ADAM SONDERBERG/PAUL BRADLEY – ANOXIA (CD by Twenty Hertz)
DAVID WELLS – DRONE WORKS #9 (CDREP by Twenty Hertz)
MIKE COOPER – METAL BOX (CD by Rossbin)
OUT OF PLACE ARTEFACTS VOL. 1 (CD by Mufonic)
KARAOKE TUNDRA – GASTARBEITER (CDR by Mufonic)
NEUTRINO/SELECTONE – RHIZOMATIC SOUND (CDR by Mufonic)
ERIC MALMBERG – DEN GATFULLA MANNISKAN (CD by Hapna)
CHRIS BROWN – ROGUE WAVE (CD by Tzadik)
PUNCTUAL TRIO – GRAMMAR (CD by Rossbin)
CHRISTOF MIGONE – SOUND VOICE PERFORM (CD/Book by Errant Bodies Press)
MELODIUM – LA TETE QUITE FLOTTE (CD by Autres Directions In Music)
DES ESSEINTES – LES DIABOLIQUES (CD by Malignant Records)
5 YEAR AI SAMPLER (CD by Ai Records)
NILAN PERERA – HARMLESS LOVE (CD by Synaptic Circus)
ANDREAS MELAND/LASSE MARHAUG – BRAKHAGE (CD by Melektronikk)
VOICES INTHE WILDERNESS – DISSENTING SOUNDSCAPES AND SONGS OF G.W.S AMERICA (CD by Pax)
YANNICK DAUBY – ALISEN (miniCD by Cloudmirror)
SOPHIE DURAND/MANU HOLTERBACH – VERRES ENHARMONIQUES: UN (miniCD by Cloudmirror)
THE SB – THE SB (LP by White Tapes)
THE SHADOW RING – I’M SOME SONGS (LP by Swill Radio)
ERG – WIREWALL (CDR by Cohort Records)
PARADIN – FLESH OF CAVERNS (CDR by Mystery Sea)
MIK.MUSIK SPECIAL! – AMATEURS, PROFESSIONALS AND NO REFRAINS (3″CDR by Hotes Elu Pont)
AIDAN BAKER – TENSE SURFACES (MP3 by Panospria)
ADAM SONDERBERG/PAUL BRADLEY – ANOXIA (CD by Twenty Hertz)
DAVID WELLS – DRONE WORKS #9 (CDREP by Twenty Hertz)
The universe of Paul Bradley is quickly expanding. Besides his solo releases (mainly on his own Twenty Hertz label), he is also an avid collaborator, with the likes of Colin Potter (a recent live CDR was released through ICR) and Darren Tate (their recent CD ‘Sometime Today’ was released on Plinkity Plonk). Here he works together with Adam Sonderberg of the Dropp Ensemble and Civil War (aswell as from the co-releasing Longbox Recordings label). Here he provides Bradley with the rough sound material, for Bradley to freely use and abuse (much alike the collaboration Bradley did with Darren Tate). Field recordings form again a steady ingredient, and are set against a large wall of droning sounds, which sound like a bunch of processed long strings. In thirty seven minutes the listener is taken on spacious journey through weightless space, with the field recordings buzzing like outer-space meteoritic sand against the space craft. Slowly the sand become small rocks towards the end of the journey and sky falls down. Quite a trip, but a pleasant one as such.
This is my second encounter with the music of David Wells, following his ‘Op. 3’ (see Vital Weekly 446). I don’t know much about him, other than that he is playing the drone card, just like many of his fellow travelers on the Twenty Hertz label, including head honcho Paul Bradley. The piece opens with a set of stringed sounds, which gradually fade over in some field recordings of water dripping, ending with a low key organ sound. Just like his previous release, this is pretty good but also pretty standard sort of drone music. Wells doesn’t necessarily shed new light up on the genre, but follows the lines set out by people like Monos and Ora, or with his organ sound that of Mirror. But it’s pleasant enough as it is.
Address: http://www.twentyhertz.co.uk http://www.longboxrecordings.com
MIKE COOPER – METAL BOX (CD by Rossbin)
A quote first: “My Metal Box is my National Steel bodied resonator guitar, a 1920’s Tri- Plate which has been with me since 1958 and was virtually my first guitar. It has been with me down all the diverse musical roads I have travelled in the past 40 years. Here it is in 2004 with a selection of instrumentals all made from sounds found on just this one acoustic instrument – sampled, treated and played live into these six “post digital primitivist” compositions. I started my musical journeys playing country blues slide guitar on this instrument and I hope these six compositions still have something of the spirit and textural feel of that music”. This quote tells a lot. Cooper is already a long time around. He emerged in the 60s from the english blues scene. Subsequently he moved to many other musical territories like improvisation, avant garde, Hawaiian music, etc. Over the years he appeared on dozens of albums in collaborations with Cyril Lefebvre, Lol Coxhill and so many others. He is also works as a visual artist and journalist. In the last few years Mike Cooper lives in Rome, where he recorded his new solo-album with his oldest mate, his Metal Box guitar. In one track Cooper is assisted by Tim Catlin on electric prepared guitar. For this new album he combines his sense for musical experimentation with his love for the blues. An unusual marriage. The result is a experimental soundscape, making extensive use of loops if I,m not mistaken. Its because of this aspect that I felt while listening to this CD, being inside a gigantic old clockwork. With sounds derived from his guitar he built a quasi-soundinstallation through which he walks improvising again on that same guitar. The result is an interesting album but not the most inspiring one in this field. (DM)
Address: http://www.rossbin.com/
OUT OF PLACE ARTEFACTS VOL. 1 (CD by Mufonic)
KARAOKE TUNDRA – GASTARBEITER (CDR by Mufonic)
NEUTRINO/SELECTONE – RHIZOMATIC SOUND (CDR by Mufonic)
These three releases deal with ‘contemporary electronic music in the Czech Republic and Slovakia’, which on the compilation starts out to be techno oriented, with the highlight the quite kitchy and campy ‘Atropa Belladonna’ by Narkissos, but after say that piece, the forth on the CD, things go more into ambient territories, slightly experimental, slightly microsouding, but it never steps beyond the ordinary, whatever sort of style these bands operate in. It’s in itself not bad at all, and for such a lengthy compilation quite entertaining, but much alike others, from other countries. Included are Karaoke Tundra, Binary Jazz, Flossy The Fishmonger, Neutrino, Charon, Tom Sen, Selectone, Blue M and more.
Karaoke Tundra brings his ‘Gastarbeiter’ on CDR on Mufonic, and the twenty tracks in some forty minutes is a wild bunch of dance musics: from trip-hop to techno to ambient to dub and all of this in pretty short tracks. If you are not to dance, like me, than this is a worthwhile and entertaining release. A lot of things happening in, mostly in some rhythmic way, lots of sampling of other people’s work (although me of course didn’t recognize any of it) but it never made a coherent dance floor piece. Therefore it will be hard to appeal to the people who like to shuffle their feet, but in the modern living room I’m sure it will be enjoyed over a summer cocktail.
Stylistically more one thing is the release by the Neutrino and Selectone. Their low bit rate sounding samples of lounge like music is a pretty down-tempo affair, played, so it seems, on a rather cheap set of samplers. Cheap it may seem, but the music is quite nice, let’s say: the genre: sit back and enjoy. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mufonic.net
ERIC MALMBERG – DEN GATFULLA MANNISKAN (CD by Hapna)
You may, just aswell as I did, ask: who is Eric Malmberg? Seemingly not a familiar name, but if you know that he was the songwriter and organ player of Sagor & Swing then may a few bells start to ring. As Sagor & Swing, Eric produced, together with Ulf Muller on drums and percussion, highly percussive mood music on Organs. Together they produced four albums, all on Hapna. A year after the split up, Malmberg comes up with a solo album, entirely made on an organ. It is safe to say that Malmberg solo is Sagor & Swing without the drums, but to put it down as a rip off of Sagor & Swing, a rip off of one’s own ideas, is not right. In each of the track, leaning heavily on the Hammond organ sound, but occasionally also on the built in drum computer, Malmberg depicts his own vision on a piece, creates a mood, a picture (in some cases even just a sketch). Of course it sounds like a stripped down Sagor & Swing, it’s the rather moody and more minimalistic aspects of Malmberg’s solo record that he gets away with it. Surely nice pieces indeed, but I’d be curious to hear his next work and see where he takes us there. (FdW)
Address: http://www.hapna.com
CHRIS BROWN – ROGUE WAVE (CD by Tzadik)
Following his ‘Talking Drum’ CD on Pogus Productions (see Vital Weekly 459), here is another work by Chris Brown and another one it is: unlike ‘Talking Drum’, which should be seen as one work, this new CD contains six pieces, the oldest from 1984 and the most recent is from 2004. The other difference is the means for these pieces. There are two pure computer pieces, the others are mixed live electronics and ‘real’ instruments. ‘Transmission Tenderloin’, the first computer piece, is a hasty, stuttering plunderphonic piece, dealing with radio waves. In the next two pieces, ‘Retroscan’ and the title piece are more live electronica processing the real instruments, such as piano, percussion an turntable. The only ensemble piece is ‘Flies’ and is a bit of an odd ball in this collection. It’s a nice piece in itself but sort of disunites from the rest. ‘Cloudstreams/Bellwethers’ is a ‘computer network piece’ and has five players in a rather noisy setting, despite the some serious academic sounding material that is used here. In the closing piece ‘Alternating Currents’ both ends of Brown’s interests come together: the combination of a small ensemble and live electronics. Although all six pieces are interesting to hear, there is also a distance to notice. This kind of serious avant-garde is probably best enjoyed in the concert space, and on CD it lacks some of the needed tension. It seems to me however that it is a good introduction to the various aspects of the work of Chris Brown. (FdW)
Address: http://www.tzadik.com
PUNCTUAL TRIO – GRAMMAR (CD by Rossbin)
Rossbin presents a CD by a new improv-trio. The trio consists of Fred Lonberg-Holm on cello, Carlos Zingaro on violin and Lou Mallozzi on turntables, CDs, microphones and oscillator. Two of them need no further introduction. Improvisor Carlos Zingaro from Portugal is well-known for his work in the field of improvisations that he started in the mid-70s. A key-figure in the world of European improvised music. Also Fred Lonberg-Holm is known as an improvisor and composer. Since he was a student of Morton Feldman and Anthony Braxton he played with numerous musicians in even more ensembles and groups. Some of his ongoing projects include Terminal 4, The Boxhead Ensemble, Pillow, and the Lonberg-Holm/Kessler/Zerang Trio, etc. Lou Mallozzi is an audio artist from Chicago. He has his roots in performance, intermedia and installation art. Since 1996 he is increasingly involved in improvised music using microphones, turntables, CDs and analog mixing. He has two cds out on Penumbra: Radiophagy (three radio works from 1990 – 1996) and Whole or By the Slice (electroacoustic collaborations with Hal Rammel).
I’m not sure who took the initiative for this collaboration. Maybe its Mallozzi who had the original idea. I think so because he is known for his focus on language in many of his works, and this CD is called “Grammar”. Also the titles from the 6 improvisations on this CD are taken from language theory: “Subject”, “Predicate”, “Direct Object”, “Indirect Object”, “Preposition” and “Punctuation”. Besides Mallozzi is director of the Experimental Sound Studio in Chicago, and thats where this CD was recorded on 28 may 2004.
What makes “Grammar” interesting is that we have two acoustical instruments on the one hand – violin by Zingaro and cello by Lonberg-Holm – and electric means by Mallozzi ( turntables, cds, microphones and oscillator) on the other hand. Mallozzi makes use of spoken word, recorded music but also of pure noise generated by the microphones, etc. So there is a great variety of sound-sources used here. But the improvisational skills of the improvisers make an organic whole of it. In each improvisation they take their time to develop the music and all three of them take equally part in this process. Its a well-balanced and intense music with some real hot moments and climaxes (DM).
Address: http://www.rossbin.com/
CHRISTOF MIGONE – SOUND VOICE PERFORM (CD/Book by Errant Bodies Press)
The work of Christof Migone extends beyond ‘just’ audio and into the world of art, and art with a capital A. Many of his works are conceptual, such as a CD with the sound of farts or people cracking their fingers. Despite the fact that some of the CDs have text dealing with the concept behind it, this book ‘Sound Voice Perform’ is the compendium that explains, shows and lets you hear it all. First of all there is a CD with excerpts of the various previous releases by Migone. It was nice to hear such a selection from his works, but for me, well-acquainted with his work, it didn’t add that much new to what I knew already. Migone’s audio pieces work better when heard in their entirety I guess. The nice thing about the book are the texts and pictures. Especially Brandon Labelle’s text on the use of the body in the work of Migone is especially interesting and tells us a lot more on Migone. If ever you wondered what a conceptual composer and artist is all about, I’d recommend this book to study a good example. (FdW)
Address: http://www.errantbodies.org
MELODIUM – LA TETE QUITE FLOTTE (CD by Autres Directions In Music)
After nine MP3 releases, the label Autres Direction In Music releases their first CD, from Laurent Girard, aka Melodium. He has released his music before on labels such as Static Caravan, Active Suspension and Audio Dregs. He plays synthesizers, guitars, xylophones, rhythm-boxes and occasionally sings. Rather all in a lo-fi mood, recording wise, but also in all it’s simplicity played. Apparently he has played his instruments out in the open, recording them to a mini-disc, and in the studio he combines all these recordings into the thirteen tracks captured on this CD. The music is OK, but after a while, I got a bored by the uniform sound of the keyboards and the rhythms. It is entertaining for half the album but then the magic is gone. (FdW)
Address: http://www.autresdirections.net
DES ESSEINTES – LES DIABOLIQUES (CD by Malignant Records)
A long time ago I reviewed a 7″ by Des Esseintes (Vital Weekly 259) and I was not very pleased with the rhythm and noise presented there. Here Magnus Sundstrom presents a whole CD of his Des Esseintes project, which, so I learned, is a side project of The Protagonist (which I didn’t hear before, but which is apparently more well-known). The six pieces are based on series of short stories by one J. Barbey d’Aurevilly. Again we are presented with a wall of metallic rhythms (maybe even electronically generated) that sounds like SPK or Test Department, but from a period of either career which was not my favorite area. Heavy stomping rhythms, pathetic loaded synthesizers adding an almost gothic atmosphere but it all sounds unfortunately too much like old school industrial music, albeit of a kind that was never well-enjoyed by me. I’m sure it will go down with those who love aforementioned bands or even those who still treasure the first In Slaughter Natives albums. Me not included however. (FdW)
Address: http://www.malignantrecords.comr
5 YEAR AI SAMPLER (CD by Ai Records)
Seeing all the quotes on the press release, I must look very stupid not to have heard of Ai Records before. But then, maybe I’m not that much interested in techno music, that is not more than what comes along. The names of the bands on this compilation don’t mean a thing either. The thirteen tracks are divided in seven historical tracks from the archive and six to appear this year. Ai Records exists for five years and this is their celebration. If labels such as Warp, Skam, Plus8 or Neo Oujia mean anything to you, but you are looking for more names to add to the roster, than I’m sure this compilation is well-spend on you. Melodic techno music, not in every inch a dancefloor thing, but also some intelligent dance music for the living room, then this is the place to be, with music from 2000, Cool Blue Albion, Old Stripey Jumper, Slowknit, Obsession and more such acts. For the mildly interested, such as I’m, this compilation is quite alright. Pleasant listening music, tapping into the world of techno for once every while and as such it’s nice enough. (FdW)
Address: http://www.airecords.com
NILAN PERERA – HARMLESS LOVE (CD by Synaptic Circus)
Despite his twenty year career in Canada’s music scene I never heard of Nilan Perera before. He has played in groups such as Thin Men, Noma, Bill Grove’s Not King Fudge, Handslang and the Excalcealators, plus a string of improvisational concerts with people such as David Toop, John Butcher, John Oswald among many others. However a solo recording of his own guitar playing failed, but ‘Harmless Love’ makes up this gap. It is a real CD but the cover is homemade, and looks excellent, as well as a lot of work. All of the pieces on the CD are improvised and Perera displays many techniques: rubbing objects on the string, ebows, chop stick playing etc. In fact, one could think that he likes to display a new way of playing in each of the twelve tracks. Some of his more tonal, drone playing worked best for this listener, but throughout the entire CD, I was enjoying myself a lot. A fine and varied disc.
A remix of this CD, to show his love of dub and trip hop, is forthcoming. I am very curious as to how that will sounds, because it won’t be like any of ‘Harmless Love’, I’m pretty sure of that. (FdW)
Address: synaptic_circus@yahoo.com
ANDREAS MELAND/LASSE MARHAUG – BRAKHAGE (CD by Melektronikk)
My first encounter with the films of Stan Brakhage was when The Hafler Trio showed ‘Loud Visual Noises’ as a support to a concert. The Hafler Trio were part of the soundtrack. The explosions of paint, scratches and sound in this relatively short film made a huge impression on me. Shortly after that I got this film on video together with some other ones, and since then I have been enjoyed the work of Brakhage. His style is truly unique and is hard to describe for those who never seen one. Many of his films have no sound, so it’s always engaging for musicians to pick a film and make their own soundtrack to it. Two different films are subject to soundtracks here. The first is ‘Dog Star Man’, a film of two layers of images of Brakhage at work, chopping wood, wrestling with a tree and other activities as a woodsman, combined with images of the sun and stars. It’s a poetic film to which Andreas Meland made a likewise poetic music piece of glitchy, warm, ambient melodies that occasionally burst into a somewhat more noise field, but it’s never over the top. Played on what seems to me some organ like plug ins, he crafts a most appropriate soundtrack for this beautiful Brakhage film.
The second soundtrack is by Lasse Marhaug and he choose a totally different film: ‘The Act Of Seeing With One’s Own Eyes’, a film that shows autopsies for half an hour. Straight recorded, although you can’t see the faces. It’s a very direct film, nothing poetic, very bloody and very confrontational with one own end. Marhaug’s soundtrack fits well, even when he is in a rather quiet mood, most of the time. Only towards the end he adds some louder guitar parts. Maybe his soundtrack is a bit more disjointed, since such a direct film may need a more direct soundtrack, one that flows along with the different scenes, as opposed to ‘Dog Star Man’, which is opener to more random soundtracks. However it’s quite daring that Marhaug choose this film and succeeds pretty much ok with it. (FdW)
Address: http://www.melektronikk.com
VOICES INTHE WILDERNESS – DISSENTING SOUNDSCAPES AND SONGS OF G.W.S AMERICA (CD by Pax)
Whatever you may think of president Bush, he did give a new push to the old tradition of protestsongs. That,s at least one positive thing. On “Voices in the Wilderness” we meet a great diversity of artists protesting against his reelection in 2004. To be honest when I found out that I had a c.d. of protestsongs in my hand this did not stimulate me to play it immediately. What irritated me from 60s and 70s protest songs is that they were musically spoken very seldom innovative. A critical message was always put in a musical conservative form. Well, in my view. But listening to “Voices in the Wilderness” it became clear very quickly to me this is not the case here. On the contrary. A great crowd of musicians from the bay area offer their critical view on Bush in 33 tracks of a very great musical variety. We find some interesting composed music by Cheryl E Leonard (for a small ensemble) and by Dave Tucker (for a big ensemble). There are also some intriguing electronic pieces included from Lance Grabmiller and Dina Emerson. The Slow Poisoners impress with an excellent catchy popsong. Angry improvisation comes from Aaron Bennett (sax) and John Finkbeiner (guitar). Another one by a trio of Bonnie kane, Raye Sage and Mambo Mantis. Nearly at the end of the cd we find at last a protestsong in the traditional sense including guitar and mouth organ, by Famous Last Words. Field recordings by Marcos Fernandes open and conclude the cd. Also we find contributions by Ernesto Diaz-Infante, 99 Hooker, mJane, etc. This is a carefully compiled cd with contributions most of which are of a considerable musical level. It takes repeated listening to discover and enjoy all the musical styles and ideas that we find united here in a political protest against Bush. And this makes it above all it is a very necessary CD. (DM)
Address: http://www.paxrecordings.com/
YANNICK DAUBY – ALISEN (miniCD by Cloudmirror)
SOPHIE DURAND/MANU HOLTERBACH – VERRES ENHARMONIQUES: UN (miniCD by Cloudmirror)
With the release of these two mini CD the label Cloudmirror finally starts. This label, run by Mnortham, has many plans for releases, and in various series. There will be Cloud Of Statics long works and short works, Sound Mirror and Orogenetics. These two releases fall in the category of Cloud Of Statics short works. Yannick Dauby is a relatively well-known guy in the world of drone music (and beyond), and belongs, together with say his head-honcho, to those who incorporate field recordings, close miked objects and sound effects into drone music. His ‘Alisen’ was recorded in 2002 in Amsterdam’s Steim Studio and is ‘an ethereal sketch of high frequency acoustic feedback phenomena’. In that sense it is different than much of his other work. Dauby plays a rather high pitched tone with very subtle variations. Over the course of the piece things a little bit from the high end towards the mid range frequencies, but these variations are quite subtle. A very Alvin Lucier like piece, perhaps lesser based on acoustic phenomena, but altogether a beautiful piece.
I never heard of Sophie Duran nor of Manu Holterbach, but the latter seems to be an inventor of glass instruments. Wine drinkers among you know that the glass can be resonating object, so I’m not absolutely sure in which Holterbach’s invention differs from the known glass instruments. The piece on this mini CD was recorded at a concert in Paris in April 2003. The rather abrupt start and quick fade after some sixteen minutes, made me think it’s an out-take of a bigger thing, but maybe I might be wrong. The piece is a very ‘upfront’ drone piece, of high pitched tones and because of the movements of the fingers on the glass, it’s also quite a rhythmical piece. Maybe there is some electronic manipulation going on, but then perhaps not. It’s a beautiful piece, with however one thing I don’t understand: after the piece is over there is an additional three minutes of sound, very soft. Maybe they thought the CD would be too short or some such, but it seems to me unnecessary. A most promising label start. (FdW)
Address: http://www.cloudmirror.org
THE SB – THE SB (LP by White Tapes)
Clueless of course what The SB means, but after seven years of existence, they release their first LP, on marbled vinyl in an edition of 125 copies. Collectable stamped all over it. The SB describe themselves as an ‘improv psych’ band. Each side has a lengthy track. ‘Glass’ on side A is built out of guitars, synthesizers and electronics, which float like fine dust particles around eachother. It’s hard to discover any sort of real dramatic built up in this minimalism. There is more happening on the the b-side which has ‘Tu No Notas’, a piece for nine players, which play percussion, e-bow guitars, flutes, synths and occasional collective humming. There is much more dramatic built up here, but somehow the sound quality stands in the way. It’s lo-fi recording without too much clarity for the various instruments. A very psychedelic record I’d say, one that was probably generated under the influence of many substances, and I’m sure it helps the listener to take some too. This fits along the ways of No Neck Blues Band, Wolf Eyes etc, but in it’s own, grayish corner. (FdW)
Address: http://www.whitetapes.8m.com/
THE SHADOW RING – I’M SOME SONGS (LP by Swill Radio)
This is the third release by The Shadow Ring for Swill Radio, home of The Idea Fire Company. From what I gather from the insert, The Shadow Ring no longer exists (it says ‘1993-2003’). These recordings were made between 2001-2002 and mixed in 2003 and sees the band reduced to three persons: Graham Lambkin (electronics, tapes, voice), Darrin Harris (vocals) and Tim Gross (electronics, voice). From all the work I heard from them, this is the most electronic work, with slowed down voices (pitched down by reel to reel recorders, me thinks), and a fine blend of improvised electronica and obscured field recordings. Whereas with their previous records I could enjoy it for the weirdness, ‘I’m Some Songs’ is one that I enjoy also for the music. The dark atmospheric sound, the vocal processing and the experimental synthesizer sounds, they all make up the finest hour of The Shadow Ring. If it’s true that they are no more than that would be a pity. (FdW)
Address: www.anti-naturals.org/swill
ERG – WIREWALL (CDR by Cohort Records)
No information is given on Erg, who just released ‘Wirewall’ on Cohort Records. Five pieces of radio sounds, which are being fed through a whole bunch of synthesizers and/or sound effects. Five lengthy pieces of noise related music. Noisy but interesting pieces. Each of them has a strong identity of it’s own, be it strict monotonous noise, be it rhythmical or even a bit drone (within the realms of noise of course). A throughout very consistent release. I wish I could write more about the how, who and why, but it’s not. The music is quite nice and that’s what counts. (FdW)
Address: http://cohortrecords.0catch.com
PARADIN – FLESH OF CAVERNS (CDR by Mystery Sea)
For me this is the first encounter with Paradin, behind which we find Ben Fleury-Steiner from the USA. His previous releases, ‘…To Reach The Other Shore’ and ‘Chroma’ were on his own Gears Of Sand label, and there is also a release on Dissonance called ‘Black Alleys, Open Vistas And Other Disintergrations’. But as said, this is my first encounter. Paradin plays three lengthy tracks of dark ambient rumble. Somehow I think, but the cover doesn’t confirm this, it’s all played on guitars, being fed through an endless line of sound effects. Three deep end ambient pieces of the usual underwater nature. In that sense it’s only logical that it is released on a label such as Mystery Sea, and as such it doesn’t necessarily add something new to the slowly expanding catalogue of that label, or perhaps the genre as such, but by itself it’s a nice enough release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mysterysea.net
MIK.MUSIK SPECIAL! – AMATEURS, PROFESSIONALS AND NO REFRAINS (3″CDR by Hotes Elu Pont)
If understood correctly this collection of eleven songs from the archives of Mik.musik, the true Polish underground electronica weirdo’s. Tracks by Deuce, Laszlo Band, Molr Drammz and some sounds by Retro Sex Galaxy. If you have been reading Vital Weekly before, then you know what to expect: crazy, weird electronic music, uptempo, almost punky rhythms and childlike melodies, played on probably the simplest electronica around. Nothing sophisticated about this, just loud and uptempo, dirty and gritty. If the name Mik.musik is new to you and you don’t want to invest all your savings in it, then this is the perfect place to start. These eleven tracks are the true showcase. (FdW)
Address: http://www.inati2004.org/hep.thml
AIDAN BAKER – TENSE SURFACES (MP3 by Panospria)
New net-release by Aidan Baker on the label Panospria. Two lengthy tracks, totally his way, and the instruments are: electric guitar, cymbals, vocals, drum machines and tapeloops. Maybe by now the most important question for the new music by Aidan Baker has become: does it (still) deliver the goods? I think it does here. The first more lengthy track of almost 20 minutes starts sounding more like his band Mnemosyne, as far as I know, more in a post/space-rock style. It goes like that for 10 minutes and then it changes into droney ambient for another 10 minutes. Maybe a bit long, but effective. Similar thing happens in the other track ‘I wish too, to be absorbed’, but now it’s cut to 13 minutes, which is a better length for this music I think. Here the first motive goes for about 5 minutes and then it changes into a nice repeating loop, which unfolds slowly by adding layers of gentle sounds till the end. Absorbing in a nice way. (BR)
Address: http://panospria.com