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TROUM – AIWS (CD by Transgredient Records) *
BEEQUEEN – SELTENTURM: BEESIDES 1989-2000 (2xCD by Plinkity Plonk/Korm Plastics)
DAN GEESIN – FATHEAD – (CD by Atik)
SUN – I’LL BE THE SAME (CD by Staubgold) *
THE MOUNT FUJI DOOMJAZZ CORPORATION – DOOMJAZZ FUTURE CORPSES (CD by Ad Noiseam)
GHEDALIA TAZARTES – HYSTERIE OFF MUSIC (CD by Jardin Au Fou) *
SARALUNDEN & ANDREY KIRITCHENKO – THERE WAS NO END (CD by Nexsound PQP) *
SARALUNDEN & BJORKAS & MJOS – DUBIOUS (CD by Nexsound PQP)
TIM FEENEY & VIC RAWLINGS – IN SIX PARTS (CD by Sedimental)
BRENDAN MURRAY & SETH NEHIL – SILLAGE (CD by Sedimental) *
NORTHERN MACHINE – DARK TO DARK/DARK, TOO (2CD by HC3 Music) *
FURNITURE – TWILIGHT CHASES THE SUN (CD by Earsofa)
SYLVAN – WE ARE LYING TO YOU THROUGH SONG (CDR by Popular Records)
SHEPHERDS – LOCO HILLS (CD by Release The Bats)
NADJA – RADIANCE OF SHADOW (CD by Alien8 Recordings)
SUBVERSIVE ELEMENT – ROAD TRIP (CD by Psychosomatic Records)
GROSS & RIVIERE – MONO FACE (12″, private release)
PHELAN SHEPPARD/NIANDRA LADIES – GAMES OF POSITION/CASINO LISBOA (7″ by Static Caravan)
FIRE IN THE HEAD – FITH ICON (CD by autarkeia)
SHAWN GREENLEE – NYSA (CD by Utech Records)
SHAWN GREENLEE – NYSA (3inch CDr by Iynges Recordings)
APOPHALLATION / EDIBLE COLOSTOMY BAG / SIST EN 343 / TJERE – 4 WAY SPLIT (CDR by Ronfrecods)
DADALA – CANDY FISH BARREL (CDR by Peripheral Music)
B’TONG – MICROSLEEP (CDR by Verato Project)
MYSTIFIED – MELLOW UTILITY (CDR by Ambolthue)
MOR MONSEN – LASTENFOUND (CDR by Ambolthue)
ORIGAMI TACET – IN LOW-FLUX (3″CDR by Ambolthue) *
SURFACE HOAR – THESE TERRIBLE DREAMS (CDR by Galloping Foxley Recordings)
BLACK TO COMM (CDR by Eclipsis/Absurd)
TOXIC CHICKEN – LO FI (CDR by Esc Rec) *
SOUTIEN GORGE – VIZALLASJELENTES (3″CDR by Boltfish Recordings) *
MACHINEFABRIEK – KOPLOOP (3″CDR by Machinefabriek) *
EMMANUEL MIEVILLE – EL BOOM (3″CDR by Universinternational) *
LAPTOP QUARTET TWENTYTWENTYONE – FLOATING HIERACHIES/BEFORE AND AFTER (MP3s by Mixthemixthemix) *
TROUM – AIWS (CD by Transgredient Records)
It’s hard to believe, but apparently this is the first full-length Troum album since 2003. I could have thought it was different. But never question a press text, I guess. The pieces on this new CD were recorded from 2002-2005 on Troum’s own analogue equipment, all live to four-eight track recorders, without the involvement of computers. Troum, a duo (be it hard to believe), is best a live band, even when working in the studio. Their instruments are guitars, e-bow, bass, voices, accordion & flute, old vinyl. And oh, sound effects. Lots of those are involved in the music of Troum, but they never stand in the way of the end result. Spacious head music. Loud at times, quiet when necessary, but there is a certain roughness about the band, which is an element I really like. Even when things are quiet, they never really are quiet. ‘Neheh’ is just an example of some sparse organ like loops, feeding through some delay and bouncing gentle forward, but with a certain grittiness. Highly atmospheric even when experienced without the help of any chemicals or other illegal substances and the best but perhaps more frightful experience when played in the dark and with the headphones tied to your head. You are bound to play it again, if not only because it might be too scary to leave the room… Of all things experimental, ambient and industrial (Menche, Zoviet*France, Lustmord), Troum can easily stand the test and be the best of the lot. (FdW)
Address: http://www.dronerecords.de
BEEQUEEN – SELTENTURM: BEESIDES 1989-2000 (2xCD by Plinkity Plonk/Korm Plastics)
Nijmegen’s duo Beequeen (Frans de Waard and Freek Kinkelaar) release a compilation of 23 various works recorded since 1989. Certainly one of the more notable experimental outfits of the last two decades, this collection numbingly sets a certain tone (or atones) both to the past and future. There’s a delicate balance of low chords breaking into dark ambient space (“Does He Do As If He Is”) from their 1994 recording ‘Split’. You’re in the dark, someone is casting a vague echo while slowly bowing a cello, you see a faint light. There is this sense of passing figures, black on black shadowy movements hinted at in your peripheral view. At points queasy, others like your spinning in a Spanish villa for just a dazzling moment (“Fond II”). They firmly use the guise of industrialisms to build the droning layers of works like “Land Above Us” which has both a sense of open continuum and repeat cycle that can, for many, become unnerving. Though, they do so with a certain grace that kind of rounds the corners of chaos. The final stage of production, so to speak. And the point is clear, these two men have built a passionate body of work that is at once striking for its qualities emulating the codec of film, secondly they have used that motif to concoct music which is out of the personal body, told from the vantage point of the other. And third, it takes you some place you may have not dared, distinctively told with a fusion of pace, timing, fore/background. Then there are these themes of meditation, observation, then realization. When you sample tracks like “Brasillian Fond” (1989), you are just barely eavesdropping by way of the slight incorporated field recordings. Part mysterious travelogue, part staging for how you might compose music to send to navigate the hole in the ozone and then into the deep universe to cultivate answers to its questions. The work of Beequeen simply trips the mind. (TJ Norris)
Address: http://www.kormplastics.nl
DAN GEESIN – FATHEAD – (CD by Atik)
Dan Geesin is an englishman living and working in Amsterdam as a multidisciplinary artist. He paints, writes, films, etc. ‘Fathead’ is his fourth cd, released on his own Atik label, preceded by ‘Cars, Bikes, Walking’ (1998) , ‘Driving’ (2000) and ‘Green (2005). All music and texts written by Geesin himself. Also the performance is done solely by him, playing windorgan and several percussive objects. But his real instrument is his voice. He sings and performs with a pleasant voice. He tells stories based on observations of daily life, and gives room to tragic and comic aspects of life, circled around small events. The cd counts 20 songs and spoken poems and interludes that prove that Geesin is capable of writing catchy songs. He has a good feeling for writing songs that refuse to leave your mind. Repeatedly I find myself whistling some of them, like ‘Electric Rolstoel Speedway’, ‘I don’t want’ or ‘Hills called the Downs’. And that is something! Melancholy is the dominating spirit, evoked by the harmonium and his voice that reminded me of Ivor Cutler or Robert Wyatt in a way. But may be it is better to say that everything on this cd sounds very, very english. 20 songs drenched in melancholy may be too much of it, but it really is a lovely cd, from a talented singer-songwriter. (DM)
Address: http://www.geesin.nl/
SUN – I’LL BE THE SAME (CD by Staubgold)
It’s been a while, actually a long while since the release of the first Sun record (Vital Weekly 372). To refresh your mind: Sun i s a duo of Oren Ambarchi and Chris Townend. Oren is of course a well-known musician, drone meister and gifted improviser and Townend is a musician and producer from Australia. In their mutual project Sun they display their love of popmusic, but it’s not exactly MTV friendly music. Sun plays alternative rock music. Guitars, bass, drums and vocals – especially the vocals make things poplike, but it’s the weakest link in this popmusic. Maybe it’s because I like female vocals better, or voices that have a lot of weight, but the thin voices of Sun, held back, parlando, is not (or in similar cases by others), never well spend on me. But the music is quite nice: melancholic lines on the guitar, swirling drums, a wide open sound. This is again personal music, a bit sad, a bit down. The surprise we encountered in 2003 is gone here a bit, but ‘I’ll Be The Same’ is a nice and worthy follow up to the debut album, and with Ambarchi in Melbourne and Townend in Tasmania, it’s no doubt going to take another four years before numero three will arrive. (FdW)
Address: http://www.staubgold.com
THE MOUNT FUJI DOOMJAZZ CORPORATION – DOOMJAZZ FUTURE CORPSES (CD by Ad Noiseam)
People knowing the quality standard of Berlin-based label Ad Noiseam, probably wasn’t astonished by the fact that an album from Ad Noiseam was honored with the “Awards of distinction” at this years issue of the well-acclaimed festival, Ars Electronica – Festival for Technology, Art and Society. It was the latest album “Grist” by American artist Aaron Spectre under his ultra-energetic and hyper-aggressive project Drumcorps (reviewed a year ago in Vital Weekly issue #548). Present album by project with the very strange name, The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation, is another proof of the high standard level of the Ad Noiseam label, yet the album also has to be some of the most bizarre released from the German label. Taste the title of the album “Doomjazz Future Corpses”. The phrase “Doomjazz” characterizes the expression of the album very well. “The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation” is the collaboration between Giedon Kiers and Jason Kohnen, the latter known for his furious breakcore-project Bong Ra. The joint venture project was originally called “The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble” and had its debut release last year on Mike Paradina’s ( a.k.a. <http://www.discogs.com/artist/%C2%B5-Ziq> µ-Ziq ) label Planet Mu. The expression of “Doomjazz future corpses” stand as a sharp contrast to Jason Kohnen solo-project Bong Ra. Where Bong Ra focus on full throttle energy on his albums, Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation operates in heavy and slowly moving textures. Rhythms are non-existing in the universe and the many sound layers floats very slowly in between each other in an ultra-heavy doom-like manner. Musically the album serves as a mixture of avant-garde jazz and dark drone ambient resulting in a superb otherworldly atmosphere. The expression takes its starting point in acoustic sound spheres where heavy grinding guitar-drones, weeping cello and sinister saxophone lines dominates. Imagine a mixture between ambient-composer and tuba-player Tom Heasley’s horn-based dark ambient on “Where the earth meets the sky” (Hypnos, 2000) and doom metal/ambient maestros in Sunn o))) and their extended, trance-like drones built up around low-end guitar and bass feedback. Thus the atmospheres of “Doomjazz future corpses” nicely balance between dark and slow jazz-inspired ambient and grinding brutal drones of crushing bass and guitars-riffs. There is an apocalyptic feeling on the album, reminiscent of the album “Inde$troy” (Manic Ears Records, 1989) by Industrial/dark ambient-project Saw Throat ( a.k.a. Sore Throat). “Doomjazz future corpses” is a beautiful work of gloomy brutalism and I advice every listener of free jazz, doom metal and dark ambient to check out. Excellent work! (NM)
Address: http://www.adnoiseam.net/
GHEDALIA TAZARTES – HYSTERIE OFF MUSIC (CD by Jardin Au Fou)
After ten years of no releases, Ghedalia Tazartes came back with ‘5 Rimbaud/1 Verlaine’ last year (see Vital Weekly 547) which was well received here. Tazartes is a man who sings, plays keyboards of all kind (synthesizers and samplers) and drum computers. Yet it’s not easy to classify his music, which I think is exactly the point he is trying to make here. ‘Hysterie Off Music’ is a nice play with words, coming hysteria and history. Tracks are called ‘Soul 1’, ‘Soul 2’, etc or ‘Country 1’, ‘Country 2’ etc – each of those five pieces, and then one piece called ‘Jazz’ and one called ‘Bonus’. Likewise it’s not easy to say anything decent about this. Sometimes the pathos which Tazartes employs to sing is not spend on me at all, and the same can be said of the somewhat loaded samples, but there is something fascinating about this release also. Just because it sounds so far away from what we know and love, makes this an interesting outsider work. Not caring about what is hip and wot not, but strictly caring about what he finds fascinating, interesting or such like. That is something I like more about this, then perhaps the actual content of the release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.jardinaufou.com
SARALUNDEN & ANDREY KIRITCHENKO – THERE WAS NO END (CD by Nexsound PQP)
SARALUNDEN & BJORKAS & MJOS – DUBIOUS (CD by Nexsound PQP)
Might of course be just me not knowing much, but the name Sara Lunden is new to me. She plays synthesizer, vocals, guitar and recorder and composes songs. How she recorded this album with Andrey Kiritchenko (objects, drums, field recordings, programming, electronics and editing) I don’t know. Did they sat together and made or did Kiritchenko add his part later? In any case, that is not of real importance, the music counts. A lot. Lunden’s voice is alike Portishead and other trip hop like artists, but the music is not like that all. Melodic and melodramatic glitch pop music. There are elements to be recognized from the abstract clicks ‘n cuts music, but the overall emphasizes lies on popmusic. Maybe the voice is a bit too much like the triphoppers of this world, but throughout I must admit I thought this was a highly enjoyable release. Careful, vulnerable popmusic with a great modern touch.
On the same label, Nexsound PQP (pronounce pickup), more Saralunden, together with Kyrre Bjorkas, her erstwhile lover and Jagga Jassist bass player Andreas Mjos. Bjorkas has a dark voice that matches the lighter tone of Sara Lunden quite well. The music is bass heavy, although many other instruments are also used. It sounds however less ‘modern’ as her collaboration with Kiritchenko and more like older trip hop with jazz like influences, which is not bad at all, but less surprising. Five great tracks however. (FdW)
Address: http://www.nexsound.org
TIM FEENEY & VIC RAWLINGS – IN SIX PARTS (CD by Sedimental)
BRENDAN MURRAY & SETH NEHIL – SILLAGE (CD by Sedimental)
For me the name of percussionist Tim Feeney is new, although I read he has collaborated with people such as James Coleman, Howard Stelzer, Jack Wright, ONDA and Christine Sharif Sehnaoui, so his credits are ok, as far as I’m concerned. Here he teams up with Vic Rawlings, who has expanded his cello over the years with an array of electronic devices. Almost two years ago they made this recording together, which took some time to release. But here it is, and it’s music that requires ones full attention, otherwise you’ll be lost in it. The advise should be: don’t play this if you intend to do something else than listening. When full concentration is there, one will be exposed to a series of scratching, bowing, hitting, feedback and short circuiting that move along various paths, pieces, moods and textures. Highly improvised music as one can expect, but played with extraordinarily ease and skill. Great.
Both Seth Nehil and Brendan Murray have a vast catalogue behind their names of both solo works and collaborative ones. Together they have worked since 2003, when they played a set together at the Intransitive festival and then later some more in New York. Much of what they did together is at the basis of this disc. They have a strong interest in both field recordings and computer processings thereof. It’s hard to tell from these eight pieces what is what, but it seems obvious that things work alongside eachother. Especially Murray’s work in this field is great (and much underrated). Controlled atmospheric electric charges, contact microphones scratching the surface and plug ins constantly rework what is on hand, and the result is a densely knitted field of work. Perhaps obvious work in the field of microsound, phonography and such like, but this is a great recording, as far as I’m concerned. (FdW)
Address: http://www.sedimental.com
NORTHERN MACHINE – DARK TO DARK/DARK, TOO (2CD by HC3 Music)
It’s been a while since reviewing ‘Staalhertz’ by Northern Machine, a duo of Pat Gillis and Bill Warford (see Vital Weekly 399), and much has passed under the bridge. The earlier sound of Muslimgauze, O Yuki Conjugate, Internal Fusion is gone here and replaced by a sound that is more interesting, that of the underworld of drone music. Long, swirling tracks of tightly knitted waves of modular synthesizer sounds, in an endless freefall from the sky. As such not always with a very compositional structure but that is perhaps not the point of such atmospheric music. Put on and let go. The ‘Dark To Dark’ disc has nine pieces but more or less form one long flow. ‘Dark, Too’, the second disc, is subtitled ‘studio recordings of live set favorites’ and things here are a teeny bit more rhythmic, but still in a mechanical way, and not in the pseudo ethnic terrain of yesteryear. Together this is a nice bunch of music, progressing strongly from the previous release. Well worth checking out by anyone who likes dark and atmospheric music. (FdW)
Address: http://www.northernmachinemusic.com
FURNITURE – TWILIGHT CHASES THE SUN (CD by Earsofa)
SYLVAN – WE ARE LYING TO YOU THROUGH SONG (CDR by Popular Records)
SHEPHERDS – LOCO HILLS (CD by Release The Bats)
NADJA – RADIANCE OF SHADOW (CD by Alien8 Recordings)
SUBVERSIVE ELEMENT – ROAD TRIP (CD by Psychosomatic Records)
This is the small corner with a big questionmark. Bands that may not directly fit Vital Weekly, but who served the duty of sending a promo. Furniture is a four piece band of vocals, synths, beats, guitar, synth, bass and drums and their CD was recorded some time ago, and may be or may not be just released. According to their myspace page they are from Maleysia and they play emotronic. Well, that’s something we can vouch for. Voices that sound remote, held together, guitars that burst out, spacious rhythms. Actually not bad for a few tracks, but not in the least bit my tea or coffee for very long.
Sylvan is also a four piece, from the Dublin area, who recorded their debut with Steve Albini. Their latest (and third) album was recorded earlier this year with Mick of Adebisi Shank. They have a traditional line up, but the outcome is less traditional. They find their music between Part Chimp (which I don’t know) and The Ex, which I love. Raw, energetic punk rock inspired music, but slower than the usual punk and with changes in tempo that are radical. That and the voice of Paul make them indeed sound like The Ex, which is not bad at all. Musically far away from the usual Vital Weekly lot, but if you are a bit more adventurous than you should check this out.
Shepherds then. ‘It is the sound of unknown terrain’, says Release The Bats, but why am I thinking ‘post-rock’ when I hear this? Also a four piece, also conventional instruments, but like all things ‘post’ of course no vocals. Four very lengthy cold cuts of instrumental jamming around, which is something nice, but perhaps not entirely to listen to on CD. Perhaps more fun to do yourself. Of this un-Vital lot the one that did least for me. It was nice, but all a bit pointless at the same time. Vaguely atmospheric music.
Obviously you might it odd that I place Nadja in this corner too, since half of Nadja is the well respected – at least by Vital Weekly – Aidan Baker. But the story is perhaps known, his band Nadja plays metal drone music, or drone doom, or doom metal drone, or well, you get my drift. ‘Radiance Of Shadows’ is their latest offering and it only seemed weeks ago that we reviewed ‘Touched’ (Vital Weekly 577) and much of what was said back then, can be repeated here: “It’s grinds, shakes and rumbles in a slow mood, with an endless wall of guitars and slow stomping rhythm patterns. Not unlike Earth or Sunn 0))), but like their previous ‘Truth Becomes Death’ (see Vital Weekly 495) this is a bit too blurry for me. Occasionally fine, this weight heavy stoner rock, but as a whole not too well spend on me.” This new one, with three tracks spanning an hour worth of new material is alike that. But it’s still that corner of music that doesn’t exactly fit Vital Weekly.
Most fitting the schematics of Vital Weekly would no doubt be Subversive Element, the project of sax player Jim Goetsch, who started out playing jazz, until electronics won him over. He travels the empty roads of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico (be on the look out for Steve Fosset!) and decided to create music for these journeys. ‘Abstract electronics, beats and bass hit the highway’, is how Subversive Element announces this. It may depend on your definition of subversion, but this music is hardly subversive by the weekly standard. Dub inspired rhythms, tablas (yuck, it reminded me of Muslimgauze), and indeed some sort of electronics that may pass for ‘abstract’. It’s actually quite nice and entertaining, slow dub music but unfortunately there isn’t too much difference among the various pieces, and the pieces are quite long (between six and eight minutes). Of course I am not on some highway, but at home, so who am I to judge? Half the tracks today, the rest tomorrow – that seems like a good division.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/earsofa
Address: http://www.myspace.com/sylvan1
Address: http://www.releasethebats.com
Address: http://www.alien8recordings.com
Address: http://www.psyrecords.com
GROSS & RIVIERE – MONO FACE (12″, private release)
Ever since I got the ‘Nikki’ 7″ by John Duncan and Chris & Cosey, I am fascinated by the possibilities of split channel records, so on your right speaker you have musician A and on the left B. You can decide to play them separate, or together. Here we have one Arnaud Riviere who plays ‘nanalog synth’ and on the left there is Jean-Phillippe Gross with ‘when you go to swimming pool please throw away your guitar and remove your shoes?’. It’s a ten minute, 45rpm, one sided record of unrelentness noise. Loud, heavy, feedback spitting in your face. I must say that it’s hard to think of this in terms of split channels and perhaps in terms of true noise not the most surprising record, but the power, speed and concise ness of this makes it up quite nice. Other side has the information silkscreened on the vinyl, to top it off. (FdW)
Address: http://1is0.free.fr
PHELAN SHEPPARD/NIANDRA LADIES – GAMES OF POSITION/CASINO LISBOA (7″ by Static Caravan)
What did i say about myspace and meeting people, I mean, meeting friends? I can’t remember, but Phelan Sheppard (which is a duo from London, with Keiron Phelan and David Sheppard) met through myspace Niandra Ladies, from Italy-France and who had an album on the Leaf. The latter plays ambient soundscapes whereas the first add guitars, woodwind, strings and piano, and all together now they create music that has really no head or tail. Smooth music, a bit like softcore jazz, lounge cocktail like, which no doubt would do well when sipping that cocktail in your chaisse lounge and a sigaret in the other hand (in which bar is that still possible?), but on a thursday morning with loads of rain, I can only dream of going away to somewhere more sunny. I’ll upload this through myownspace and report from a sunny area of the world. (FdW)
Address: http://www.staticcaravan.org
FIRE IN THE HEAD – FITH ICON (CD by autarkeia)
SHAWN GREENLEE – NYSA (CD by Utech Records)
SHAWN GREENLEE – NYSA (3inch CDr by Iynges Recordings)
APOPHALLATION / EDIBLE COLOSTOMY BAG / SIST EN 343 / TJERE – 4 WAY SPLIT (CDR by Ronfrecods)
By way of a topography – something I’ve recently become interested in – let me try to describe not just these four works but in doing so map out an aesthetic-musica and locate them within it. Imagine then a simple valley and hill, there are in such a model two places of equilibrium, one at the valley bottom one at the top of the hill. Though both are points of equilibrium one is stable the other not. The base represents the world of abstract noise, of click, blip, sine waves, etc. from which music is built – as we move up the hill. The top of the hill marks the destination of sound art – an unstable subjectivity of visceral noise such as the likes of merzbow. Moving up from cool abstractionism, melodic structures and romantic inventions we reach the ‘other’ noise. All music, sound art, can be located within this topology, the two equllibria marking terminations. Just as a sine wave is totally simple & perfect, enclosing a transcendental number, and capable of forming all other waves so the viscerality of harsh noise itself cannot be bettered, we only descend from its Nietzschean heights into tonality and meaning. Fifth Icon seems to be moving from this point into what I would call a morbid religiosity of romanticism with its expiational screaming. offering some critique of religion which of course plays the same game – atop the mountain there is no god or dialectic. The blurb re NYSA gives us “The sound for drunken states on mythic mountains.” but I would place it at the lowest point of our topography, not that I’m being pejorative, its use of discernable devices and experimental electronica is the hall mark of interesting abstractionism whose ontology is given apriori, and this is true of the 3inch also – a very competent work – I’d consider it structured in a way that doesn’t imply any danger yet still offers a definite presence as a work…
Whereas in the 4 way split (IMO) Apophallation at times manages some breathtaking mountaineering – certainly on the first track. and in parts on tracks 3 and 4, but never quite makes the summit, but which I mean never quite makes incomprehensibility, Edible Colostomy Bag is just too much the romantic – the name is a giveaway, Sist En 343 is heading towards the gebärmutter-vertrauen of mico sound, Tjere also has to mess around with Keith Emerson? In that they fall – literally- never having climbed quite to the top – by dint of experimentalism into the valley that is the beauty and the tyranny of mathematics. (jliat)
Address: http://www.autarkeia.org
Address: http:// www. utechrecords.com
Address: http:// www.iynges.com
Address: http:// www.ronfrecords.com
DADALA – CANDY FISH BARREL (CDR by Peripheral Music)
Behind Dadala is one R Dunlap, who has been underground and musician since 1985, but active since 2004 as Dadala, in which he ‘exclusively works with existing recordings contributed by others and from his own archives. The audio material is combined, remixed, arranged, rearranged and modified’. His previous five release as Dadala were all MP3 albums, but this ‘Candy Fish Barrel’ is released on a CDR by Peripheral Music. This CDR was made with the online of Johann Meier, who plays piano and synthesizer and creator of electronic sound collages and Micheal Chocholak, who has a long track history in electronic, even when his name doesn’t pop up in Vital Weekly. Thus far the technical side of this release. What to think of the music? That I thought, even after a repeated playing, is a difficult question, since what did I hear? Sometimes chaotic patterns of synthesizer, a lot of wrongly used sound effects, piano and wind instrument doodling, a somewhat uneasy marriage between electronic and acoustic instruments, pieces that went on for too long, especially the final two epic pieces, but also a nice collage like piece in the title piece with the use of various objects, voices and field recordings. I must admit I have mixed feelings about this release, as I only liked parts of it, and sometimes even only parts inside songs. Hard to classify this into a genre – and that is perhaps the good thing. (FdW)
Address: http://www.peripheralmusic.org
B’TONG – MICROSLEEP (CDR by Verato Project)
Chris Sigdell, one half of the now split t duo NID (see also Vital Weekly 585), has already released a couple of releases as B’tong, in which he showed an interest in playing the atmospheric card in music and continues where we left him off with ‘Polar:is’ (see Vital Weekly 522). Metallic percussive sounds, drenched in a lot reverb, spiced with some extra delay, and some rumbling of analogue synthesizers as we go on this journey. A less subtle version of the early Thomas Köner (when he played the gong, anyone remember that), but certainly a release in which B’Tong shows a development from his previous. Things sound more worked out, there is more variation among the separate pieces, and while it doesn’t sound too new or strange, this is actually quite a nice release in the field or ambient, drone and isolationist music. (FdW)
Address: http://www.verato-project.de
MYSTIFIED – MELLOW UTILITY (CDR by Ambolthue)
MOR MONSEN – LASTENFOUND (CDR by Ambolthue)
ORIGAMI TACET – IN LOW-FLUX (3″CDR by Ambolthue)
More from Mystified, who are a mysterious lot (or just one, who knows), who are getting more and more busy with new releases. Here is another one on Norway’s Ambolthue label. It’s always a bit hard to say when stuff was recorded and how new releases should be placed on a time line of development, but this new Mystiefied moves (unfortunately) away from the previous proto techno rhythms and stays along the ambient industrial lines of the releases that I heard which came earlier. Minimal soundscapes, built around samples and synthesizers, with throughout not much development, but which are throughout very pleasant to hear. Nothing exciting new, but certainly well entertaining, this more noisy version of Zoviet*France, but it would be nice to see them explore the techno side a bit more.
Behind Mor Monsen is one Peter Monsen, but the choose the surname Mor after some Norwegian cake. He played with Biologisk Helt Feil, a Norwegian freak band, but also with André Borgen, Anders Gjerde and Martin Furan and he classifies his music as noise, which is what he does here. His music is indeed quite crude and loud, recorded with lowest means, cut together in a collage like way, which is a kinda nice approach for a change, but altogether it’s not much of interest. Too basic in appareance with just not enough new ideas.
The most interesting new release on Ambolthue is the one from Origami Tacet, a duo of Micheal F. Duch on violin and ‘hum’ and Tore H. Boe on acoustic laptop and hiss. The acoustic laptop is a wooden box with objects, which Boe plays like a laptop. This is a duet of improvised music of scratchy and squeky violin sounds combined with moments of silence, the hiss and hum part I assume. Quite a nice work, that could have been a bit more intense I assume, but nevertheless makes up an interesting work of sound versus silence. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ambolthue.com
SURFACE HOAR – THESE TERRIBLE DREAMS (CDR by Galloping Foxley Recordings)
No info or website on Surface Hoar, which is a great pity me thinks. First of all because I’d love to know more, but also because the music is actually quite nice. It’s hard to say what it is that they do, it could include tape manipulations, analogue synthesizers and sound effects, but then who am I to tell. The release starts out with a deep end bass sound, which later on in further tracks starts sweeping around, with insect like synths and other obscure field recordings of animal sounds. In ‘Swarm Or Die!’, they commit everything straight to tape, says the cover, and things are bit more louder, or even noisier here, which seems the logical conclusion of things getting intense and louder throughout the release. Quite a nice, if not highly obscure release. (FdW)
Address: surfacehoarmusic@yahoo.com
BLACK TO COMM (CDR by Eclipsis/Absurd)
Eclipsis Records is a small label that are mainly interested in releasing music for occasions of their children. Here Black To Comm play music to celebrate the birth of a newborn daughter. Might be a bit of a surprise, me thinks, as what I heard so far from Black To Comm doesn’t seem exactly child friendly. But in this case, he plays a twenty-four minute piece of music that fits the Black To Comm darker, subtle sampled music, as well as creating enough headspace for a child to think about – ‘now what sort of animal/car/ghost do you think that could be’. Divided in an invisible way into an organ opening piece, followed by an excursion on guitar. It must be said that I like the opening part better, which sounded more coherent and spacious. Not tested on the young ones around here this time, but it has the parental blessing. (FdW)
Address: http://www.void.gr/absurd
TOXIC CHICKEN – LO FI (CDR by Esc Rec)
Something of an allround artist, this Toxic Chicken, who is a musician, producer, video artist, DJ and dancer/performer. He plays his music on his computer while dancing around in a spastic, anarchistic manner. Despite many gigs ‘Lo Fi’ is his first release, which, based on the stories of spastic anarchistic performances is kind of normal. Computer voices, nice melodies, a bit of angular elektro rhythms, this is more an entertaining release than say something shocking. Short tracks that breath the good, raw and untamed energy of elektro punk. What can one say? Play this loud at home, on your walkman, while vacuum cleaning, while dancing, while traveling. Music that you can feel good with. Nice stuff. (FdW)
Address: http://www.escrec.com
SOUTIEN GORGE – VIZALLASJELENTES (3″CDR by Boltfish Recordings)
Usually I can start a review of something on Boltfish by stating I know nothing about the artist in question, but in the case of Soutien Gorge, I actually know that it’s a duo of Andras ‘Banyek’ Hargitai and Robert Potys, who released ‘L’Etoiles Souriantes’ on Bitlab Records (see Vital Weekly 504). Back in the day I already noted that they play music along the lines of releases of “Static Caravan, Expanding Records or Highpoint Lowlife operate: melodic electronics, with (semi-) melancholic keyboards, a bit of acoustic guitars , which are processed a little and IDM rhythms”, and as such nothing much changed in those almost two years. The five tracks still work along those lines and make throughout a pleasant listening of twenty some minutes. Nothing new under this sun, but soon we can use the name Boltfish to name check when writing about this kind of music. (FdW)
Address: http://www.boltfish.co.uk
MACHINEFABRIEK – KOPLOOP (3″CDR by Machinefabriek)
And of course there is Machinefabriek, who in this week’s contribution to world of music works with soundsources supplied by Greg Haines (cello) and Anne Bakker (violin), whereas Zuydervelt himself plays guitar, banjo, organ, laptop, memorecorders and effects. The piece is separated in two parts, flowing into eachother. First there is ten minutes of careful strumming long sustaining sounds. Here all instruments are hard to decipher, even when there are subtle waves above the rest. In the second part, things are more recognizable and each instrument, especially the violin and cello play melodic bits that are more there upfront in the mix and things almost turn semi-classical there for change. Nice, subtle music, especially the second part of the piece which provides a new alley for Machinefabriek. One of the finer moments among the already fine moments. (FdW)
Address: http://www.machinefabriek.nu
EMMANUEL MIEVILLE – EL BOOM (3″CDR by Universinternational)
The previous works by Emmanuel Mieville were in the realms of electro-acoustic music, which is not strange for a former student of Philippe Mion and Jacques Lejeune, here on his latest ‘El Boom’ release however, he goes out in the field to do some recording. The field being insects in Costa Rica where he tapes insect sounds along with the sounds of a fence being hit with a piece of metal. Those are the two basic ingredients of the piece, but there is also some sort of motor like sounds and maybe even processings which give the piece a strange kind of menace. A subtle treat is lingering below the surface here. Quite an intense piece of soundscaping that works nice as well as a musical piece by itself. (FdW)
Address: http://ui.universinternational.org/
LAPTOP QUARTET TWENTYTWENTYONE – FLOATING HIERACHIES/BEFORE AND AFTER (MP3s by Mixthemixthemix)
A string quartet is usually two violins (first and second), one viola and one cello, so a laptop quartet has a first and second violin (played by Lina Lapelyte and Antoni Dombrovskij), a viola laptop (Vilius Siaulys) and Arturas Bumsteinas on the bass laptop. As perhaps known The Laptop Quartet Twentytwentyone play graphic scores of classical composers. Here they have two new recordings to be downloaded for free. ‘Floating Hierarchies’ by Herbert Brun was recorded at the Holland Festival in June and is a beautiful piece of improvised cracks, hiss, electronics, bass beeps which all wave a nice field of dense sound. ‘Before And After’ by Antanas Dombrovskij uses samples by Bumsteinas (who is the leader of the quartet), but unfortunately I can’t be all positive about this piece. It’s started out with electro-acoustic samples but too soon explodes into a heavy noise piece which dropped dead right away, leaving the listener with a headache and no tension. But pick up a copy of Bumsteinas ‘Stockhausen’s Cocktail Bar Menu’, where ‘Studie II’ is translated to make cocktails and things will be alright, especially if you try them all (more headache the day after). This booklet can be had from Bumsteinas’ site. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mixthemixthemix.com
Address: http://www.bumstein.com