THE MIND OF A MISSILE (CD by Heel Stone)
Three groups with long tracks. The general theme is ‘Global Electronic
Warfare’ and the whole thing is presented like a military document. The CD
opens with a 12 minute piece by Schloss Tegal, who don’t sound too much
dated with their usual industrial, but more like a SETI/Lagowski track
here. Repeating pulses and dark rumbling with taped voices (that could be
from NASA flight control) over it. Next is John Duncan (at 15 some minutes)
and he stretches out sound and intermixes them with cracklings. Not
dissimilar to his recent work for Trente Oiseaux. I am told that I will not
understand his work easily, or maybe even never. Maybe I judge what I hear,
as I guess that is what other people will do. And I like what I hear,
despite any misunderstanding. The CD is closed by Aube, delivering the
longest of the trio (but hey, he is the most active of the trio…). His
piece is more noise edged, but composition wise not very coherent all
together. No doubt this CD will go down fast, as it is limited to 500
copies only. So if you are a true devotee to any of these three, then act
fast. (FdW)
Address: <heelstone@aol.com>
HENRI CHOPIN – LE CORPSBIS & CO (CD by Nepless)
After the re-discovery by Staalplaat and their retrospective CD, the
collaboration CD with electronic composer Marc Battier, here is a new CD
with recent work from the nineties. It seems that Chopin, who is now in his
mid seventies, is still active with new recordings and performances. His
music has nothing to do with the man with the same name, but everything
with the use of voice in combination with electronics. Dada sound poetry
would have been forgotten if man didn’t invent tape recorders, and Chopin
takes this as an advantage. The voice becomes unrecognizable in his
electronic treatments (slowing down, speeding up of tape machines) which
are edited into collage forms of sound. Chopin’s voice lives in a strange
electronic world, in which time is moving as fast as it is moving slow.
It’s a strange world, but at the same time a fasinating world it is. (FdW)
Address: fax: + 39 125 48641
MAKYO – RASA BHAVA (CD by Silent)
Recent offerings by Silent are not my favorite and this goes for Makyo.
Pseudo ethnic music with beats and tablas. I had the impression listening
to the same track for a while. Outstanding piece on this CD – maybe I hate
to admit, is the Bill Laswell remix with strong dubby guitars and likewise
strong tabla playing. Worst piece was the closing one – unfortunately the
longest on the CD – pure new age kitsch. I guess the people at Silent
should re-consider what they are releasing… (FdW)
Address: <silent@sirius.com>
RUBEN GARCIA – ROOM FULL OF EASELS (Close Tolerance Music)
Ruben Garcia makes music virtually indistinguishable from the music of his
contemporary and good friend Harold Budd. Fortunately this isn’t as much of
a handicap as you might expect. There are enough new ideas under the sun
for both of them to make original compositions, at least for now. The fact
that they’ve collaborated in the past might suggest that Garcia is nothing
more than a good copyist, but this new album proves that he has his own way
of holding down the sustain pedal on the grand piano. This is what heaven
must sound like, with delicate piano notes that wash overhead like soft
sound clouds. His contributions to the A Produce CDs are nice, but this is
the place to taste the pure nectar. The only sour note came from the press
kit supplied with the CD, which included a pretentious letter of
recommendation from Harold Budd, dated October 21, 1994: “To whom it may
concern: Something wonderful and magical happens when Ruben Garcia meets a
piano. It happens to me sometimes; it happens to Ruben all the time.” Yuck.
One can only wonder why Garcia clings so tightly to Budd’s coattails. He’s
making music that stands on it’s own, and an endorsement from the local
deity could be a good marketing move for someone less talented, but seen
here it seems out of place. Ignore the hype and enjoy this CD for it’s own
merits. (CP)
SCANNER – HOLLOWHEAD/WHO ELSE IS IN THERE? and SEAMLESS DATA GENERATOR/TAPE
JUNK (both 7″s by Soul Static Sound)
Here’s a surprise! A pair of identical-looking singles from the youngish
London label Soul Static Sound by our man Scanner, AKA Robin Rimbaud, and
what a pleasure they are. Little snapshots of noise and voices, each song
completely different from the next. It’s the beauty of this medium, that
precious old-fashioned styled record we call the 7 inch 45, that it is so
well suited to the quick and dirty song idea. It’s the easiest thing in the
world to make a single, in fact I think too many people are doing it these
days, but it’s another thing altogether to understand that you’ve only got
two or three minutes to sing your song, so you’d better get to your point
or else you’ve missed your opportunity. Scanner understands this, and every
side of this set is an absolute joy for the ear and the brain, like some
sort of mental truffle. YUMM! Some sides echo familiar Scanner themes, but
pleasantly irritating noises added on top keep things interesting. The best
pieces were the ones that avoided his signature sounds though; Scanner
without a scanner is still a good listen. If I had a jukebox I’d add these
to the mix, but I don’t so I’ll stick ’em on a tape loop behind the toilet
and listen to them every time someone flushes a turd down to the candy
kitchen. (CP)
(no address given)
PIG SHITY ORCHESTRA – INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE (CD by Pure)
>From the monomanic series of Pure you might be aware that I will only
review those I like… Behind the Pig Shity Orchestra, it should be not
real surprise, is Big City Orchestra. The Instructions For Use are printed
on the disc itself, and are not well readable, but I guess that’s part of
the conceptual deal BCO usually make. The music on this disc is not as
noisy as one should expect from the Pure series. It’s strange mixture of
found sound, distorted voices, guitar weirdness and yes, o.k., there is
some noise. I am aware that every BCO is a reflection on some musical
event, but I haven’t figured what this is for this CD. The usual sound
effects lack at the end of the CD (again, I don’t know why). But it’s a
much more fascinating product then the usual ‘I blow you over the top with
my next Pure CD’. (FdW)
Address: 151 Paige St. – Lowell, MA 01852 – USA
DESIGNER – VANDAL/LARSON (12″ by Soul Static Sound)
I like saying nasty things, like: “would this be released if this wasn’t
made by the soundman of Tortoise, but anybody else’s first experience into
electronic dance music?” I doubt it… having said a nasty thing like that,
I might add: but I like it. ‘Vandal’ opens with a really outdated sounding
rhythm box that is eventually effected by probably similarly old effect
devices (no I am not saying ‘space echo’ here). Odd breaks here and there,
not your typical 4/4 beats to mix here. My mind waved back to the
mid-eighties when this kind of stuff was popular too. ‘Larson’ opens with a
dubby bass and likewise rhythm and is likewise minimal. Really odd techno
this is, and it is damn nice. So hurrah that this is the Tortoise soundman,
as it gets sold much better. (FdW)
(no address given)
PENUMBRA – ANORAK IN ISOLATION (Cassette by Dizzy Positivity Recordings)
HIRAETHOG – NAIL IT TO THE CEILING AND LET IT VOUT FOR A WHILE (Cassette by
Dizzy Positivity Recordings))
Penumbra tape is a debut in an ambient style. First track is a short intro
and the second is constructed out of two hypnotic, repetitive piano-like
synthsizer loops with a drone in the background which is going up and down
in volume. Very trancy track. The third track is simular to the second; not
a real beginning, but again a rhytmish loop with in this case some
environmental sounds in the background (underground trains / city traffic).
Fourth track is again a loop but now backwards (I think) with some
beautiful long tones played over it, sounding like the wind playing a pipe.
Here and there a voice, sort of whispering and a rhythm loop. Fifth track
is where I lose interest. Until here this tape sounded a bit oldfashioned
but still alright too me. But this track is a loop of a voice saying;”They
dig up graves”. I can’t understand why people would use this sort of
loops/lyrics. Do they think it is cool, or…. what is the point?
Hiraethog tape also uses a lot of environmental sounds. It starts of with
animal sounds, birds in a swampy atmosphere and two men talking, one trying
to convince the other one he should come to a specific place somewhere.
This tape is a bit more dark as the Penumbra one. Rowing boat, laserguns(?)
with now and then a long tone over it.
Engine sound in the background and a synth playing a few of the same chords
over and over again. Third track starts with a rhythm and voices again.
Sort of gamelan sound. This tape sounds like a collage tape of sound effect
records mixed with some music from all sorts of countries cut up with
pieces of movies: “You get nothing for nothing”, “When it makes you
unhappy, give it back”, “I can’t give it back”. In a way it reminds me of
“Alice in Wonderland” by Randy Grief. A soundtrack for a movie you create
in your head. B-side of this tape sounds more gothic. Some priest going on
about god and then sounds of sheep. Overall sphere is a bit on the dark
side and the recordings aren’t that clear but still these two tapes are not
too bad. (RM)
Address: Dizzy Positivity – P.O.Box 53 – Whitley Bay – NE26 1YY – UK
QUEST – ELECTRO-CITY (CD by Lunar)
Quest is one Frans De Waard, a name not unfamiliar to regular readers of
this screen.
In my opinion Electro-City is his strongest solo work to date. It comes in
a lovely gatefold package and was co-produced by Soleilmoon, USA. There are
five tracks and I’ll deal with each of them in turn. Track 1 is the first
of two mixes of ‘Sol’. It starts with a synthetic piano (?) dropchord which
is slowly supplemented by a drone and an occassional bubble which gently
percolates through the shimmering surface. The next track opens with a bit
of replicant howler monkeys and aviatic lifeforms accompanied by a bit of
random keyboard and a sympathetic organ. This piece develops in a very
interesting fashion through several and a half frenzies and I always seemed
to get lost while listening to it. Pitchwhips rise and ascend as das drone
thickens like fog. An elevator torn in half; going up and going down. Being
on two floors at the same time. Very good. Track 3, titled ‘Velocity’
starts with a very convincing kettle. A viscous analog pool bubbles and
yurps below. Webs woven by clockwork spiders. Sudden space as the
neighbours throw a brick through the window and manage to dislodge the
kettle which has been boiling a good 9’00 or so. The next piece was written
for two cats…a recording of Dutch rain (just what they like) which is
swept out of the way by huge sheets of flange which swoop in on spread
wings. All very tasty until Philip Glass pokes his arpeggiator into Quest’s
sequencer and which, despite the addition of a marvellous effect, tended to
wear me down slightly.
The CD ends with the second mix of ‘Sol’…soft surf shuffles in the
background …and there goes the arpeggiator one more ‘gain. The gloopy
drops used in Track 1 return here to assist with this final submergence. An
unusual, unpredictable CD which takes it’s time and reveals itself
gradually over several listenings. Check it out. (MP)
Address: <soleilmoon@aol.com>