on his own imprint. Pholde plays a self-constructed metal instrument meant to be scraped, bowed and tossed about. This hour long diversion of the senses is haunting fare for those who are welcoming of totally atonal, disconcerting beatless noise. The images created during this outing range from darkened, musty torture chambers and silent films to barren deserts and gravesites on hallowed ground. In ways this seems like a conducted string of instruments, especially on “Discompose”, where Bloor’s playing starts to sound reminiscent of vibes. The continued layering of metals has a ritualistic, spiritual quality. As if many bells were ringing through a rural town all at once to announce the death of an important townsperson. Then suddenly I am witnessing what it might be like to float in space off Mercury and realize the subtlety by which this disc becomes so hallucinogenic. Between each of the eight tracks here there is a slight break, though this recording could have, in fact, been mixed as a continuous long player. The breaks here are welcome – the music is heady and almost tactile, creating a full space of sound. Less is more here. Pure dronefest for lovers of Maeror Tri and Brume alike. (TJN)
Address: http://www.pholde.com
GEOLOGISTS AND PROFESSIONAL TOURISTS VOL. 2 (compilation CD by N&B Research Digest)
It took me several months to reckon with this release. Mostly because every time I listened I just couldn’t bring myself to type, it seemed a bit too hauntingly original. Russian N&B Research Digest takes credit for this spin. Critikal’s “Accidental Tourist” opens the disc by introducing us to an atonal ticking in the wind. Playing with minor electronics, the piece just purrs and shakes with the vibration of hydrogen powered subterfuge. A single shriek quiets the entire atmosphere. Alexei Borisov and Anton Nikkila create a Metropolis-like, mechanical underground ala John Foxx minus the pomp on “So Few Good Moustaches”. Leif Elggren contributes the short “The Cobblestone is the Weapon of the Proletariat” which is a wired darkened alley of sound, a quietly poised snake in the night. His sense of wire-play sounds like he is sourcing and searching. In many ways Theodor Bastard’s “Se`-ko/” reminds me of Richard Chartier’s superhighway-pitch experiments for headphone. Borisov also collaborates with KK Null on their interpretation of “Fission”. Images of sitting on the communication deck alongside Capt. Kirk come to mind. The whirling blips and menacing warp have you at warp speed in no time, though the track is too short to see where these men would truly go with it. The Pink Twins present the standout track here called “A Fistful of Fingers”. This giddy game of electronic twister toys and experiments and shows its edges proudly. Cracks, open wires, digital feedback and all that make for a contorted improvisation are built in to making this a truly distinctive listen. Get ready for take-off on what sounds like a satellite broadcast created by Anton Aeki’s “Semipalatinsk. Part radio play, there are several dramatic sections built into the track. KK Null’s solo “Assassin From Outer Space” starts off as a headache inducing bass echo that is heavy and weighting. By adding a tapping percussion track and changing volume the sound collage battles itself a bit. “Mineral Wasser” is a sexually muffled affair by F.R.U.I.T.S. This collected chaos could be a demonizing nightmare, or a last warning. One thing is for sure, the track is a darkly painted picture with a secret message. “Geologists and Professional Tourists Vol. 2” also boasts tracks from the greatly named Membranoids, Benzo, Technical Acoustics Lab and Government Alpha. Probably the most experimental compilation I have heard in the past half dozen years. A keeper.. (TJN)
Address: http://www.nbresearchdigest.com/
VIOLET – GREEN (CD by Zeromoon)
Limited to only 50 copies, this 39 minute, 3 piece live recording for sine wave, record player and guitar is out there. Violet (Jeff Surak) is a new project in shape shifting that uses pitch and tone as a foil for organics. “Green” is a quiet ride through varying frequency levels, all quite harmonic and translucent. More like a Barnett Newman painting than a typical sound piece, this recording relies on small pixilated washes of the endless grayscale, mutating into much brighter shades of light. Deep, penetrating ambience that would have been a welcome replacement to Jerry Goldsmith’s lackluster Logan’s Run soundtracks. Dually meditative and trance inducing, Violet has developed a patterning of layered drones. Like the light-fed pluralism of tin echoes inside a silo’s core “Green” emerges from silence, builds and fades like a graceful bird at sunset. (TJN)
Address: http://www.zeromoon.com/
SEAN BERGIN – MOB MOBIEL (CD by DATA)
Bergin is one of those many musicians that make up the dutch impro scene, but who do not come from Holland. Saxplayer Sean Bergin comes from South Africa. There he learned saxplaying in the Blue Note Club in Durban, where black and white musicians played together illegally. Because of the situation in South Africa he left the country in 1973 for London. Here he played with other South Africane ‘exiles’ like Chris McGregor and Dudu Pukwana. In 1976 he came to Holland as a member of the Friends Roadshow and there it became clear to him that Amsterdam was the place to be. Over the years that followed he fighted for himself his own place in the spectrum of dutch improvised music. He played with Burton Greene, Ernst Reijseger, Tristan Honsinger, Vera Vingerhoed, a.o. Also he was member of famous ensembles as the Theo Loevendie Concort and Mengelberg’s ICP and numerous other bands.
In 1986 he formed MOB (= My Own Band). Ten years later this was celebrated with concerts that resulted in the release of ‘Kids Mysteries’. The music here is based on memories of Sean of his years in South Africa and consequently the music has an African flavour. This is also the case on some of the pieces on this new one.
‘Mob Mobiel’ was recorded on four wednesdays in march 2002 with four different line-ups at the BIM-huis in Amsterdam. Each concert had a different theme: ‘Bochten’ (curves), ‘Heuvels'(hills), ‘Rustig'(quiet) and ‘Snelweg'(highway). On all concerts new pieces of Bergin were played.
Some players occur in all four line ups: Jan Willem van der Ham (altosax, bassoon), Eric Boeren (trumpet), Franky Douglas (guitar), Han Bennink (drums). Others only in one: Tristan Honsinger (cello), Steve Swell (trombone), Ab Baars (clarinet), Alan Purves (percussion), etc.
Because of the great number of experienced musicians involved the music is very colourfull and varied. A very lively and friendly kind of jazzmusic that makes you happy for sure DM).
Address: http://www.datarecords.nl
GRAVITONES PLUS SOUNDINGBRASS (CD by For T)
Gravitones is the group of italian clarinettist Augusto Forti. He formed the group in 1993.
Together with gitarist Paul Pallesen he forms the nucleus of this group. Joe Williamson (bass), Tobias Delius (sax), Raoul van der Weide (contrabass), Wim Janssen (drums), Michael Vatcher (drums) and Rajesh Mehta (trompet) completed earlier phases of the group.
For this new work Forti and Pallesen are accompanied by Felicity Provan (pocket trumpet and voice), Ernst Glerum (bass) and – again – Michael Vatcher (drums, musical saw).
So Gravitones is another example of a typical ‘dutch’ impro-jazzgroup that has many members in his line-up of non-dutch origin: Forti is italian, Provan australian and Vatcher comes from the US.
It is hard to pin down the music here. At times it is stomping and grooving in a Sun Ra way. Very laid back and relaxed music. Then absurdistic like lunatic Fred Lane. Loosely assembled themes and open structures. Very down to earth in one moment, then taking off for some free, abstract improvisation. Folk as well as influences of classical music can be traced.
In a past project Gravitones worked together with a string trio. For this new one they added a brass section: Eric Boeren (cornet), Joost Buis (trombone), Martin Mayes (f.horn) and Oren Marshall (tuba).
In their playing all musicians keep it very simple. No one dominates the other. What we have here is a very sympathic bunch of musicians that deliver us of nice collection of very different pieces with an eccentic twist from time to time (DM).
Address: http://www.toondist.nl/
COR FUHLER & HAN BENNINK & WILBERT DE JOODE – Tinderbox – (CD by Data)
Musician and composer Cor Fuhler (1964) is one of those new talents in the scene of dutch improvised music, who came in picture in the 90s. Probably he is most known for his work as a member of Palinckx, but his own national and international projects and collaborations are numerous. He studied piano in Amsterdam, Misha Mengelberg being one of his teachers. He is interested in expanding the sound of the piano. His solo-alum ‘7 CC on IO’ on Geestgronden is a good example if this research. Also he is interested in expanding the world of sound as such where he builds his own instruments like the keyolin: a instrument that combines a keyboard with violin.
In 1995 he started his trio with Bennink and de Joode. In 1998 two cds of this trio were released. Now we have a third very welcome release of this trio It is one of his most jazzy outfits of Fuhle. He plays piano, melodica, celeste and keyolin, with omnipresent Bennink on drums and de Joode on double bass.
They make use of traditional jazz forms but absolutely not in some retro romantic way. Also the traditional elements are not treated as cliches being a thankfull object for some ironic treatment. No, what we have here is a very intelligent ‘upgrading’ of jazz by making use distorted and unexpected sounds and moves. The music is full of humour, great sensibility, elegance and swing. The players complement each other well and interact with subtile and detailed playing. They are not playing for their own fun only, but for your fun also! (DM).
Address: www.datarecords.nl
YOSHIHIRO HANNO – 9 MODULES.+ (Cd by Progressive Form)
Osaka-based sound artist Yoshihiro Hanno is a very busy man, having created several Asian film soundtracks, running the label Cirque, having been involved in a number of collaboration projects, and being a member Ryuichi Sakamoto’s current project Hoon. “9 modules.+” is Yoshihio Hanno’s first release on the excellent Progressive Form-label after quite a few releases on Belgium label Sub Rosa. It is a complex piece of work operating on many levels of sound and surpassing many musical styles ranging from hip hop to glitch and groovy jazz just to name a few of the most obvious elements. Ambient melodies, clicking pulses, crackling discreet noises and danceable rhythm-textures work beautifully together as a whole, very much operating on a minimal expressional level. As a composer, Yoshihiro Hanno reminds me of something in-between minimalists Ryoji Ikeda and Richie Hawtin (aka Plastikman) thanks to the blend of digital noise and minimal techno. Greatly varied in its musical expression there are moments that float on cinematic soundscapes where others seem more physical in their deconstructed loop patterns. “9 modules.+” is one of these albums that will find its way to the CD-player many times during this season. (NMP)
Address: www.homepage.mac.com/p_form/
SETH NEHIL – UMBRA (CD by Edition …)
Of course this is entirely my own fault, but this is the first time i’ve heard work by Seth Nehil (I have not been able to keep up with the flow of releases in the last couple of years). So this is as good an opportunity as any to get to know Nehil’s work. This CD contains three tracks, all of which have more or less the same structure: a steady flowing ambience of acoustic sounds, ranging from wind instruments to voices combined with what appear to be field recordings. Some of the sounds are processed, most of them are filtered in some way or other. Development is quite static, there are almost no sudden changes, only a flow of slowly transforming sonic events. There is a multitude of layers in this music: first there is the flow of sound, then there are the sounds in the flow, and also there is the movement in flow and sounds. So the listener is able to focus in on these layers one at a time, in this way creating part of the composition. This involvement of the listener is much appreciated by yours truly. (MR)
Address: <fenton@stonehenge.wrek.org>
…A DAY AT PETIT LE MANS – 6 OCTOBER 2001 ROAD ATLANTA
JOE COLLEY – 6 FEEDBACK CHANNELS (Both 7″ by Edition…)
The first one of these two is exactly what the title indicates it is: race cars flying by at great speeds, downshifting, braking and so on, recroded from close and medium range. This is a pure field recording, unedited and untreated. Interesting for musicians…….
The second disc is a recording of an installation by Joe Colley, in which six piezo elements are hung above six speakers, just barely touching them. The feedback thus created is manipulated by three fans that move the air above the speakers, that transmit field recordings made on site. The result is a scraping feedback sound with unpredictable changes. The photograph on the cover gives a picture of how the installation looked. This must have been an interesting piece to watch and listen to. At least judging by this document. (MR)
Address: <fenton@stonehenge.wrek.org>
TOM COX – STINT (3″CDR by Kissy Records)
JASON SOLIDAY – …SORRY I COULDN’T FIX YOUR HORSE (3″CDR by Kissy Records)
Tom Cox presents one track of around twenty minutes of soft and gentle sounds, scraping, rustling and hissing. There is a lot of space in the sound, but it’s also made clear that this is a composition, mainly in the positioning of the sounds. There is a distinct difference between sounds that are very close and sounds that are further away, creating a space inbetween for us to fill in. As far as I am concerned there is only one thing missing: dynamics. Stint has an almost equal dynamic structure all over the piece that fails to grasp me for the whole duration of the piece. Other than that: very well done.
Jason Soliday’s “…sorry i couldn’t fix your horse” is of an altogether different nature: noisy bursts of sound, cut up and resampled, shape this track into one long collage. It’s hard to tell what the sound sources are, but they seem electronic in origin, sometimes like R2D2 on acid, sometimes like a Gameboy losing it completely. The second track (no startcode, but a long enough silence) is a little more relaxed in nature. There are still these cuts, but they are under a layer of drony electronics. It seems that Soliday is using a sampler with a keyboard, creating tones of noise. This is a very strange, but funny experience, because it somehow makes the whole noise thing very ambivalent. It takes off the serious edge, which I think is a very good thing. It proves that there is also a light side to noise, which is in no respect less real than the heavy side. The third track (if there is one) is almost ambient in nature: low bitrate samples are stretched into a flowing noisy overtone song, that is a good end for the CD. Very refreshing! (MR)
Address: www.kissyrecords.com
AIDAN BAKER – AT THE FOUNTAIN OF THIRST (CDR by Mystery Sea)
AIDAN BAKER – EYE OF DAY (CDR by Foreign Lands)
A busy bee this Aidan Baker, whose named popped up already a few times in Vital Weekly. He is both a writer and a musicians, although I am not sure how (and if at all) they are connected. I haven’t seen any of his writings, but his music is quite alright. It tends to be on the ambient side, and within that genre it comes quite close to the releases on Hypnos. Certainly the opening piece of ‘At The Fountain Of Thirst’ is in that direction. Unlike what one suspect though is that Aidan Baker plays guitar. Certainly not easy to recognize, because it may seem a wash of synths. The four lenghty pieces on ‘Fountain’ certainly grow, and culminate in ‘Udine’ the final piece in which the guitar in the background sounds like frying bacon. The rhythmical element is not ignored here either, so all in all it’s a pretty varied release.
‘Eye Of Day’ contains three tracks, which were spontaneously composed in July 2002. Here Aidan goes into more experimental areas, with more noisy elements and more rhythmical loops. The ambient side is not forgotten of course, but he dares to go out of his mind more, even incorporating a rhythmbox in ‘Stehotvorenye Dlya Solnsta’. As a lover of the more exeprimental stuff, I must say I liked this one even more then the ‘Fountains’ release, even when the latter seems to be more composed then the ‘Eye Of Day’. The spontaneous, almost improvising nature of the music works well here. (FdW)
Address: http://home.planetinternet.be/~chalkdc
Address: <voostviszt@yahoo.com>