FANFARE POURPOUR – LE BAL (CD by Monsieur Fauteux)
FRANK MARTEL ET L(OUEST CÉLESTE – SAUTONS CE REPAS DE MIDI (CD by Monsieur Fauteux)
SHUNATAO – TRIBUTE TO SHUNATAO (CD by Amanita)
ZEN BASTARDS – LIVE FROM THE SKYBAR (CD by Zen Bastards Music)
JOHN BUTCHER & GINO ROBAIR – NEW OAKLAND BURR (CD by Rastascan)
THE MUSIQUE CONCRETE ENSEMBLE REMIXED – DISSOLUTION TAPES (CD by Zeromoon)
SCHWIMMER – 7 x 4 x 7 (CD by Creative Sources)
TIDSZON – UNSK (CD by Creative Sources)
JOËLLE LÉANDRE & GIANNI LENOCI – SUR UN BALANCOIRE (CD by Ambiances Magnétiques)
EFZEG – WÜRM (CD by Charhizma)
JONATHAN HUGHES & GUESTS – FLUIDITIES (2CD by The Foundry)
BIBIMBAP (CD compilation by The Foundry)
MICHEAL J. SCHUMACHER – STORIES (CD by Quecksilber)
TEMPO TECHNIK TEAMWORK (2CD by Staubgold)
RUBBLE 1 (CD by Accretions)
BULBUL – DRABULE (12″ by Mego)
VA – SEND/RE: (pro-CDR by Robotriot)
VIOLET – ELECTROLUX (CDR by Zeromoon)
VIOLET – DESPERAT (3″CDR by Fukkgod)
NORMAL MUSIC – LET’S DO REALLY STRANGE THINGS AND CALL THEM NORMAL (MP3 by Autoplate)
FANFARE POURPOUR – LE BAL (CD by Monsieur Fauteux)
FRANK MARTEL ET L(OUEST CÉLESTE – SAUTONS CE REPAS DE MIDI (CD by Monsieur Fauteux)
Monsieur Fauteux is a sublabel of Ambiances Magnetiques. It is specialised in more accessible music then normally released on Ambiances Magnetiques.
Martel began as a poet and published two collections of his poetry. Later he learned playing the guitar and developped himself into a singer/songwriter.
He wrote all the songs and lyrics for his third solo-album (Sautons ce repas de midi(. Also he plays little guitar, ukelélé, theremin and harmonica.. He is accompanied by Bernard Falaise (guitar, mandolin, keyboards, voice), Éloi Deit (basses) and Michel F.Coté (drums and percussion). Martel is not a great singer. I suppose the lyrics are very important s Martel is a poet. But alas I do not speak french, so I can(t say anything about it. Happily the arrangments and playing are very funny and full of ideas. Each song has it(s own atmosphere. This make this album enjoyable and worthwhile also for those who don(t understand french. It(s especially the guitar playing of Bernard Falaise that catches the attention.
Fanfare Pourpour reminded me of the Willem Breuker Kollektief or the belgian (ballroom( ensemble Julverne. This Fanfare has 15 members and is assisted by 5 other musicians in some of the tracks. We hear saxes, trumpette, clarinette, flutes, but also accordeon, guitar, violin, banjo, etc. On a reunion in 1995 several veteran musicians decided to play again together and Fanfare Pourpour was born. Nowadays veterans and young talents are united in this great ensemble.As the title indicates the ensemble plays a very danceable music, albeit often plunged in a melancholic atmosphere. Music from and for people. No self-indulgent art, or music for the sake of experiment, but music that wants to serve an audience, to make a party.
The 16 compostions come from members Suzanne Babin, Luc Proulx, Jean Derome and others. The opening track opens very promising in a gypsy style, but halfway the piece takes another direction. We hear many waltzes, swing and more uptempo pieces, like the excellent (La noce du Brigand( by member Guido del Fabbro. Although I(m open for this kind of music, my attention faded away from time to time. Some of the compositions are a little unsignificant, plus arrangements and playing do not sparkle throughout the ride. But surely an album of honest and pleasant music that will please many. (DM)
Address: http://www.actuellecd.com
SHUNATAO – TRIBUTE TO SHUNATAO (CD by Amanita)
Shunatao had to release six cds before they crossed my path. Luckily for me on their new one their old stuff is melted together in this (tribute(, through a reworking of some of their older songs. Shunatao is a strange eclectic pop ensemble from France. Their creativity aims at a certain sound they want to produce through the use of a wide instrumentation, unusual arrangments and production. The cd cd opens with a promising hammering piece a la Birdsongs of the Mesozoic. But most of their compositions are – sometimes catchy – pop tunes that lack any originality. (DM)
Address: http://www.amanitarecords.com
ZEN BASTARDS – LIVE FROM THE SKYBAR (CD by Zen Bastards Music)
The improv music of Zen Bastards is of a kind that is seldom spoken of in the Vital columns, because it is of an esthetic that is not covered by Vital.
Scotte Vercoe (rhodes, keyboards), Mike Caglianone (saxophones), Jim Lucchese (drums, percussion), Brian Verrochi (electric bass) met in the fall of 2000 in a studio while working on a project for the Boston acid jazz/trip hop band Hypnotic. The musical experience of these four guys brought free jazz, electronics, hip hop, funk, rock and fusion together in one band. Soon this resulted in the debute cd (April Fool(. Recordings for their second one, (Live from the Skybar( were made soon afterwards as they go back to the second part of 2001. At that period the Zen Bastards took residency for some months at the nightclub Skybar at Somerville, Massachusetts. This gave the Zen Bastards the unique opportunity to play live a lot and to grow as a quartet. The cd catches the Bastards at some of their best moments.
In my vocabular I would not call them a improv band allthough much of their music may be improvised. I prefer to call their music fusionjazz. It(s not exactly my piece of cake, but listening to this cd it was evident that some boiling moments passed by, as well as very boring passages of cliched improvisations and uninspired solos. But maybe it is more fair to say that it fall not within the borders of my musical tastes. So if there is someone out there who is into fusion-like improvisations, give a listening to the Zen Bastards. (DM)
Address: http://www.zenbastards.com
JOHN BUTCHER & GINO ROBAIR – NEW OAKLAND BURR (CD by Rastascan)
Butcher and Robair started their collaborations in 1997. They have two trio cds out. (12 Milagrotis( with bass player Matthew Sperry, and (Guerilla Mosaics( with japanese koto player Miya Masaoka. Their first duo cd (Live at the Bluecoat( (cdr by Limited Sedition) was recorded in Liverpool in 2000. The follow up (New Oakland Burr(was recorded in the US one year later.
As is often the case with improvisors the list of cooperations of the two is very extensive. But to give an impression: percussionist Gino Robair lives in San Francisco. He studied percussion with Ron George and AMM drummer Eddie Prevost, composition with Lou Harrison and Barney Childs, and earned two masters degrees (electronic music and composition) from Mills College, Oakland. He worked and works with a great variety of musicians like Anthony Braxton, Tom Waits, Rova, Nina Hagen, Otomo Yoshihide, Terry Riley, Peter Kowald, etc. He is a foundin member of the Splatter Trio.
London based saxophonist John Butcher started playing exclusively improvised and new music in the 80s. In the beginning he worked a lot with Chris Burn, Phil Durrant, John Russell, Phil Minton, a.o. Later collaborations include work with Polwechsel, Andy Moor and Thomas Lehn, the Ex Orkestra. In his solo-work he experiments with multi-tracked saxophone on tape and other extented techniques.
But let(s return to (New Oakland Burr(. Butcher and Robair offer 16 improvisations. Their music concentrates on investigating sound and texture. For each piece they chose a different starting point. For instance in a piece like (Peal( they make extensive use of feedback. A piece like (Vug( is a good example of the dialogues that Butcher and Robair seek to establish. Good listening and interaction results in lovely hectic music with jumpy playing.
Another good thing is that Butcher and Robair decided that (it( had to happen within three minutes. Only one improvisations lasts more than 4 minutes. Good Stuff. (DM)
Address: http://www.rastascan.com
THE MUSIQUE CONCRETE ENSEMBLE REMIXED – DISSOLUTION TAPES (CD by Zeromoon)
Last issue of Vital I was introducing small Austrian label Chmafu nocords, thru reviews about their releases. This issue will be dedicated to other label that is worth mentioning and I’ll review part of their latest releases and catalog or projects connected to them. The label known as ZEROMOON started in 2000, as outgrowth to document and disperses works focused on free, improvised, music concrete and radical music that fall outside of any established genres. And they are successfully following this definition with their releases. This is their fourth CD release and it is a remix compilation. Original musical themes are recorded by The Musique Concrete Ensemble, Normal Music’s secret alter ego, and than were given to every participant to make remix. With that principle they tried to keep the stylistic consistency of music from one side and to challenge the contributors from other side. Observed conceptually and by sound, Dissolution Tapes looks like a whole release by one artist, not just like a compilation or remix compilation. Unified character is explicitly noticeable. Tracks are very equal by its sound and answer is very simple and it’s hidden in the remixing artists (Cornucopia, Alexei Borisov, Anton Nikkila, Freiband, Ultra Milkmaids, Violet, Jacob Kirkegaard, Maja Ratkje, Kotra, Dead Letters, Andrey Kiritchenko, Das Torpedoes, Michael Gendreau, R.R. Habarc, Francisco Lopez, Rechord, Fe-Mail). They are stylistic and conceptually very similar so they did very similar work. Tracks follow the sound stream from ambiental structures (of Cornucopia and Andrey Kiritchenko), minimal noisy and glitchy variations (of Kotra, Alexei Borisov, Anton Nikkila), minimalistic drones (of Francisco Lopez, Freiband and Violet) to quiet melodic moments (of Das Torpedoes, Rechord and Jacob Kirkegaard). Despite quiet long, listen to this compilation whole in one breath, it worth. (TD)
Address: http://www.zeromoon.com
SCHWIMMER – 7 x 4 x 7 (CD by Creative Sources)
TIDSZON – UNSK (CD by Creative Sources)
The portugese label Creative Sources started as an outlet for the musical activitites of Ernesto Rodrigues. But since the cd by No Furniture, a trio of Boris Baltschun (sampler), Axel Dörner (computer, trumpet) and Kai Fagaschinski (clarinet), the label gives also room to german improv projects. Listening to the cd(s of Schwimmer and Tidszon this is no surprise, because the improv music of these ensembles is comparable to the projects of Ernesto Rodrigues.
We hear the same sparse, meditative improv music, that gives room to each little sound, subtlety and silence.
Schwimmer is a quartet: Michael Thieke (clarinet, alto clarinet), Alessandro Bosetti (soprano saxophone), Sabine Vogel (flute, piccolo, bass flute), Michael Griener (drums). They recorded on a day in february 2003 in Studio P4 in Berlin.
Tidszon is also a quartet: Birgit Ulher (trumpet), Martin Küchen (baritone and soprano saxophone, selected mutes, pocketradio, Lise-Lott Norelius (objects and live-electronics), Raymond Strid (drums, percussion). Their ‘Unsk’ was recorded at Tonstudio Hrólfur Vagnsson in december 2003.
Tidszon and Unsk are words without meaning, as are the names of the tracks: Hovt, Irkst, Mawt, etc. The titles of the tracks on Schwimmer are pictographical presentations that contain some hidden logic. This similarity shows a comparable love for abstraction. Because we cannot associate the music with the meaning of the titles, one could say that is focuses the listener more on the concreteness of sound.
The music is sometimes so intimate and modest that it disappears into silence. Both Schwimmer and Tidszon dwell in a micro-world of sound close to silence. It’s not my world. (DM)
Address: http://www.creativesourcesrec.com
JOËLLE LÉANDRE & GIANNI LENOCI – SUR UN BALANCOIRE (CD by Ambiances Magnétiques)
Joëlle Léandre is a very well known improvisor from France, a momument of european improvised music. Her discography is enormous, her collaborations are numerous. She needs no further introduction.
Gianni Lenoci on the other hand is a rising star from Italy. He teaches Jazz and Contemporary Music at the Nino Rota Conservatory in Monopoli. He is known for his work as a member the Eugenio Colombo Quartet, a famous quartet in Italy. With computer music composer Franco Degrassi he made an album for the british ASC Records. As a performer of contemporary music he feels affinity with the music of Morton Feldman, John Cage, a.o. This he has in common with Joëlle Léandre who considers John Cage to be one of her most important teachers.
How did the meeting between the two come by? Lenoci invited Léandre for a clinic at his conservatory, but also for a recording session because Lenoci had the feeling that (this was the right moment to organize a recording session with Joëlle Léandre). Alas liner notes do not explain what established this (right moment(. Anyway, to be more exact, on may 31, 2003 they spend a day in a studio in Bari, and recorded 14 improvisations that are all named ‘Balançoire’ (1 up to 14).
Listening to the music the expression ‘civilised improvisation’ came to my mind. The playing is a little clean and controlled, no wild outbrakes or cry from the heart. Léandre and Lenoci stay very kind to each other. But the music is intense and spontaneous on the other hand. Without question we hear two very capable improvisors with great vocabulary and a successfull first meeting. The last track, ‘Balançoire 14’, is the most funny track, were Lenoci touches on all kinds of idioms, and you can feel the joy they must have had. Maybe a good starting point for a next meeting (DM).
Address: http://www.actuellecd.com
EFZEG – WÜRM (CD by Charhizma)
Efzeg is a five piece group from Austria, who a wide combination of acoustic and electronic instruments, including guitars, laptops and turntables. Much of their work, if not all, is generated during live concerts, in which they also use live generated visuals. The six pieces on this CD were recorded during two concerts, but mixed later on. As noted on their previous CDs, aswell as on some of the solo work by some of the members (Boris Hauf, Martin Siewert and Burkhard Stangl) they move along a fine line of delicate crackle, in combination with acoustic guitar strumming and digitally processed streams of sound. In “Riss” it takes quite some time to built it up, but towards the end things collapse in a big way. This is music that needs time to unfold itself, from the point of musicians aswell as from the point of the listener. Each time you hear this, you will discover new, small particles and that’s where the excitement of this CD lies: it works well on both a superficial level, but also on the small scale. The enclosed quicktime movie is alright, but a bit too short, certainly concerning the music of it. Here Efzeg is a bit more noiser and the development is less, but it gives a good impression of the concert situation. (FdW)
Address: http://www.charhizma.com
JONATHAN HUGHES & GUESTS – FLUIDITIES (2CD by The Foundry)
BIBIMBAP (CD compilation by The Foundry)
Each of these discs has eleven tracks, nothing strange there you might think, and each track can stand by itself. However if you have two CD’s players and a mixing board then you can combine all of these pieces in any sort of way together, making 121 possible combinations (I am told, I didn’t count). Some of these combinations seem to work nicely and some don’t, again I am told. I haven’t got two CD players hooked up, so I couldn’t check (and I am too lazy to count the other sum). Half the tracks are by Jonathan Hughes and the other eleven are by various artists, among whom are regular ambient visitors of The Foundry label such as eM, Atoi/Seofon, High Skies but also Tetsu Inoue, Ian Boddy and much to my surprise recloose Susanne Brokesch. Jonathan Hughes is known for his ambient compositions and the album’s concept is something to keep in mind when listening to this music, because there are several occassions when I thought: that’s a nice ambient piece of music, but it’s minimal and sparse. It could have something extra, which possibly occurs when I should mix it with one of the other tracks (or who knows, maybe mixed with something else from what I have lying around). Nevertheless, I thought this was a very nice CD, with some nicely flowing music. No new insights on the ideas of ambient music, but made with some skill.
Maybe along similar lines of interactive music is the Bibimbap compilation. It has eight tracks by eight different musicians of the Archipelago, using similar sound material out of the collective pool of sounds and one can trace similarities of ambient music in combination with rhythmic material in these pieces. Bibimbap is a Korean meal of mixing rice with whatever is available or desired. The music acts in a similar way: mixing similar ingredients and creating something new out of it. Award winning piece are the steamy (pun intended) mix by Saul Stokes, the vaguely ethnic sounds of Forrest Fang or the spooky mix by Thermal, but the other five are certainly not anything of a throwaway either. Nice compilation with certainly a compelling concept. (FdW)
Address: http://www.foundrysite.com
MICHEAL J. SCHUMACHER – STORIES (CD by Quecksilber)
You may know Schumacher from his previous releases for labels such as XI or Sedimental, but maybe it’s less known that he worked as a recording engineer and producer for La Monte Young and that he also composes more ‘traditional’ works for piano, chamber ensemble and symphony orchestra. On his latest CD ‘Stories’ he combines some of his electronic music with that of ‘real’ instruments. ‘Layering’ is the important term for the four stories on this CD. Schimacher places a lot of sounds in the studio on the computer (I assume) and mixes these together in a highly captivating piece of music – I won’t go as far as saying these are stories, because I somehow feel to miss the story somewhere, but maybe it’s not the sort of thing I am looking for in music anyway. I had to play this CD a couple of times before getting the idea, maybe I was distracted the first few times around when I played this, but after some intense listening, things unfold and one is sucked into this music. You need to take your time for this, otherwise it’s pointless to get even started. No concentration will certainly just lead to an annoying response, but if you are open, it’s very nice. (FdW)
Address: http://www.quecksilber-music.com
TEMPO TECHNIK TEAMWORK (2CD by Staubgold)
When I was playing this double CD and contemplating what to write about it, I couldn’t help thinking about all those Staubgold releases, aswell as their twin-sister label Quecksilber, that are on here and which were already reviewed in Vital, like Thilges 3, Minit (by whom I saw an excellent concert very recentely), Sun, Faust vs Dalek, Kammerflimmer, Joseph Suchy, Scott Horscroft and many more. On this no doubt cheap label sampler you will find the highlights of heyday aswell as some unreleased pieces of tomorrow. All very nice but you could have read that already in all those previous Weekly’s. Staubgold releases the more poppy side of experimental music, usually with some guitar sound thrown in and Quecksilber stands for the more experimental side, but things do seem to cross over – the lines aren’t that clear. What is clear though, is that both labels are definetly releasing the music that is good with a capital G. And some is even great, with the same capital. (FdW)
Address: http://www.staubgold.com
RUBBLE 1 (CD by Accretions)
I must admit I find it hard to think something positive of the Trummerflora Collective. “The Collective embraces the pluralistic nature of creative music as an important means of artistic expression for the individual and community, and provides an atmosphere that nurtures the creative development of its members” – but that’s so open and vague as the music on the compilation. There is rock, jazz, hip-hop, improvisation, noise and soundart, none of the pieces however could really grab me, and I continued thinking: what is it that these bands and musicians have that should be a collective in any some way. Bands include Damon Holzborn, Perfektomat, Hans Fjellestad, Nathan Hubbard, Restlight, Robert, Cosmologic, Titicacaman, Donkey, Wormhole, Mrlectronic and Quibble – for those who care to know these things. (FdW)
Address: http://www.accretions.com
BULBUL – DRABULE (12″ by Mego)
The fact that I never heard of Bulbul says nothing. It started in 1997 as a ‘onemanguitardrummachinevacuumcleanerplatetrasher’ but is now a band, and according to Mego they are ‘Europe’s slowest beefmetal garbagerockers. That they play slow music is shown on side one: a superslow rhythm that relies heavily on the heavy heavy drums, in which slowly some progress is shown. Only towards the end the picture is complete. On side two there are three tracks, of which ‘Abule Zwabule’ is not as slow as suggested. In all the digital mayhem usually released by Mego, this most certainly one of the oddest balls around. Can’t say I am blown away by it that much, but it’s definetly a most curious record indeed. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mego.at
VA – SEND/RE: (pro-CDR by Robotriot)
Here is one compilation released on Swedish label Robotriot, that is connected in some way to today’s Zeromoon presenting concept. It is not that they have similar approach and interest into sound but also they share some of artists. This is a compilation that carries the best Swedish & American drone/glitch artists (Max Lindgren, Dead Letters Spell Out Dead Words, Audiokontroll2, Militant Fields, Tsukimono, Karl Midholm, Violet, David Bremer, The Hurt I Feel Is My Hurt, DBHG). And yes, basically sound on this compilation fluctuate from melodic and unmelodic glitchy pieces to drone and noise variations. Exactly tracks vary from pure glitch tracks, lo-fi electronics and completely dark drone moments to ambient variations and pure noise combinations. Field recordings, radio signals, analog and digital electronics, microglithes, spoken words are also used. Generally diverse in its sound, but still directed into one style and scene, this compilation has one straight and strong context and concept. Maybe nothing new and sound already heard on other releases and compilations and in different context. But exactly the context and concept here gives one new and interesting dimension. Worth listening. (TD)
Address: <http://www.robotriot.com
VIOLET – ELECTROLUX (CDR by Zeromoon)
This is one of many CDR releases of Violet or one of monikers under which Jeff (the owner of Zeromoon) appears. From all previous Violet releases I have heard, I got general idea of his sound and didn’t expect that this release will be so much different. There are 3 longer tracks here, principle also very similar to his previous work. Each track is based on one idea but sound it’s not same. First track is 14 minute drone, sinewave, distorted flow, which slowly evolve into harsher industrial, but still ambiental sound. Very noisy. Second track is calmer, quieter and even melodic at its beginning. Crackling sound constantly interweaves with drone background. In its 17 minutes u can deeply get into what you are doing using this track as background. Noisy parts are implemented at the end but they are still too silent to disturb already established atmosphere. Third track is also calm 15 minute piece based on melodic metal and wooden hits, dark ambient background and drones combined in slow chaotic mixture. All aspects of the release (long, peaceful and ambiental atmosphere) are giving potential to use it as relaxing background music during doing any intellectual activity. (TD)
Address: http://www.zeromoon.com
VIOLET – DESPERAT (3″CDR by Fukkgod)
This is another Violet release and this time under the label Fukk god lets create, first released as mp3 and now also as 3″ CDR distributed through Violet’s (Jeff Surak) label Zeromoon. Again J. Surak AKA Violet presents his already known concept, sound and style, not so different from his previous work, but still not identical. Three tracks, despite a bit shorter (because 3″ format does not allow more), are still into recognizable sinewave sound with implemented tiny glitchy and micronoisy moments. Sinewave base slowly is evolving while other elements are penetrating into its vibrating structure. Second track show microsound potential. Completely calm and quiet it is consisted of small cracklings, micro sounds and transparent pad. Last piece, which is a bit longer, starts very typical but after the louder part filled with amorphous hits, it’s starting to take unconventional direction; first into more calm an than into glitch direction, finishing with very nice glitchy and (micro)noisy mix, fading out to silence. A bit different from his previous work but still into needed direction, this short but very interesting Violet piece gives maybe even more potential to his work with its variety and richness of sounds. (TD)
Address: http://www.fukkgod.com
NORMAL MUSIC – LET’S DO REALLY STRANGE THINGS AND CALL THEM NORMAL (MP3 by Autoplate)
As we already know from previous review about The MCE remixed, The Musique Concrete Ensemble is Normal Music’s secret alter ego. Of course and vice versa. Normal music is project that is trying to make normal music but with approach of making experimental music. What is experimental music and what’s normal nowadays? And is there need of dividing music on normal and not normal or experimental? “Let’s Do Really Strange Things And Call Them Normal” is the title that explains their music very well. They are making strange experimental music but it is still normal. Normal Music’s music is beat and rhythm oriented, characterized with distinctive dark edge made up from rich electronic textures, thick ambiental flows, glitchy structures and noise from vinyl taken from various unidentifiable sources (looped or random). Deep sticky bass hardly is penetrating into duby intentioned melody, piano hits and metal drones. Sounds are precise placed on needed positions and structured as they should be. No other option is available. They are perfect. Constantly evolving textures hides some moments that inquire constant listening to be seen. Or maybe you will never unfold them. All this causes and consequences, complicated thoughts and highly produced intentions brings these beautiful pieces of blissful deep beats, dark bass and minimal rhythms. Or shortly: most beautiful, inventive, fresh, contemporary sound and music heard recently. But did they succeed in their intention is to make normal music. Maybe not, because their music is more than normal. (TD)
Address: http://www.thinnerism.com http://www.autoplate.org