BEHRENS/HEYDUCK – PLASTIC METAL (2CD by Antifrost)
TSURUBAMI – SHOHJOHKISSHOHTAN (CD by C3R Records)
VEND – WIEL (CD by Line)
DAVID KRISTIAN – THE MARIANA TRENCH (CD by Oral)
DJ METHODIKAL – ALARMINGLY LO-FI (CD by Wordclock)
TAYLOR DEUPREE/KENNETH KIRSCHNER – POST_PIANO 2 (CD by 12K)
MARTIN TETREAULT/LEON LO/KAFFE MATTHEWS – LABO MTL (CD by Oral)
GREG KELLEY – I DON’T WANT TO LIVE FOREVER (CD by Gameboy Records)
JOE COLLEY/MIKE SHIFLET (split 7″ by Gameboy Records)
SCENIC RAILROADS – OUR ART YOUR NAP (CDR by Gameboy Records)
GINO ZARDO/JANEK SCHAEFFER – WALKING EAST (miniCD by Alluvial Recordings)
2PARTIMOLLITREMOLANTI (miniCD by Wallace Records)
EAR NOW – FRRR (miniCD by Wallace Records)
POLVERE (miniCD by Wallace Records)
FOUR GARDENS IN ONE (miniCD by Wallace Records)
61 WINTER’S HAT (miniCD by Wallace Records)
TANGATAMANU – LANDING TALK – LE ZATTERE DEI SENTIMENTI (miniCD by Wallace Records)
CLAUDIO ROCCHETTI – I COULD GO ON SINGING (miniCD by Wallace Records)
FLOPPY – MU (3″CD by Testing Ground)
GRINDCORPS/ASS CAVANERN (split 7″ by Jigokuki)
ASHIAIP (7″ by Jigokuki)
BOLLOCK SWINE – EMPRESS ORCHID’S JOOBACHI QUANTUM DRIVE ENDICTMENT COMMITTEE (7″ + CDR by Jigokuki)
-7″EP + CD
LO FI OR DIE/TGS (10″ by Jigokuki)
NAPALMED – STRIDENT ABRASIVE AURICULAR EROSION (LP by Jigokuki)
GAJ MUSTAFA CELL-STAFF INFECTION (7″, self released)
EARZUMBA – AFUERA DE LA NARANJA (CDR by Audiobot)
CHEFKIRK – TRANQUIL DEATH PHENOMENON (3″CDR by Retinascan)
EVERY KID ON SPEED – GLITCH OF THE GLITCH (3″CDR by Retinascan)
MAKUNOUCHO BENTO – VITORU EP (3″CDR by Retinascan)
JOSH BROWN & CARL KRUGER – WE ARE NOT WANT QUIET (3″CDR by Retinascan)
KAKAWAKA – COMPUTERPUNK (CDR by C+H Productions)
16 BITCH PILEUP/CHEAPMACHINES – DRY ROT/DAMP ROT (CDR by Authorized Version)
BEHRENS/HEYDUCK – PLASTIC METAL (2CD by Antifrost)
If you ever you opened a plastic box with say cookies, you may have noticed the nice sounds such a box can make. You are not the only one. Marc Behrens is such a guy too. Behrens is in the world of microsound a half-god, with his careful processing of electro-acoustic sources, such as plastic and metal. He shares this passion with Nikolaus Heyduck, an artist who works with audiovisual media since 1978 and who produces mainly sound and video installations. On this double CD they work with plastic bags, bubble-wrap, chocolate and medicine packages (CD one) and metal sounds, ‘while cleaning up Behrens’ cellar one day’ (CD two). If you know Marc Behrens previous music, than you know what to expect, even when it is collaborative recording with the relative unknown Heyduck: carefully processed sounds, in which certainly the plastic element is quite lost on CD one. It’s hard to trace back the origins of the sounds. On CD two the rusty metal drum sets, built in 1991 and oxidizing ever since, are clearly to be recognized, but as the CD progresses, computer techniques take over. The nice thing is that both CDs are divided in shorter pieces, each with it’s own character and idea, making the entire package into a well-varied thing. Another fine work of microsound, a case to study for the followers… (FdW)
Address: http://www.antifrost.gr
TSURUBAMI – SHOHJOHKISSHOHTAN (CD by C3R Records)
Perhaps you are familiar with the Acid Mothers Temple and their leader Kawabata Makoto, who plays guitar? Then perhaps you are also aware that Makato plays music, perhaps all day, in various line up variations of Acid Mothers Temple, and Tsurubami is a trio out of that line of projects. With Makoto on guitar, Emi Nobuka on drums and Higashi Hiroshi on bass. Three tracks, two close to seventeen minutes and one over twenty-two, this is heavy free form improvisation music. With psychedelica as the main driving force, these three work through a particular forceful set of space jams. Music that probably makes sense if you see it live, loud and vicious, in a small, packed venue and the take of any sort of drugs is probably also welcome, but at home, on a sunny monday morning, sipping coffee, this is too spaced out and out of control. Maybe I should try again in the evening, with the headphones on full force and beer at hand. Certainly not bad music, but probably unlike others for some occasions, and not for every moment of the day. (FdW)
Address: http://www.c3r.ca
VEND – WIEL (CD by Line)
So far the previous releases of Vend were all on 12K, but all inside the warm nest of a compilation, here however they appear for the first time on their own full length CD. Vend is Joe Gilmore, who might be known for his work with Rand()%, an automated net radio station or his work with Powerbooks For Peace, and Alex Peverett, whom I don’t know, but who produces installations, music and video works. Vend is a laptop duo and as that they operate within strict boundaries. Almost like predetermined they use all the usual ingredients of microsound: the crackles, the processed acoustic sounds, feedback and deep bass thrill. As such they are quite good at what they do, there should not be any mistake about that, but it all sounds pretty predictable too. Music and sound like this appears on similar CDs in the Line catalogue aswell as many outside that label, but strictly inside microsound. At this point in time, I think it should be good to reconsider the whole microsound thing and think of the answer: ‘where to next?’ (FdW)
Address: http://www.12k.com
DAVID KRISTIAN – THE MARIANA TRENCH (CD by Oral)
In case you forgot: the Mariana Trench is located in the Pacific Ocean, near Japan and it’s the deepest location on Earth, created by plate tectonics (i.e. the crashing of earth plates against each-other). It’s also the title of a new work by David Kristian, the Canadian musician who always takes me by surprise. Many of his works play around with rhythm, but on this new CD, rhythm is entirely absent. Kristian recorded two lengthy improvisations during a snow storm, using a toy synthesizer and classic guitar effects, which were later on edited and processed further until the seven parts of this CD came together. A deep listening experience, but with a somewhat more raw touch than a standard ambient work, and that’s what I like about it. The rawness of the material, the sheer minimalist approach, the subtle variations. It is work to listen to in a darkened room, or at night with the curtains open, so you can watch some stars. The seven parts form a unity and this is a particular strong album. Maybe it will not appeal to Kristian’s rhythm posse, but it surely appealed to me. (FdW)
Address: http://www.oral.qc.ca
DJ METHODIKAL – ALARMINGLY LO-FI (CD by Wordclock)
Not much information is given about DJ Methodikal, but basically it’s one guy, one drumcomputer and a computer. The label describes as something that is linked to post-IDM, Pierre Schaeffer and Techno Animal – and that covers about anything in electronic in the say the last sixty years. The eleven tracks on this fifty minute CD leaves the listener paralyzed in his chair – or down on the dancefloor. Breakbeats form the major part of this CD, with weird sounds flying in and out of the mix. This is heavy duty music. As a none-dancer I dare not imagine people could actually dance to this lot, but maybe I wrong. The beats are super fast, but spliced together with great care, almost methodical. Certainly not music that is easy to digest, as things fly by with great speed and a healthy dose of aggression. A moment of rest is much needed after this, even when the final two tracks are relatively calm… (FdW)
Address: http://www.wordclock.com
TAYLOR DEUPREE/KENNETH KIRSCHNER – POST_PIANO 2 (CD by 12K)
This is the follow up to ‘Post_Piano’, which appeared on Sub Rosa a couple of years ago. Kenneth Kirschner is a man who loves the sound of a piano. Recently he got the piano in his studio on which he started to play it, when he was five years old. But his studio is mainly electronic and not suitable to record acoustic instruments, so here the piano recordings must be seen as field recordings: the piano, the space it’s located in and all the extra sound that runs high and low around the studio. The basic recording was then handed out to Taylor Deupree, who composed three longer pieces, keeping a balance between the piano sound aswell as the environmental sounds. In the final stage, Kirschner and Deupree edited the material together, so we can say this is collaborative work. Although computer processing plays no doubt a big role on these recordings, one could easily say that this is an ambient album, one that could fit the tradition of Brian Eno very well. The sparse piano notes, send of to space, bouncing back and the ambient sounds of the environment. In ‘01.09.2005’ the computer treatments take control and the Eno-element is moved to the background. But in the other pieces this sounds very much like a twenty-first century Eno/Budd record, and that is a compliment. Here the update that microsound needs (see Vent review) works well on the ambient level. (FdW)
Address: http://www.12k.com
MARTIN TETREAULT/LEON LO/KAFFE MATTHEWS – LABO MTL (CD by Oral)
The recordings on this CD were made at Radio Canada, under the guidance of Helene Prevost who curates the Labo MTL program. Two of the three musicians may be well-known: turntablist Martin Tetreault and Kaffe Matthews (electronics) are both renowned players in the world of improvisation. Leon Lo is the unknown one. He plays violin and effects here. As you can imagine this is music from the department of ‘careful crackling’: the stylus of Tetreault hitting the surface, Matthews static sounds and gliding tones and the electronical treatments of Lo’s violin, it fits perfectly the traditions of new improvisation, where electronica and acoustica meet up. In that respect this is nothing new under the sun, but this trio of excellent, skilled improvisers perform their work with great care. The only objection I have, is that it’s all a bit too long for my taste. It requires some intense listening here and sometimes my concentration failed. A little bit shorter and a little more precise editing would have enhanced the CD even further. (FdW)
Address: http://www.oral.qc.ca
GREG KELLEY – I DON’T WANT TO LIVE FOREVER (CD by Gameboy Records)
JOE COLLEY/MIKE SHIFLET (split 7″ by Gameboy Records)
SCENIC RAILROADS – OUR ART YOUR NAP (CDR by Gameboy Records)
To the Europeans the name Greg Kelley may not mean that much, but in the USA, especially in the north east area, he is a well-known improviser, with such groups as nmperign, The BSC, Heathen Shame aswell as duets with others, such as Mike Bullock. He plays trumpet, but on his solo discs, this being the third solo release, the sound of the trumpet is far away. The sound sources used here were recorded during a tour with Bullock in 2002 and in concert in 2003. All of these recordings are taken to the computer, where he precisely edits the material into a single thirty minute work, taking the listener into various moods. This is not a work of improvisation by any means, but a work of composed musique concrete. Using crackles, noise, feedback and time stretching, the sound of the trumpet is removed, replaced, altered and changed. As influences he cites, on the cover, Harry Pussy, AMM/MEV, Vigilance cassette (Chocolate Monk) and Walter Marchetti, among others. That may seem like an odd combination of sorts, but they do make sense. Sometimes Kelley is very subtle, and sometimes he beats the hell out of his instrument and the subsequent processing. Less subtle than his previous CD on Rossbin (see Vital Weekly 336), but a big surprise. A powerful work.
Labelboss Mike Shiflet appears on the next two releases. The first is a split 7″ with Joe Colley, formerly known as Crawl Unit. On the cover is says it’s composed ‘from minidisc archive materials’, whatever that may be. The piece is collage of noise sounds, static charges and analogue tape-processings (well, perhaps, it might be a computer too). In four minutes, Colley ranges from louder segments into a nice looped ending. Shiflet’s ‘4 a.m. With Chris And Dan’ was recorded on a radio station after a long day, in which Shiflet already performed twice. His piece is much more single handed focussed on a steadily more amplified buzz. As the piece progresses the beast in the machine wakes up and urges the speed to go up. Maybe more monotonous, but as powerful as the Colley side. Bright hopes for the noise in America, these guys.
Scenic Railroads is a laptop duo of Joe Panzner and Mike Shiflet. Their first CDR release, also for Gameboy Records, ‘We’re Serious’ was reviewed in Vital Weekly 434. Stylistically they continue that release on this new one, meaning many obscure field recordings and careful cracklings. In ‘Snoring’ they sound like a doubled version of Fennesz. The opening piece ‘Nod’ however is for me the highlight of the release: here they combine their laptops into a finely woven tapestry of drone related sounds, which work on quite a dynamic level. Just like the previous one, this is nice glitchy, somewhat noisy microsound. Not great, but nevertheless quite alright. (FdW)
Address: http://www.gmby.net
GINO ZARDO/JANEK SCHAEFFER – WALKING EAST (miniCD by Alluvial Recordings)
Gino Zardo is a photographer and field recording artist, and perhaps that is the same thing. Taking photographs of people and/or environments is the same as recording their sound. This mini CD is the result of a travel through the North Western provinces of India, the Himalayas and Papua New Guinea. In the booklet we see his photography, which is quite nice. The sounds recorded while en route were handed out to Janek Schaeffer, who edited the music, into a nice collage of ethnic sound – a soundpicture of the Third World. For me an area of the world that I haven’t visited before, but which I know from previous releases in this area, starting with the Touch cassettes up until the Indian Soundscapes on Soleilmoon. In that respect it doesn’t add something new to either field recording or knowing more about the cultures the recordings come from, but nevertheless its a well done release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.alluvialrecordings.com
2PARTIMOLLITREMOLANTI (miniCD by Wallace Records)
EAR NOW – FRRR (miniCD by Wallace Records)
POLVERE (miniCD by Wallace Records)
FOUR GARDENS IN ONE (miniCD by Wallace Records)
61 WINTER’S HAT (miniCD by Wallace Records)
TANGATAMANU – LANDING TALK – LE ZATTERE DEI SENTIMENTI (miniCD by Wallace Records)
CLAUDIO ROCCHETTI – I COULD GO ON SINGING (miniCD by Wallace Records)
A label I never heard of, with no less than seven mini CDs, all by artists that I likewise never heard of. Labelmanager Mirko releases anything that he likes, thus crossing boundaries of improvisation, rock, noise, folk and what else. These seven mini CDs are released as the Wallace Mail Series and each comes in a nice envelop like package, silkscreened and sometimes with hand made features.
The series opens with 2partiMOLLItremolanti, being Xabier Iriondo (member of A Short Apnea and Six Minute War Mandness among others and who plays guitars, tapes and live electronics) and Marco Tagliola (who plays with Marco Parente, Sepiatone and Scisma on PC and tapes). Their idea is to melt various musical elements together, elements which are not that common, like rock, musique concrete, electronics and Italian melodies. The CD opens with a strong and energetic drone like piece of reversed sounds, until they fade over in what must be ‘the Italian melodies’. The elements are presented in a linear form, rather than a melted one. The second piece, ‘Mannesmann!… L’Incantatore’, is more based on guitar loops, concrete sounds and vocal screams, but despite it’s intense sounds, less convincing.
The same Xabier Iriondo plays as Ear Now, together with Alberto Morelli. Together they play a variety of instruments, mainly all sorts of keyboards: piano, harmonium, fender rhodes, melodica, farfisa organ but also guitars, sea shells, radio and records. The result are six pieces in which vaguely the drone is the main instrument, but embedded in a more musical form, with tinkling piano notes, guitar strumming and the sound of an old gramophone.
And as Polvere Xabier Iriondo returns again, now with Mattia Coletti, playing acoustic and electric guitars, percussion, organ, glockenspiel and much computer treatment, both in real time and afterwards. Here the music becomes more much freely played, loosely improvised, even when there is apparently some treatment going on. Polvere keeps a fine balance between improvised acoustic sounds and computer treatments in all six, sketch like pieces. I doubt wether a full length CD would still be of interest, but as a miniCD it is indeed quite nice.
A bigger line up is to be found on Four Gardens In One, four persons playing guitars, cymbals, tapes and treatments (and of course Xabier Iriondo is one of them). Their group improvisations evolve around mainly loose guitar sounds and could perhaps be described as postrock, but unfortunately they were all a bit undirected, without too much structure. Things can of course be too loose also…
The fifth release is by Fabio Magistrali (of A Short Apnea and Microapocalypse) and Mattia Coletti (of Sedia, From Hands and Polverde), aka 61 Winter’s Hat. They play a rather free version of singer songwriter stuff, dwelling on drums, guitars, vocals and organ sounds, but all in a rather free mood, not caring too much about melody or rhythm, or a bit of false singing. But the result is quite introvert playing, especially in the opening piece ‘Life In Circular Julies’, with it’s singing and obscured field recordings. Quite a nice one.
The sixth release is by Tangatamanu, aka Alberto Morelli on a bucket load of instruments and Stefano Scarani, also on many instruments. This is the most modern classical in approach. Both pieces (divided in smaller sections) were created for two installations by Studio Azzurro, of whom both composers are a member. Bowed guitars, bamboo-flutes aswell as computer processing play an important role on these recordings, in which they show their skills to produce a highly intelligent sense in combining ‘real’ and ‘unreal’ instruments. Quite intense, imaginative collage music with a strong sense of dynamics.
On the final and most recent addition to the series, I finally recognize a name: Claudio Rocchetti has a couple of solo releases aswell as 3/4 Had Been Eliminated (see Vital Weekly 388, 390 and 423). This is perhaps the most experimental release of the lot. In one piece Rocchetti uses field recordings, audiocassette, turntables and radio and in the other turntables, objects and mouth. This is the most subtle release of the lot too. Rocchetti’s music hoovers most of the time at the threshold of audibility, with careful cracks of the turntables and obscured hum from various, hard to identify, field recordings. The two pieces are put together with great care and are demanding a lot of the listener, but it’s a particularly strong release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.wallacerecords.com/
FLOPPY – MU (3″CD by Testing Ground)
From the so called Bside Project series of 3″cds
on the label Testing Ground, here is a new EP by for me a new artist Floppy aka Andras Katai. It’s the most rhythmical and dancey music I’ve heard from the series and the label so far. Kind of retro sounding in the second track ‘Bastardo’, like some music from the Aphex Twin’s ‘Classics’ cd. It’s a quite great track, even for dance djs to play it in a club. Things go down-tempo in the next track ‘Dt. Hacker’, still kind of old- or retro-fashioned and flavored. Then the shortest last track ‘Dr. Alien’ is perhaps the most idm-oriented, maybe how Autechre would have sounded in the 80s. And the first track ‘Wonderful’ is an intro. A quite strange release. I guess the most I like the more up-tempo sound of the second track. (BR)
Address: http://www.testinground.com
GRINDCORPS/ASS CAVANERN (split 7″ by Jigokuki)
ASHIAIP (7″ by Jigokuki)
BOLLOCK SWINE – EMPRESS ORCHID’S JOOBACHI QUANTUM DRIVE ENDICTMENT COMMITTEE (7″ + CDR by Jigokuki)
-7″EP + CD
LO FI OR DIE/TGS (10″ by Jigokuki)
NAPALMED – STRIDENT ABRASIVE AURICULAR EROSION (LP by Jigokuki)
Occasionally music lands on this desk that is not really my thing. Not because I don’t like it, but something that is from such a different world that I find it hard to relate to it. These five releases on Jigokuki are such releases. I’ll try to do my best in describing them, even when some of the text on the website is in a English language that I haven’t fully mastered yet. Grindcorps are Kryzt on guitar and voice and Paul on bass and voice. Their sound is ultra-fast, with the bpm far over a few 100, but somehow lacks the power, due to the not so great recording quality. On the other side is Ass Cavern, being Donkey on voice, programming and guitar and Vangel on guitar (just on one track). Ultra fast, total over the top drumcomputer, guitar fuzz and screamy vocals. Drill ‘n bass grindcore.
More punk influenced are Ashiaip who offer no less than eleven tracks on their 7″ records. Apperentely they are from Finland and have an even more lo-fi sound, the drums sound like recorded in the kitchen. Here too, the speed and energy bursts out the speakers, and like with so many punk records, the pieces are a bit interchangeable.
Bollock Swine is Donkey of Ass Cavern on vocals and guitar, Kikanju Baku on drums and Snooty Th Uterus Kid on vocals plus ‘four drunk screaming Korean nymphs on vox’. This is more free form improvised punk with so many people screaming their hearts out. It’s basically a mixture of anything radical in music: noise, grindcore, free improvisation, breakcore and what have you. Short and maniacal, both on the 7″ aswell as on the CDR.
On a bigger size, a 10″, is a split by Lo Fi Or Die and TGS. Lo Fi Or Die have a mostly electronic sound, very loud and noisy, with feedback. They probably like their Merzbow collection, but mix it with again superfast beats, so fast that they become almost like a backdrop drone. Actually I quite enjoyed this. TGS on the other side have a likewise electronic sound, but goes into breakcore territory, with grindcore influences and vocals. Destruction rules here. The recording quality of this lot is much better than on the 7″s.
After which the Napalmed release is actually the more quiet one. Napalmed are from the Czech Republic and have been around for quite some time. The recordings here are from old cassette releases and re-mastered thereof. Napalmed plays more conventional noise, with the distortion pedal on, and microphones near a bunch of metal plates and other assorted means to make noise. Less grindcore than the other releases on Jigokuki, this is indeed more like old school industrial music. Recording quality is not always great, but the intention is good. A weird bunch. (FdW)
Address: http://www.jigokuki.net
GAJ MUSTAFA CELL-STAFF INFECTION (7″, self released)
A new Louisville, Kentucky group who is one of the best bands I have heard from in this area. The concept is quite simple with Gaj Mustafa Cell: pure, simple and quite original punk/noise rock. Armed with guitar, organ/clavinet, drums, spat out vocals and adrenaline, G.M.C. is playing a raw and unique style of music that hasn’t been heard since maybe the post rock darlings Slint blessed Kentucky. Aside from Ayin, I think this band is a shining light that has outshined virtually every other area group in a span of just a few months. Seeing them live is a beautiful thing. The guitar player, Aprile Oster is a mysterious individual who is
dressed up in a Muslim styled outfit with veil and plays along with furious abandon. The vocalist, Pat Thompson is a frantic shouter who dons a cape made from a McDonalds flag and incites the crowd to go crazy along with their mad music. The organist, Brian Foor is a sight to behold, nodding his head in time with
the discordant chords he is bashing out while wearing a Shriner,s hat is a topic of curiosity. Keeping this wonderful noise all together is the drummer Tony Bailey, who is quite possibly the most powerful and talented drummers in Kentucky. Their three song 7- inch Staff Infection is all they have at this point since they are a newer band but it captures their ferocity well enough for any listener to know that Gaj Mustafa Cell is one band to look out for. (CN)
Address: <gajmustafamail@yahoo.com>
EARZUMBA – AFUERA DE LA NARANJA (CDR by Audiobot)
The work of Earzumba was previously reviewed in Vital Weekly 413, with that odd ‘two CD’s pressed on one disc’. Earzumba is the work of Christian Dergarabedian (a one time member of Reynols, now living in Barcelona) and here on the Belgium Audiobot label he releases another full length, yet limited release. Christian plays a variety of instruments, ranging from acoustic guitars, bass, tapes, voices and most of all the sampler, which acts as the blender to cook mix mash all the sounds into a highly vivid sort of electro-acoustic music. The plunderphonic element noted on his previous CD release is less apparent here, and it is replaced by a more musique concrete styled music, but everything is based on loops, and is less complex than say the average academic musique concrete lot. The best track here is ‘Amoroso Triangulo’, with a funky bass line, not unlike say DJ Spooky or old 23 Skidoo. A well varied release, with changing moods and atmospheres. And unlike the previous, this is just long enough to make it much more balanced and once it’s over, you could think: a pity, would have loved some more. (FdW)
Address: http://www.freaksendfuture.com
CHEFKIRK – TRANQUIL DEATH PHENOMENON (3″CDR by Retinascan)
EVERY KID ON SPEED – GLITCH OF THE GLITCH (3″CDR by Retinascan)
MAKUNOUCHO BENTO – VITORU EP (3″CDR by Retinascan)
JOSH BROWN & CARL KRUGER – WE ARE NOT WANT QUIET (3″CDR by Retinascan)
A new series of 3″CDR releases on Retinascan, called ‘The Noise Smalls’ dealing with various kinds of noise music and of course the unavoidable Chefkirk is present here. He has three tracks on his ‘Tranquil Death Phenomenon’, which is everything but tranquil. However, to put this down as ‘just another’ Chefkirk release doesn’t justify it entirely. Chefkirk goes again a little bit further in the world of glitch and rhythm, and actually puts on an intelligent collage of noise and rhythm but also with quieter, introspective moments – maybe even a bit of ambient. Slowly Chefkirk is refining his sound.
Toni Dimitrov is the man behind Every Kid On Speed (or Every Kid On Acid, Sound_00 and much more). The glitch promised in the title is very much a present feature on this. Damaged CDs provide the sound-material for this release, but these sounds are heavily processed inside the realms of computer techniques. The tracks at the beginning are heavy-weight blasts of noise, but towards the end things calm a bit and makes this into a well enjoyable noise release.
I never heard of Makunichi Bento and unfortunately the URL on the cover is unreadable to check out more information. The six pieces on his release takes the listener into a more straight forward rhythm ‘n noise. Sometimes leaning towards the industrial areas, and sometimes towards techno. Although this is an ok release in it’s kind, it didn’t do much for me. None of the tracks could really excite me really, as tension seems to remotely present.
Carl Kruger had releases before on Tib Prod and here he teams up with one Josh Brown. Eleven tracks in twenty minutes, that is almost like a punkrock thing. Together they explore the areas of computer noise versus plunderphonica. Taking sounds from the internet, radio or some-such, they transform it into total mayhem, including feedback. In terms of noise, probably the most hectic, frenzy and chaotic and therefore the most noisy work in this lot. Perhaps also the best of all. (FdW)
Address: http://www.retinascan.de
KAKAWAKA – COMPUTERPUNK (CDR by C+H Productions)
Of course the idea of computerpunk is lurking in many areas, but the artist called Kakawaka actually did it. He has been making noise since 2001 and ‘Computerpunk’ is his second release, where he is using a mouth harp, voice, toy keyboards and of course a computer. No less than sixty-six tracks are to be found, in just over fifty minutes. Lengthwise this is indeed punk. Most of these tracks are mere sketches or ideas, rather than well-worked out pieces, but that’s of course punk too. The music is quite noisy. What else can be said, other than that the material didn’t do much for me? (FdW)
Address: http://www.chproductions.de
16 BITCH PILEUP/CHEAPMACHINES – DRY ROT/DAMP ROT (CDR by Authorized Version)
Many of the releases on Authorized Version deal with noise and these are, operating in different angles, no different. 16 Bitch Pileup is ‘Ohio’s own all-girl wall of noise’ – a five piece band of turntables, vocals, feedback, found objects, bass and keyboards). They present ‘Dry Rot’, a twenty-one minute opus of distortion, feedback, feedback and distortion. Pretty much a standard variation of the recent Merzbow stuff, perhaps of similar quality as the Japanese master on an ordinary day. The piece is reworked by Cheapmachines, aka Phil Julian of Authorized Version, into ‘Damp Rot’. Cheapmachines have produced a great deal of CDR releases, and many are filled with noise, and this piece is no different. Perhaps in some analogue treatment version (although noted are ‘dusty boxes, laptop fakery, computer magic’), this seems to be an even more lo-fi version of the original.
As said on a different noise angle is the N Collective, a wide group of people from The Netherlands (although many come from abroad), recorded one night last year at Amsterdam’s Steim studio. They operate under different group names. The first is Office-R(6) with Koen Nutters on bass, Robert van Heumen, Jeff Carey (both laptop), Sakir Oguz Buyukberber on bassclarinet, Dirk Bruinsma on saxophone and Morton J Olsen on Percussion. I am not blown away by this piece: the wind-instruments seem to play the regular odd shapes and the computers are pushed to the back too much. A pretty wild, but also pretty standard piece of improvised music, as can be heard on many improvisational jams around the world. Then there are two tracks by Thai On Top. The first is percussion duo by Olsen and Matthias Engler. A quiet piece with some intense playing. Introspective. When in the next piece Andrew D’Angelo on bass clarinet and alto saxophone joins it returns to the first piece, that of pretty standard improvised music playing. The last piece is by Phô, a trio who released their CD on Humbug a little while ago (see Vital Weekly 441), and who continue here with the furious sound of two drummers and flutes. Where Office-R(6) fail, Phô succeeds in putting on a harsh, noise concert with improvisational means. The studio was more intense due to better recording, but this gives a nice idea too. (FdW)
Address: http://www.a-version.co.uk
Correction: the band Crates, reviewed last week, is actually called Crater and the label is C74 and not Cycling 74. Cycling 74 is the name of the umbrella organization that all the stuff falls under, like developing software and releasing CDs.