OR MD (CD compilation by Or)
TIM BRADY – UNISON RITUALS (CD by Ambiances Magnétiques)
NEIL B.ROLNICK’S FISH LOVE THAT (CD by Deep Listening)
OLIVER TOULEMONDE & NICOLAS DESMARCHELIER & MICHEL DONEDA – REVERMONT
(CD on Ektic)
THE FIRE THIS TIME (Compilation CD by Hidden Art)
THIS MORN’ OMINA – NAGASH (CD by Ant-Zen)
BRENT GUTZEIT – LOSING EVERY CLAY (CD by Kissy Records)
TUJIKO NORIKO – FROM TOKYO TO NAIAGARA (CD by Tomlab)
JOHN WIESE – BUBBLE PULSE (CD by Kissy Records)
THE PLEASE – BREAKFAST (3″CDR by Chewtoy)
URKUMA – MISOPHONIA (CDR by Mik.Musik)
GUNTER ADLER – MINUTEMUSIC (CDR by Mik.Musik)
MACIEK SZYMCZUK – MIK-MUSIK NA FORTEPIAN, CHOR I ORKIESTRE (CDR by Mik.Musik)
BOLLY & NETTO FEAT. RETRO SEX GALAXY – TIME IS RUPEE AND LOVE COSTS
NOTHING (CDR by Mik.Musik)
CHRISTOF KURZMANN – THE AIR BETWEEN (CD by Charizma)
DAFELDECKER/KURZMANN/DRUMM/ERIKM/DIEB13/NOETINGER (CD by Charizma)
CHRIS WATSON – WEATHER REPORT (CD by Touch)
AN ANTHOLOGY OF NOISE & ELECTRONIC MUSIC, SECOND A CHRONOLOGY
1936-2003 (2CD by Sub Rosa)
CHRIS COOPER – SPECIAL BONUS THING (3″CDR by Kissy Records)
HOWARD STELZER – WITTE (3″CDR by Kissy Records)
KAZUMASA HASHIMOTO – YUPI (CD by Plop)
OR MD (CD compilation by Or)
It’s been quite a while since we saw a release on Or, one of the side
labels from Touch. Originally this CD was planned as a minidisc
release, but apperentely due to downloading music as MP3s that is no
longer an interesting market. One could see this compilation as a
showcase of artists who previously released full length CDs (and in
Gescom’s case a minidisc) on Or before. Featured on Or are the more
radical computer music people, working in various directions. From
the world of techno we have Farmers Manual, Shirt Trax and Gescom.
Shirt Trax, one half of SND and a DJ, have been quiet since the
release of their ‘Good News About Space’ (see Vital Weekly 193). Here
they remix parts of that CD, which seem to me to that the emphasis is
making the whole thing more thinner and more empty. Quite a step
aside from their CD. Two new pieces by Gescom, aka Autechre, which,
me thinks, is the better side of Autechre. Quite some digital
distortion taking place on what was one an ambient kind of tune.
Famers Manuel has three studio pieces and one live piece. The latter
is a microphone recording in a bar in Sheffield, and we hear lots of
audience talking, who don’t seem to be enjoying the music, to say the
least. The short studio pieces are much more interesting, blending
ambient and noise in a fine way.
The other side of computer music represented on this disc is noise,
here represented by the finest japanese ones, Incapacitants and Mazk
(Masami Akita of Merzbow and Zbigniew Karkowski). The first one puts
shortwave radio signals into their laptops and process their singing
to such an extend that it is no longer recognizable. A fine minimal
piece that is not as boring as my description may sound. Mazk sound
very much alike Merzbow here: over the top noise, but it has to be
said that Masami’s working his noise act on a laptop is getting
better and better. A nice, but maybe standard piece.
The two odd balls here are Hecker and Francisco Lopez – maybe the
represent the avant-garde side of computer music? It seems to me that
Hecker’s pieces have been conceived with a keen eye for a minidisc
release: they are short and excellent to loop on the minidisc (whose
loop quality works better then on a CD, sadly enough). Radical
processing of unearthly sounds, which could easily fit the noise
range aswell as the techno range of this compilation – depends on
where you set your standards, I guess. Francisco Lopez’s Untitled
#101 is a long the lines of his La Selva CD. Insect calls at an
audible level, which is a rather uncommon sort of Lopez piece. I
really couldn’t tell if it’s a pity that it’s not a minidisc – me, I
prefer CDs anyway and this showcase of Or talent is a pretty good
one. (FdW)
Address: http://www.itsaor.net
TIM BRADY – UNISON RITUALS (CD by Ambiances Magnétiques)
‘Unison Rituals’ is Brady’s second release on Ambiances Magnétiques
and number x in a series of releases on Apparition, Justin Time and
other labels. Brady is a composer and guitarist from Canada who is
lucky to have many of his works available on lp and cd.
He composed chamber and orchestal music, plus electro-acustic music.
Also he created works for theatre, dance, etc. Since the beginning of
the 90s Brady has his own ensemble: Bradyworks. Brady produced
several cds with this ensemble. Here on this new cd, they play three
of the five compositions. But first things first. The cd opens with
‘Unison Rituals’, a strong and powerful piece for saxophone quartet,
playing 6 different saxophones. This composition shows Brady’s
affinity for minimal music. Parts of this work are very similar to
‘Music in twelve Parts’ by Philip Glass. But Brady does not
straightforward copy this unisonic, melodic and harmonic music. His
version of it is full of twists and turns, complex rhythm changes.
This makes this work comparable to the work of the long defunct
belgian group Maximalist, who also tried to maximile or totalize
minimal music.
The CD continues with three works ‘Double Helix’, ‘Two chords less
than a Blues’ and ‘Escapement’ that are – as said – performed by the
Bradyworks ensemble. Instrumentation differs from piece to piece. We
hear piano, percussion, cello, alto, baritone and soprano sax and
electric guitar (in ‘Escapement’ only). The first work is a
post-minimal composition using jazzy syncopations. ‘Two chords less
than a Blues’ is a totally different work. With strong percussive
parts at the beginning and end. ‘Escapement’ is the only piece where
Brady is also present as a player (on retuned ‘scordatura’ electric
guitar). A quiet and lyrical piece. Jazz is not far away here. With
solos for guitar and sax.
The CD closes with ‘Sound off” played by some 100 wind instruments
and 8 bass drums. Originally a 45-minute work, it is condensed here
in 12 minutes. It is meant to be played outdoor as you can imagine.
Starts very silently with unison playing, but gradually moves towards
some very dissonant and noisy outbursts. Impressive.
Because Brady departs from the (post-)minimal tradition and stays
within tonality you might expect he is to be classified with New York
down town composers like Michael Gordon and other of his Bang on a
Can colleagues. But his work – on this cd – give me the impression
that he is much more an ‘european’ composer. This is also often the
case with french-speaking composers from Canada. The music has a
romantic, lyric feel and mood. But why not say this typifies (some)
Canadian composed music (DM).
Address: http://www.actuellecd.com/
NEIL B.ROLNICK’S FISH LOVE THAT (CD by Deep Listening)
Rolnick studied with Darius Milhaud, John Adams and others. He is
active as performer and composer since the late 70s. Computer music
is his main thing. He worked with ensembles as The California E.A.R.
The New York Ensemble, Unit, Relache, Gerard Schwarz’s Music Today
Ensemble.
But that is not all. Rolnick is also into music that leans much on
jazz. This is what he is exploring with his band Fish Love That. It’s
a sextet: Todd Reynolds (electric violin), Andrew Sterman (tenor sax,
flute, bass flute), Ron Horton (trumpet), Neil Rolnick (keyboards),
Steve Rust (bass) and Dean Sharp (drums).
The central idea behind this project is letting a way of working
develop over time. They started in 1996. They do not rehearse. They
meet just before the concert, give a short look at the works to be
played and off they go. In performing live the music gets it’s shape.
For this project Rolnick wants to give all room to spontanity.
Listening to the cd it’s clear that we hear a tight band. Players are
all very engaged. “When we’re playing well, it seems to me that we
find an exciting musical landscape __ one with coherent melodies,
driving meters and harmonies, but with the ability to be transformed
and shaped fluidly. It’s not jazz. It’s not ‘free’ improvisation, but
neither is it ‘composed music.’It’s somewhere in between.”, explains
Rolnick. This does not imply that new territories are discovered
here. On the opposite. We hear many themes, phrases, etc. that remind
us very much of jazz and jazz rock as we already know it for a long
time.
The recordings date from june 1998 and were shelfed for some time.
But the Deep Listening Organisation thought it worthwhile to release
these recordings. But I can’t exactly imagine why (DM).
Address: http://www.deeplistening.org
OLIVER TOULEMONDE & NICOLAS DESMARCHELIER & MICHEL DONEDA – REVERMONT
(CD on Ektic)
A recording of a concert at the ‘Chemin de Sous les Vignes’- Studios
in Tossiat, France. It took place in february 2002.
Nicolas Desmarchelier (electric guitar) and Oliver Toulemonde
(electroacustic devices), also known as the Bug duo, join forces with
Michel Doneda (soprano and sopranino saxes) for a set of improvised
music.
Doneda is an experienced improviser who played with the
GRIM-collective from Marseille, Lol Coxhill, Steve Beresford, Joelle
Leandre, Gunter Muller and many others. Toulemonde and Desmarchelier
are of a new(er) generation. They have their roots in the Ishtar
Collective (groups like Anorien, Orchestre de Cancres), playing jazz,
avant garde rock, electro-acustic music, etc. belong to their
background. But both moved into more radical approaches of
musicmaking. Evidence is the Bug-duo cd released by Ishtar with
radical electro-acustic impro-music.
Evidence of this is also this new cd on Ektic. The three of them play
a very free, far out and abstract improvised music. You really have
to give all your attention to it in order to grasp and enjoy
everything what is happening here(DM).
Address: <ekitc@hotmail.com>
THE FIRE THIS TIME (Compilation CD by Hidden Art)
Many people worldwide tried to send out their message to the public
in hope to avoid the war in Iraq. This audio documentary by filmmaker
Grant Wakefield is one the strongest and most enthralling examples
that I have witnessed. In almost 80 minutes Grant Wakefield
introduces the listener into the history of Iraq and the conflicts
surrounding its history and the present time. The audio documentary
is built on Grant Wakefield’s narration accompanied by field
recordings, audio news clippings and an excellent soundtrack of
electronic music by a number of interesting contemporary artists. The
single pieces of the soundtrack have been beautifully collected to
fulfil the atmosphere of the terrifying narrated story. Opening with
the captivating sounds of ambient maestro Michael Stearns’ “From the
cradle…”, the album musically floats into an experimental
electronic sound sphere. Contributing artists counts premier profiles
such as Aphex Twin, Pan Sonic, Speedy J, Soma, Black Lung and Higher
Intelligence Agency. On the musical side the most capturing moments
are Black Lung’s harsh treatment of Aphex Twin’s “Come To Daddy” as
well as Pan Sonic’s tense “Uranokemia”-track originally taken from
Pan(a)sonic’s Osasto ep. As said the soundtrack of driving electronic
ambience are excellent not only as a sonic background on the
documentary. Also regarded as a music compilation this is a first
class experience. Probably for the same reason “The fire this time”
consists of two discs: Apart from the documentary disc there is an
exclusively audio disc where (almost) all tracks are presented in
their original versions without any voice-over etc. Having listened
to the documentary disc though, it is almost impossible to listen to
the instrumental disc without recalling the atmosphere of the
shocking documentary. But then again: I guess that is what it’s all
about. An essential disc that deserves much wider attention! (NMP)
Address: http://www.firethistime.org
THIS MORN’ OMINA – NAGASH (CD by Ant-Zen)
Shortly after the re-release of debut album “7 years of famine”,
Belgium artist calling himself This Morn Omina is now ready with the
first chapter of a new trilogy called Nyan. This first part consists
of the double-cd “Le serpent blanc ~ le serpent rouge” plus this
present 3″cd titled “Nagash”. Compared to the “7 years of
famine”-album, “Nagash” is less harsh and more tribal trance-like.
Opening with some tabla drumming the album quickly bursts into high
energetic tribal techno with lots of ethnic influence. What otherwise
characterizes the style of This Morn Omina is the fusion of many
electronic styles where the most obvious slipping to the tongue is
industrial techno and club oriented psy trance. No doubt, This Morn
Omina is the perfect sound engine for some physical activity during
summer. (NMP)
Address: http://www.ant-zen.com
BRENT GUTZEIT – LOSING EVERY CLAY (CD by Kissy Records)
You may know Brent Gutzeit as one third of TV Pow, or maybe from his
own Boxmedia label, or maybe you don’t know him at all. That is a
shame of course, as he is an aimable character, working in the fields
of electro-acoustic music. Sometimes he works with a laptop, but his
sounds are not strictly derived from laptops. As much as he can he
runs around with his microphone to record sounds outside and inside
the house to incorporate in his music. The opening piece ‘The Latest
Flint Narrative’ is such a piece. Rumbling around with
contactmicrophones to pick up small sounds, in combination with
electronic sounds from the laptop. Maybe processings of those
acoustic sounds? Who knows. What is notable here, is the extensive
use of piano sounds – a new love for mr. Gutzeit. I saw a solo
concert of him a while ago, which used extensively an electric piano
and field recordings. Massive sounds were played, much to
bewilderment of the audience. Brent Gutzeit is also a master of shock
tactics. He’s lulling the listener to sleep via ultra sonic deep
drones, but via some short interruptions, which come quite loud,
pieces can change abruptly and take a whole new shape. This is
demanding music, as it moves from the inaudible to extreme loudness
and is not something you put on while doing the laundry. One has to
take a moment and sit and listen. It is not that Gutzeit something
that wasn’t done before, as he is clearly inside a whole tradition of
music making, from RLW to Roel Meelkop to his own TV Pow, but Gutzeit
has mastered the tricks quite right. And since much of his work is
not easy to get (mostly CDRs), this real CD is something worthwhile
to get. And as a bonus you could get the aforementioned concert as an
extra CDR from the same label. (FdW)
Address: http://www.kissyrecords.com
TUJIKO NORIKO – FROM TOKYO TO NAIAGARA (CD by Tomlab)
The follow up to Hard Ni Sasete which was released by Mego sometime
last year. In Vital Weekly 343 you could read my not alltogether
enthusiastic review of the CD. She continues on her new in similar
style. Playing a kind of popmusic in her own world, she carries maybe
similarities with Bjork, doing a strict personal thing. Vocals play
an important role, synthesizers and rhythms (either the real analog
stuff or the software variations of it) provide just a backbone. Many
of my objections against the previous CD still stand: the tracks are
nice, the music is nicely produced (here by Aki Onda) but the tracks
are always too long. Still they drag on on end, and it seems hard for
miss Tujiko to finish a song in a short time frame. I think the music
would win a great deal of power when it was more concise, maybe one
could say more popmusic length. The hip hop rhythms of ‘Tokyo Tower’
plus the right length of that piece make this the standout track of
the CD. But overall the seven other pieces are nice in start, and
hard in their ending. That’s a pity, because it would certainly have
the right pop impact to hit MTV one day. (FdW)
Address: http://www.tomlab.de
JOHN WIESE – BUBBLE PULSE (CD by Kissy Records)
John Wiese is a name one shouldn’t be unfamiliar with. He works with
a band called Sissy Spacek, is a member of Bastard Noise and runs the
Helicopter label. On this CD he presents fifteen pieces (according to
the cover) and ten according to the CD itself. John is one of the few
people that work inside the frame work of noise music using laptops.
In less then thirty minutes he plays his stuff, which, if I read the
liner notes clearly, was recorded live in St. Louis, Montana. Wiese
plays his stuff at high energy and likewise high energy. Looping
short fragments, keep them running for a while and then he moves into
a new thing. Noisy indeed, but Wiese’s music is not about playing as
many decibels as possible. He crafts his stuff together with much
more care then the average noisician with his scrap metal and guitar
effects. In these thirty minutes he explores more ideas then some
others do in their entire career. One could wonder if such a CD is
not too short, but the energy force that drives this CD makes it
quite the right length.
Address: http://www.kissyrecords.com
THE PLEASE – BREAKFAST (3″CDR by Chewtoy)
Chewtoy is a new side label from Chloe Records, which will focuss on
releasing 3″ CDRs with improvisational music. The first one is by The
Please. I don’t know if this is a continous affair, but it includes
Linda Gale Aubrey on harp and electronics, Brendan Murray on sampler
and The Canary (whatever that is) and labelboss Micheal Bullock on
oscillators and microphones. The three recordings presented here are
from April 2003. Carefully constructed sounds, small, sometimes
inaudible but with a poetic touch are held together by an overall
drone that is never really obviously present, but acts like a sizzle
in the background. Sometimes it comes to foreground, as if it was
saying: hey I am still there, but after that it moves back to the
background and the smaller sounds seem to take over the play again. A
strange electronic feel is overall present on these recordings, like
a rough edged version of Alvin Lucier’s sinewave pieces, not composed
but loosely improvised. A nice small set of contemplations. (FdW)
Address: http://mikebullock.com/chloe
URKUMA – MISOPHONIA (CDR by Mik.Musik)
GUNTER ADLER – MINUTEMUSIC (CDR by Mik.Musik)
MACIEK SZYMCZUK – MIK-MUSIK NA FORTEPIAN, CHOR I ORKIESTRE (CDR by Mik.Musik)
BOLLY & NETTO FEAT. RETRO SEX GALAXY – TIME IS RUPEE AND LOVE COSTS
NOTHING (CDR by Mik.Musik)
A whole bunch of new releases on the Polish Mik. Musik who are slowly
expanding the horizon to other countries in their search for new
electronic music. Urkuma for instance is an Italian musician, Stefano
de Santis, who is from the southern areas where the locals speak a
language that is closely to the Greek language. The whole release
deals with tinnitus, the disease dealing with the loss of hearing
ultra high and low frequencies. Urkuma has seven minimal pieces of
very high and very low end sounds, which is quite extreme. Per track
not much happens, or not much variety is brought in. Urkuma sticks on
a few nice sounds and let them run for a while. In the final track a
female singer sings in the local language and is the odd ball among
the tracks, still a bit like other six, but the vocals (maybe spoken
word is a better word) had a strange surreal character to the piece.
Something to explore further in upcoming releases.
The relationship between Mik.Musik and their German partners
Staubgold and Stora get stronger and stronger. Gunter Adler, aka
Jyrgen Hall, aka one half of Groenland Orchester, compiled a release
with no less then 46 tracks, lasting from a few seconds to just over
two minutes, with an average length of 1 minute. A bit like the
Resident’s ‘Commercial Album’ meeting Morgan Fischer ‘Miniatures’,
but freshly squeezed in the sampler and analogue keyboards. Music for
commercials but you have no idea what they are selling. What is
noteworthy, is that every track is really a track. Not just a bunch
of sounds running, but Adler tried to structure each piece. Brought
of course in a high energy mode, which ultimately is quite tiring to
hear, but alas, a nice one indeed.
The two Polish releases on Mik are brought by Maciek Szumczuk and
Bolle & Netto. Don’t be fooled by Maciek Szumczuk title, as this is
not really music for piano, choir and orchestra and the track titles
may sound very classical (‘Adagio Misterioso’, ‘Vivace Con Brio’
etc.), this has nothing to do with classical music. The music is
mainly techno oriented from a minimal nature, with maybe some slowed
down sample of classical music, but in general just rhythmboxes and
synthesizers. Nice stuff, pleasent stuff, but also something that
really didn’t want to stick in my mind. Nice background music, but
not really a floorfiller.
The story behind the last release, by Bolly and Netto is a strange
one. By accident the musicians behind this discovered a Polish
children’s song in a Bollywood film and decided to re-plagiarize this
for this release, which might be a like a fake-soundtrack to a
Bollywood film. Very electronic, with all sorts of weird
intersections, but overall not convincing enough for me to keep my
attention throughout, even when there are nineteen tracks in less
then thirty three minutes. Therefore the whole thing is too abstract
and weird, but also unfocussed. (FdW)
Address: http://www.molr.terra.pl
CHRISTOF KURZMANN – THE AIR BETWEEN (CD by Charizma)
DAFELDECKER/KURZMANN/DRUMM/ERIKM/DIEB13/NOETINGER (CD by Charizma)
Kurzmann is a musician aswell as a politically inspired guy. While
working on his new work for the Donaufestival in Austria,
contemplating the low-pitched sounds versus melodies, because he set
out to do some more melodic work, the world was struck with war. The
war against Iraq, so his attention distracted and the work changed
from a popwork to a more abstract work, a reflective work, a working
about mourning. This is not something I just made up myself here,
while writing, but extra information handed out with the CD to me. I
am not really a politically inspired guy (or rather, no longer), so I
must admit I have some trouble with this. I don’t mind people
fighting a good cause, stop war, but the relation with this CD is
something I have trouble with. The minimalist, abstract electronics,
with low end throbs and Pan Sonic inspired minimalist beats. Played
in a single piece, it moves through various fields and atmospheres,
which are overall raw and intense, stripped from all beauty. It’s
quite a nice work, even despite my doubts about the political content.
Kurzmann is also part of a CD where is a duo with Werner Dafeldecker
(electronics, bass), who play with various artists in various
combinations, but never alltogether. Involved are Kevin Drumm
(guitar, synthesizer), ErikM (electronics), dieb13 (turntables) and
Jerome Noetinger (electroacoustic devices). All renowned artists from
the world of modern improivisation. To play these five tracks in a
row brings an odd coherency. It seems like one long concert, which
was in fact recorded in three different locations. There is a great
sense of control over the material/instruments they play. Mostly held
back, with occassional outbursts of sound, which are like volcanic
eruptions: short and heavy but with a long echo afterwards.
Compelling improvisational music. (FdW)
Address: http://www.charizma.com
CHRIS WATSON – WEATHER REPORT (CD by Touch)
This is, at long last Chris Watson’s third solo CD. Chris, at one
point a member of Cabaret Voltaire and then of The Hafler Trio, is
these days for his field recording work. His first two solo CDs were
straight recordings, with no altering of sounds afterwards. The liner
notes documented what was heard and how it was recorded. Very much
like his work for Sir David Attenborough and his BBC TV programm
‘Life Of…’. Now Chris marks his second step: he composes music
using his field recordings. These recordings are from one place, but
recorded over varying periods of time and put back in the form of a
collage. Each of the three tracks lasts 18 minutes, the conceptualism
which eludes me. One piece is with sounds from Africa, one with
sounds from Scotland and one from Norway. This new work is a big step
forward for Chris Watson. From the sheer documentation to composing
using environmental sound. It’s hard to believe, but probably very
much true, that no electronics were used in these recordings.
Especially in the last piece, ‘Vatnajokull’, the wind blowing in a
microphone and the closely miked sounds have an electronic character,
but maybe just has to do with placement of the microphones. This is
captivating stuff, which hardly sounds like a collage, ie there is no
cut up technique going on, just gradual changes. Maybe his best album
so far. (FdW)
Address: http://www.touchmusic.org.uk
AN ANTHOLOGY OF NOISE & ELECTRONIC MUSIC, SECOND A CHRONOLOGY
1936-2003 (2CD by Sub Rosa)
I must admit: I didn’t expect a follow up to An Anthology Of Noise &
Electronic Music, which was released by Sub Rosa last year (see Vital
Weekly 324). Don’t ask me for my motivations. But I am pleasentely
surprised by the second volume. It’s divided into various sections,
each dealing with a certain aspect of noise in music. The first
section deals with the ‘forgotten’ names of electronic music. The
story of Tod Dockstader is well-known. Working with electronic music
in the sixties, he was denied access to studios because he was
untrained. In the nineties his work was re-released much to many’s
delight. That is a known story. But included here are also some
people that I never heard of, like Johanna M. Beyer, who died already
in 1944, with a work mixing acoustic and electric instruments from
1938. Or Daphne Oram (1925-2003) with a study in electronic tone
color from 1960 or Alan R. Splet, who worked mainly in the field of
sound for films. Not very well-known names, but nevertheless
interesting pieces. They are presented along with people like Luc
Ferrari, Morton Subotnick, Robin Rimbaud (with a piece from 2003, but
which could have been easily on his ‘Spore’ CD from 1995) and Kim
Cascone.
The second field of interest is techno music and various views on the
matter, via works of Autechre (with an unreleased track from their
Lego Feet days), Yoshihiro Hanno, Lasse Steen (aka Choose) and Woody
McBride. The third angel is industrial music, with classic pieces by
SPK, with ‘Slogun’ from their 1979 7″ and Laibach, with ‘Industrial
Ambients’, a collage of machine sounds from 1980-1982. Also David Lee
Myers, aka Arcane Device, could be filled under these industrialists.
Really odd ball noise pieces on the second CD come from people like
Sun Ra and Captain Beefheart, artists whom you would not easily find
on a compilation devoted to noise music, but whose work do make sense
in this context, if you hear it.
All of the various angels in the broad term of noise music make a
varied CD. Where ‘Early Modulations’ or the Ohm box just present the
upperside of electronic music, the known people and the known pieces,
this collection dives into the vaults and brings us unknown delights.
And with a history that is almost a century old I am sure more
delights are to be found. I expect some soundscaping in future
volumes, since this area has been neglected so far (mind you, not a
complaint, just a thought). For those who want to go deeper in
history, both volumes are highly recommended. The booklet has
extensive information on each and everyone of the artists included. A
library at hand. (FdW)
Address: www.subrosa.net
CHRIS COOPER – SPECIAL BONUS THING (3″CDR by Kissy Records)
HOWARD STELZER – WITTE (3″CDR by Kissy Records)
Two new releases in Kissy Records’ 3″ CDR series. The first one is by
Chris Cooper, who also records as Angst Hase Pfeffer Nase, a group of
wild improvisation. He offers four pieces of improvisation in which
the guitar plays a dominant role. It scratches, peeps and produces a
whole lot of noise. There is no conventional playing going and Chris
doesn’t held back while torturing his instrument. Short and powerful
this one.
Howard Stelzer is of course the labelboss of Intransitive Recordings,
aswell as a key-figure in the Boston improv scene. His recent duo CD
with Jason Talbot (head of Kissy Records – it’s a small world) was
reviewed last week. More and more Stelzer is working on computer
techniques for his solo work. This work uses the sound and voice of
Micheal Witte, who passed away some time ago. The work was recorded
in 1997/1998 and clearly shows Stelzer’s interest in working with
manipulated cassettes. He’s a true master at that. Playing tapes
while pushing the fast forward button, which results here in quite
some noisy work, which comes close to his work with Jason Talbot.
Nice one. (FdW)
Address: http://www.kissyrecords.com
KAZUMASA HASHIMOTO – YUPI (CD by Plop)
Now here’s somebody I never heard of before. Kazumasa Hashimoto is a
Japanese composer, mastering engineer and web designer from Tokyo. He
started playing music at an early age, and has mastered many
instruments, such as piano, cello, violin, flute, drums and guitars.
All of these can be found on this debut CD. But there is more to
that, as he combines this playing with digital trickery from the
computer. The result is a strange beast, and I don’t what to think of
this. Partially traditional sounding, such as in ‘Cucurus’, which
sound, like ancient Japanese classical music, with a vague digital
undertone, that is very hard to define. Most of the fourteen tracks
follow similar patterns. An ambient interplay between acoustic
instruments and electronica, that is maybe more digital then the
Penguin Cafe Orchestra and more acoustic and warm then Ekkehard
Ehlers circa ‘Betrieb’. While playing this CD I was wondering whether
I thought this was a good CD? It holds many cliche’s, both in the use
of instruments, the technique and the production, which I usually
would stay far away from. But on a sunny day like this, music that
sets out a particular mood and is altogether not too difficult to
understand is a nice thing. Maybe that is a definition of muzak or
plain aural wallpaper, but this CD is just more then just that.
Pleasent music to hear. (FdW)
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