NOISE-MAKER’S FIFES -CRUELTY HAS A HUMAN HEART/ MARUMARES
(CD by Obuh Records)
Already the third CD from this belgium band in less then a
year. Their first one was most promising, but the second
one was a bit too fragmentaric for me. This new one is a
continuum from their first one: the tracks are long, slowly
evolving drones of sound in which intruments get a chance
to grow. In case you still didn’t know, NMF playa kind of
modern musique concrete with as their strong ancestors
bands like PGR, Organum or the work of christoph Heemann. A
kind of noisy ambient, or quiete industrial (too mention
some contradictions). (FdW)
Address: Obuh Records -P.O.Box 338 -20-950 Lublin 1 -Poland
MASONNA -INNER MIND MYSTIQUE (CD by Relapse)
As you may know Masonna is one Japans leading industrial
noise makers. His performances are intense, where Mr.
Masonna jumps around, hits the highly amplified objects
along with equally pitched vocals. The intensity from his
performances comes well off on CD. Masonna manages to keep
his tracks short and powerful. As this CD clocks in under
39 minutes it can keep your full attention. Play utterly
loud is my suggestion.
BRIGHTER DEATH NOW -INNERWAR (CD by Relapse)
BDN is basically the guy that runs the Cold Meat Industry,
and probably one of the oldest bands still active in
‘industrial’ music. The music is centered around deep,
rumbling synths, filled in with rhythm pulses. Each track
is then made with distorted vocals, and/or snippets from
television. In a way I reminded of the old Ramleh stuff,
well before they discovered the six string instrument. A
fine, old school industrial, work.
PICA- THE DOCTORS ATE THE EVIDENCE (CD by Relapse)
Another aspect of industrial music is represented by Pica,
the rhythmical aspect. They play with tape-loops of found
sound to which electronic distortion is added. Some of the
tracks remain to short and fragmentary. This kind of music
should get it chance to develop, the listener should get
the groove of it. Nevertheless in terms of musical variety,
this is the one that is most varied. (FdW)
Address: <relapse@relapse.com>
UNKNOWN PUBLIC -UP07-THE NETHERLANDS CONNECTION
The curators of Unknown Public become more adept at
compiling their products with each issue. This, their
latest is a presentation of the Dutch music scene, which,
not surprisingly, is represented by more than the
indigenes. It starts with Kettlebirds, a slightly violent
track depicting the end of Autumn. This is followed by Jaap
Blonk’s rendition of a poem by Hugo Ball, which sounds
remarkably like two nervous chickens approaching the end of
time. Jon Rose, prankster and violinist, presents two
humorous excerpts from the Perks CD which I had heard in
it’s entirety only a few days before UPO7 clunked into my
postbox. There are a few contributions by some acoustic
ensembles, some playoff paper and some improvise on themes.
However the next highlight on this CD was submitted by The
Ex & Guests… they contributed two short tracks, the first
of which features a kalimba (I fink) and is as close to
extraterrestrial boogie music as I have heard for a while.
A couple more items of joy: Le Sacre du Moment by Horst
Rickels is a reinterpretation of Igor’s Spring Ritual. I am
a huge fan of Mr Stravinsky’s stuff, especially the work he
composed before he became scared of dying and turned
Christian. This track is probably my fave of the lot,
although La Tour Qui Chant by Maurice Horsthuis comes a
close second.
It is a moving piece played by the Amsterdam Drama
Orchestra and was written to commemorate the violent death
of a 17 year old girl. Exquisite. Then there is the usual
Scratchpad feature which showcases compositions of 60
seconds or shorter. All very agreeable except for the piece
by Martyn Bates which is a pome by Jimmy Joyce set against
a minimal backdrop. Sadly it comes off as a very poor copy
of Sydney Barrett’s earlier interpretation of Golden Hair,
which for me was the beginning and end of James Joyce cover
versions for this century. Last track is provided by John
Adams -it is a hurtling delirious piece performed by the
Netherlands Wind Ensemble and it inspired my two year old
daughter to pirouette wildly until she fell over and banged
her head on a table. ( Could I sue the composer for this if
I lived in America, I wonder ?) The editor reaches the
conclusion that there may well be a Dutch way of doing
thing despite the fact that there does not seem to be a
specific sound peculiar to Holland…maybe it does have
something to do with the broad-minded approach of the
patrons behind Dutch culture and the fact that Amsterdam in
particular has become such a cultural melting pot thanks to
the tolerance of these purveyors of more sinful things than
just cheese On clogs. (RS) Address: <walters@gn.apc.org>
BEEQUEEN -MUSIC FOR THE HEAD BALLET (CD on ISOMORPHIC)
Music for the Head Ballet is extremely slow dance music
which slowly and hypnotically undulates out of the speakers
like a softly swaying snake. This CD is filled with three
tracks… my favorites were the first ‘Days That Never
Were’ and the third ‘White Feather On A Dish, Used To Erect
The Pyramids’ (whatever that may mean). Constructed from
purely synthesised sounds, instead of from their artillery
of unusual resonant objects, this music comes across as
less confrontational and more internally consistent than a
lot of their previous stuff. Beequeen is comprised of F. De
Waard and F. Kinkelaar, both residents of Holland, who have
been working together for about eight years and who have in
this time produced 4 full-length CDs and a bunch of obscure
limited editions on various media. I fell asleep the first
time I played the head ballet but subsequent listening
mellowed me out a little less and I was able to float on
the musical substance as it were. The closest I’ve heard to
this has been released on Instinct Ambient and was
similarly as gentle as eiderdown. Should come with the
usual warning re: not operating machinery while this is
playing etc. Great as a night loop too. (MP) Address:
<jgreid@u.washington.edu>
MIKE AND RICH -MR GAMES-EXPERT KNOB TWIDDLERS (CD on
Rephlex)
Wiggle your hips, shake your lips, smack your teeth and
supplicate your lugs with an aural journey into the joyful
world of Mike Paradinas and Richard James, two of the most
vibrant and bright young things in contemporary music, who
obviously had a load of fun and made a CD at the same time.
If ever there was a CD that smiled, it’s this one. Based on
an array of tumescent easy listening sounds and samples and
some excellent drum ‘n tambourine programming, it comes
across as some kind of modern musical hybrid which becomes
more ridiculous the more you listen to it. It starts out,
as most CDs do, with a couple of very strong tracks
designed to lure in the punters and then it slowly bends
down, puts it’s head between it’s legs and lets rip with
some of the most dung-in-cheek retromuzak I think I have
ever heard. If it’s irreverence you’re after, then hesitate
no more. If you like death and pestilence and stuff then do
yourself s favour…get hold of this and cheer up. fer
chrissakes. (MP)