THE LAPPETITES – BEFORE THE LIBRETTO (CD by Quecksilber)
ANDREW PEKLER – STRINGS + FEEDBACK (CD by Staubgold)
TAYLOR DEUPREE + EISI – EVERY STILL DAY (CD by Noble Records)
WORLD’S END GIRLFRIEND – THE LIE LAY HAND (CD by Noble Records)
GREG DAVIS/STEVEN HESS – DECISIONS (CD by Longbox Recordings)
JAKUTA AND CARL (CD by Little Joe Peep Records)
KOJI ASANO – FINAL INSURANCE: COLLECTION VOL.2 1992-1994 (CD by Soltice)
STEAMBOAT SWITZERLAND – WERTMÜLLER (CD by Grob)
TEHO TEARDO – TOWER/MICROPHONE (CD by Final Muzik)
MATMOS/DIE MONITR BATSS – SPLIT DIVORCE SERIES 2 (7″ by Ache Records)
TRYPANOSOMA – BAYONETTE LIMBO (CDR by Echo Music)
PS STAMPS BACK – LIVE AT KALKBREITE (CDR by 1000+1 Tilt Recordings)
DROG A TEK – LIVE AT A-STATION (3″CDR by 1000+1 Tilt Recordings)
ETERNAL ICE – IDYL (CDR, private)
MACHINEFABRIEK – VANCOUVER (3″CDR by Machinefabriek)
FORMATT – ENGTEVREES (3″CDR by Entr’acte)
THE LAPPETITES – BEFORE THE LIBRETTO (CD by Quecksilber)
It reads on the cover: “The Lappetites is a forum, a meeting place, a concept within which to make and exchange new music via digital and sonic linking games in remote and local places within a multispeaker playground”, but of course the best known angle about The Lappetites is the fact that it’s an all woman line up. Started in 2001 by Kaffe Matthews when she performed with o-blaat, Ikue Mori, Zeena Parkins and Marina Rosenfeld, the current line up is with Eliane Radigue, Antye Greie/AGF, Ryoko Kuwajima and Matthews. But due to travel expenses and busy schedules, this line up is also in constant flux – hence the idea of a forum, rather than a fixed band. ‘Before The Libretto’ is The Laphotchpotchpetites first release, and it’s a bit unclear, at least to me, if this release was consists of live or studio recordings, or perhaps both. It’s a rather hotchpotch of styles, ideas, songs and sketches. Laptop doodlings, crackles and glitches may form the main ingredients of this music, but there are also attempts at songwriting, through singing and drumcomputers or even in a true singer songwriter tradition as in ‘Aikokuka’. This hotch-potch of styles make this into a well-varied CD, maybe even at times too varied, but it guarantees that there isn’t a dull moment in here. Full of small surprises and constant changes, this is a great debut! (FdW)
Address: http://www.staubgold.com
ANDREW PEKLER – STRINGS + FEEDBACK (CD by Staubgold)
Despite his previous releases on the Scape label, I never heard of Andrew Pekler, and his website is currently under construction, so I can only relate to this particular release. As the title suggest, Pekler uses strings and feedback. The string parts are sampled from 1950s Morton Feldman recordings and they are fed through a mixing board, picking up additional feedback. Yet this never explodes into the world of noise, but seeing this as a release on Staubgold, it doesn’t really surprise us that much. ‘Strings + Feedback’ could, in some ways, connect to the releases on Line or 12K, but his samples are a little bit more hectic, a bit more free and nervous, to fall into that category. Although it’s a nice album, the ideas are a bit small, I think, to make a much varied album. There is throughout too much similarity among the different tracks to be fully interesting from beginning to end. Nice, not great. (FdW)
Address: http://www.staubgold.com
TAYLOR DEUPREE + EISI – EVERY STILL DAY (CD by Noble Records)
WORLD’S END GIRLFRIEND – THE LIE LAY HAND (CD by Noble Records)
It is a bit hard to write about this release as it concerns a deconstruction by Taylor Deupree of an album by Eisi, ‘Awaawa’ released in 2003. I neither heard that album nor any other work by Eisi. Deupree liked that album so much that he asked permission to do a remix/reconstruction of the material and by return he got access to the original multitrack sounds, live recordings and unreleased versions. Christopher Willits adds some of his guitar playing to the scene. What makes judging this release no easy task, is also the fact that it sounds so unlike Deupree: the singing, the guitar playing and the song structure, all may seem a bit ethereal, but nothing like Deupree ever did. It sounds like slightly more experimental versions of the original – at least I can imagine how the original would sound like. The elements of glitch and ambient music that is ever so present in the work of Deupree is only a smaller feature here. I am sure this release will raise a few eye-brows for those who have been following Taylor’s music for a while. Something that will surely mark a new phase for him. Great stuff.
On the same label is a CD by World’s End Girlfriend, and he (it says in the press release, but no name is given) has two previous releases on Noble Records, again unheard by me. It has ten lengthy tracks, spanning a total of eighty minutes. According to the same blurb, his previous albums bridges gaps between techno, abstract post-rock, techno, avant-pop and electronica, but his third album seems to be going into a new direction. Drums play an important role, as well as tons and tons dubbed in guitars. Icing on the cake comes from horns, piano and bass guitar. This is definitely a much more post-rock album than anything else. The influence of Godspeed You Black Emperor is never far away: tinkling guitars, building crescendo’s through a thunderous storm of drums, many guitars and likewise strings. Every once in a while the guitars go into a free rock mood, ala Acid Mother’s Temple. Perhaps not a very original work, but executed with great care and skill on many instruments. An intense listening journey. (FdW)
Address: http://www.noble-label.net
GREG DAVIS/STEVEN HESS – DECISIONS (CD by Longbox Recordings)
If not on the road (usually with Hvratski), Greg Davis is to be found in the studio, further shaping his laptop techniques. Sometimes he plays guitar, but he likes to be around with other musicians and play together. Steven Hess might be lesser well-known, but this percussion player can be heard on records by Pan American, Bosco and Jorge and Dropp Ensemble, or his own duo project with guitarist Sylvain Chauveau. The combination of Hess’ percussion playing with Davies’ real time computer processing leads to a most interesting combination. This is not the work of two separate individuals playing music, but one is the source and the other developing, expanding or whatever you would call it that source. But the source as such can also be heard, as it is produced. The combination of the strict acoustic sound and the glitchy computer processings work wonderful well. Save for some minor editing, this is a straight live recording. Think of a stripped down version of Radian, when they would be in more musique concrete mood. Excellent collaboration. (FdW)
Address: http://www.longboxrecordings.com
JAKUTA AND CARL (CD by Little Joe Peep Records)
The music of Jakuta and Carl is influenced by Beat Happening, Manitoba, Ladytron, The Postal Service and The Microphones – but if none of these bands ring any bell here, one is thrown back to one’s own judgment. Jakuta is the ‘left brained emotive singer’ and Carl the ‘right brained mathematical composer’. They play most uptempo, electronic popsongs that are both inspired by punk and folk music. Jakuta’s voice is raw, the tempo is high but the electronic component is pretty refined. Sometimes things get off the rails, such as the lengthy doodlings of ‘Part Two Of A Three Act Whether Play’, but in general it has enough biting energy and fresh rawness (or raw freshness) to be entertaining. Electro-punk meet the Silver Apples. (FdW)
Address: http://www.jnc.hlinak.com
KOJI ASANO – FINAL INSURANCE: COLLECTION VOL.2 1992-1994 (CD by Soltice)
And Koji Asano? Well, he just continues, here with his 38th release, and his second collection of ‘old’ pieces (following ‘The Giant Squid’ – see Vital Weekly 401). Asano released his first CD, ‘Solstice’, in 1995 but he started making music way before that. In the period 1192-1994 he lived in Saitama, London and Tokyo and in this particular fruitful period he composed ‘100 to 300 pieces’ (the difference seems to be a lot, me thinks). Much more than in his later works, he works with several instruments, such as piano, guitar, synthesizer and computer improvisation, all mixed up (in his later works he would choose one source per release). Not that this is really a collection of ‘short pieces’ – lengths go up to thirteen minutes. Asano scraps his way through the instruments, playing them much more like objects than in any traditional way (and seems to predating some of the current fashions in improvisation – mind you). More electro-acoustic music than any sort of traditional stuff. Of course there are also really ‘miss’ pieces, such as the synthesizer improvisation of ‘Corridor’. But the computer improvisation of ‘Remedy’ is perhaps not as fresh anymore, but it’s still a piece that marks the sort of thing at that time. For true Asano fans this is a highly necessary collection, but also for those who like to know what he is capable of, this is a good introduction. (FdW)
Address: http://www.kojiasano.com
STEAMBOAT SWITZERLAND – WERTMÜLLER (CD by Grob)
In Vital Weekly 286 I was confronted with no less than two CDs by Steamboat Switzerland, and after that nothing, even when the band played no less than 100 concerts since then. Steamboat Switzerland is a trio of Dominik Blum (organ), Marion Pliakas (electronic bass) and Lucas Niggli (drums), but here they play twelve compositions of Micheal Wertmüller , a drummer who has some previous work on Grob too, and he uses some poems from Micheal Lenz. Recitations come from Daniel Lieder, the singer of Alboth, of which Wertmüller was the drummer. Small world indeed. In Steamboat Switzerland the odd ends of rock, jazz, improvisation and prog-rock meet up in a hugh powerful way. They play a heavy form of this kind of music, a bit like a very free version of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, but apparently everything is written out by Wertmüller. Complex material that is no doubt performed with great skill, but the progressive, seventies influenced, symphonic rock elements are not well spend on me. The days to enjoy that are way behind me, since 1977 I guess, when punk brought a fresh spirit into music. Retro music for those who can never forget that particular musical area. (FdW)
Address: www.churchofgrob.com
TEHO TEARDO – TOWER/MICROPHONE (CD by Final Muzik)
A while ago I was in Naples, Italy and saw a concert by Teho Teardo, which ment that I would finally see the man who made an album in the eighties with Nurse With Wound and Ramleh. After that I didn’t hear much from him again, but I learned that he went to the USA and worked with Cop Shoot Cop and Lydia Lunch among others. He’s now back in Italy. For the first two tracks he placed twenty-four contactmicrophones in and on an ancient tower and manipulates the outcome. In ‘T/m’, I assume the title piece, he knows to develop a rhythm out of it, but in general stays more close in ambient areas, with darker, unearthly rumbles. In ‘I’ve Seen A Bear’ he goes all the way into ambient music. Slowly developping sounds what seems to be through the use of plug-ins, although the cover doesn’t indicate any of that. There is also a fifth unmentioned track, in similar vein, but seems to dwelling on some darker guitar strumming. It’s very enjoyable, yet not fully new music that Teho Teardo is playing here, entertaining enough in the realms of more experimental ambient music. (FdW)
Address: http://www.finalmuzik.com
MATMOS/DIE MONITR BATSS – SPLIT DIVORCE SERIES 2 (7″ by Ache Records)
The second installment in the Ache Records ‘Split Divorce’ series is by Matmos and Die Monitr Batss (the first one was by Hella/Fourtet). Apparently the Matmos track is a cover of ‘On And On’ of Gladys Knight And The Pips, but it’s a rather chopped up affair, using real drums and bass, but the harddisc editing of Matmos doesn’t make much impression here with me. Rather slow edits, even at 45 rpm, which fail to leave big impression. The b-side is of much more interest by the for me unknown four piece Die Monitr Batss. A rather free and chaotic song in early post-punk fashion, which I believe is a cool retro sound these days. (FdW)
Address: http://www.achrecords.com
TRYPANOSOMA – BAYONETTE LIMBO (CDR by Echo Music)
After three releases of ‘serious’ laptop music on the Echo Music label (the upcoming Greek label for experimental music), here comes something different: Trypanosoma (being Stylianos Tziritas and Makis Papassimakopoulos), which is described on the cover as ‘reeds/bea(s)ts/moans’, which is a very appt. description of what it is: lots of beats, kinda like a hip hop but faster and slightly more disorganized and chaotic, with reeds blowing freely on top and occasional voice stuff. There is also room for guitars, bass and theremin. In ‘Late Machinery Upon’, there is the distorted guitar, and is the prize winning track here – of the four. Also included is a short film in which we can see them in action, although it’s not easy to view with the similar frantic camera work, but one gets an impression. Nice energetic music, with strange angles. (FdW)
Address: http://www.geocities.com/echomusicrecordings
PS STAMPS BACK – LIVE AT KALKBREITE (CDR by 1000+1 Tilt Recordings)
DROG A TEK – LIVE AT A-STATION (3″CDR by 1000+1 Tilt Recordings)
Since the previous releases of PS Stamps Back (see Vital Weekly 463 and 447), I have learned that the man behind PS Stamps Back is an active force in the Greek underground music, with many other projects, such as the 1000+1 Tilt label, who have strong political views towards saying unauthorized copying (it’s ok!). It’s world where people can do a tour through Europe and play the squats. That may seem strange since that world is sometimes (not always) quite conservative towards music: anything with a laptop is not considered o.k. and P. Stamps Back is a laptop band, albeit one person. In this thirty three minute piece his music goes from eerie, almost ambient (in the opening sounds), to louder and meaner, more upfront, but it never explodes or gets off the rails. Everything is kept together and it’s a most enjoyable piece.
On the same label a small release by Drog A Tek, with a live recording from ‘the day after the long night’ at the Massynergy festival in March 2005 in Athens. Even when I witnessed this gig (and the night before), I forgot how many people were Drog A Tek, I believe four, including a trumpet player and a guitarist aswell as somebody playing a small keyboard and a tam-tam. The three tracks fade into eachother and especially the second, ‘Biomazz’ is a pounding piece of drums and bass, with the trumpet in a free no noise manner. A bit more traditional music than usual with the releases featured in Vital Weekly, but for someone like me who likes the good ol’ experimental rock music of the early 80s this is a most enjoyable trip. (FdW)
Address: http://www.geocities.com/tiltrecordings
ETERNAL ICE – IDYL (CDR, private)
The previous time I reviewed something by Eternal Ice, it was their release ‘Skya’ (see Vital Weekly 391), which looked a demo of sorts, but now with ‘Idyl’, it looks more like a real, albeit private, release. Still on the short side of things, five tracks in twenty minutes, but it still operates in the realms of darker ambient paths. Heavenly chords on analogue synths, occasional guitar strumming and feeding them through an endless line of sound effects, create a dense patterns of ambient sounds, but it’s a good flow of events. Nicely chilling out, relax music for a sombre mind. (FdW)
Address: http://www.eternalice.de
MACHINEFABRIEK – VANCOUVER (3″CDR by Machinefabriek)
Don’t let the title of this new Machinefabriek mislead you: ‘Vancouver’ is not recorded in the city of the same name, but in the city of Vital Weekly: Nijmegen and only a couple of days ago: July 15th. A live recording of his entire concert, just under fifteen minutes. Just like some of his previous live recordings, Machinefabriek builds up this piece from sheer silence all the way to sheer noise, through the use of expanding drone sounds and adding more and more sound effects. A strict linear piece, but also quite intense. As a little extra we get an additional piece, ‘Uiterwaarde’, which was recorded in 1999 on an 8-track machine and now revised, with the extra addition of melodica, effects and field recordings. This is an almost modern classical piece of shimmering drones, kind like Scelsci meeting Jim O’Rourke, circa ‘Disengage’. Quite a surprise, and I wonder what else he has in his vaults. (FdW)
Address: http://www.machinefabriek.tk
FORMATT – ENGTEVREES (3″CDR by Entr’acte)
The previous release by Formatt, ‘Extended’ (see Vital Weekly 360) wasn’t welcomed here with too much joy, and it seems a light-year away from this new one, ‘Engtevrees’. Gone are the rhythms and in come the field recordings, in particular a recording Formatt, nom de plume of Peter Smeekens from Belgium, made in an underground carpark. The recording of that is manipulated through the use of a computer, tape-decks and effects. He does this with great care. The piece is overall quiet, with lots of subtle processing, that sounds like a hurdle of insects or bird-calls. Semi-industrial sounds that are pushed to the back in order to make a gentle flow of events. A giant leap forward. (FdW)
Address: http://www.entracte.co.uk
Addition: the website address for Osaka Records (see Hulk – Silver Thread Of Ghosts) is: http://www.osaka.ie