Editorial news: we have decided to stop reviewing MP3 releases. Please do not send any discs with MP3 releases. Just send me an e-mail with a link and a short description, so people can download it. The amount of releases pile up every week and I can no longer devote time to MP3s. Whatever you see coming in the next few weeks are the last ones. Please do not send anymore. Also: releases that do not contain the original artwork will most likely be no longer reviewed. The real thing is necessary for a real judgment. If you wish to send us not the real thing, please contact us first. <vital@vitalweekly.net>
PLEASE NOTE: THERE WILL BE NO VITAL WEEKLY IN WEEK 46. ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR THAT PERIOD SHOULD BE HERE BEFORE MONDAY 8TH.
ERIC LUNDE – MUSIC IS MEAT (CD + book by Trait Media Works) *
ERIC LUNDE – LOCALIZED NOISE-INDUCED TRANSITIONS (CD by Trait Media Works) *
ERIC LUNDE – LARD (CD by Trait Media Works) *
TROUM – MARE IDIOPHONIKA (CD by Tourette Records) *
CARL OESTERHELT & JOHANNES ENDERS – DIVERTIMENTO FUR TENORSAXOPHON UND KLEINES ENSEMBLE (CD by Alien Transistor)
BERGEROND – ETRANGE EN COMPAGNIE (CDR by Freaky Waves)
BAY/OSLO MIRROR TRIO – SAME (CD by Conrad Sound)
SEKSTETT – SAME (CD by Conrad Sound)
ERNST KAREL ANNETTE KREBS FALTER 1-5 (CD by Cathnor Recordings)
PATRICK FARMER DOMINIC LASH BESTIARIES (CD by Cathnor Recordings)
GHEDALIA TAZARTES – ANTE-MORTEM (CD by Hinterzimmer) *
URAL UMBO – FOG TAPES (LP by Hinterzimmer) *
KERŸNEN – BATS IN THE ATTIC (CD by Pica Disk)
ZBIGNIEW KARKOWSKI & KELLY CHURKO – INFALLIBILISM (CD by Herbal International Concrete Disc)
TORTURING NURSE – IL COMUNISMO DOVEVA MORIRE (CD by Mind Flare Media)
IF, BWANA – ASSEMBLE.AGE (CD by Mutable Music) *
TEXAR/MARIA ASKATU (12″ by After Music Recordings)
PARCSEC3 – (CDR by Insubordinations)
ST. RIDE – CERCANDO NIENTE (CD-R by Niente Records)
NICK HENNIES – PSALMS (CDR by Roeba) *
MY FUN & JOHN IRA EBERSOLE – CAMARADERIE (CDR by The Land Of) *
DYLAN PALME/HAL MCGEE – SPLIT (CDR by Hal Tapes)
KATHY BURKETT/HAL MCGEE – SPLIT (CDR by Hal Tapes)
ANDREW CHADWICK/HAL MCGEE – SPLIT (CDR by Hal Tapes)
MARKO KARLOVCEC – GREETINGS FROM THE SEA (CDR by Botanic Records)
IRENA TOMAZIN & MARKO KARLOVCEC – THAT WHICH HAPPENS IS ITSELF DRIPPING RED
(CDR by Botanic Records)
FRANCISCO LOPEZ – UNTITLED #271 (3″CDR by Kaon) *
BACILLUS – ANTHRACIS (b-card CDR by iheartnoise/cipherproductions)
ERIC LUNDE – MUSIC IS MEAT (CD + book by Trait Media Works)
ERIC LUNDE – LOCALIZED NOISE-INDUCED TRANSITIONS (CD by Trait Media Works)
ERIC LUNDE – LARD (CD by Trait Media Works)
This is not the first time that Eric Lunde publishes a book, ‘LLND’ came already in 1991 (I think), but that was a small one, compared to ‘Music Is Meat’. I don’t know how many pages this new one has, since it isn’t numbered. Its perhaps also not a book to read back to back. Its a novel about about an obscure industrial band being filmed for a documentary. But the singer is dead and the band re-enacted by others, and then becomes popular than the original. Maybe its about the fact that noise music is now more popular than it was when Lunde started, in the early 80s. The book tells the story in a rather abstract way, cut along with drawings from the story board and thoughts about what noise is. In some ways its probably a not very accurate autobiography, but no doubt it carries a lot of personal memories from Lunde from the old days. A funny read, especially if that ‘old’ noise scene is part of your own experience. To listen to the ‘soundtrack’ (not my parentheses) at the same time is not easy, as it contains a lot of spoken word pieces (from the book?), and bits of audio. The whole package, book and CD, however is unmistakably ‘noisy’: a bombardment of text and sound, both in print and on the CD, creating a beautiful and disturbed image. Excellent stuff.
On ‘Localized Noise-Induced Transitions’ we find ‘field recordings using the Short Range Acoustical Device, the portable degenerator, reduplication processing, and found/stolen recordings from the field’ – a picture of the device is included. No spoken word here (except for the tenth piece), but an interesting set of eleven pieces of pretty static field recordings. No idea actually what it is that was recorded here, perhaps a bunch of heating systems or refrigerators for all I know, but it sounds quite captivating. Sometimes these sounds go a bit into feedback, but throughout it all stays on the ‘acceptable’ side of noise. Mysterious, intense, ambient and at the same time industrial, this is some great stuff. I could concentrate more on the book when listening to this (I know, I shouldn’t say such things). Excellent.
Along similar lines we find the Long Range Acoustical Device. This is more an ‘active’ release: listeners are encouraged to use this material in any sort of way, including ‘social situations: marches, riots, parties, parades’ and military and police personal who use the real LARD systems – record the recording and repeat that for as long you want and mail the recordings to Eric Lunde. Voice material is present in all of these four pieces and throughout this is a much more noise based release, unlike the previous one discussed. The trademark sound of Lunde – the degeneration of sound – is clearly present in these recordings. A high pitched sound, distorted radio noise like sounds, and sounding like tape being fed through the heads of a machine, at some higher speed than is usual. Of these three this is my least favorite: perhaps because its too noisy and perhaps too much in common Lunde territory. (FdW)
Address: http://www.traitcentral.com
TROUM – MARE IDIOPHONIKA (CD by Tourette Records)
Germany’s Troum are among the absolute top shelf when it comes to anything ambient and industrial. Their previous band, when they were three, Maeror Tri was already legendary with pretty much everything they ever released committed to CD release, and now they release great records as Troum, a duo of Glit[S]ch and Baraka[H]. ‘Mare Idiophonika’ is the studio version of their concert piece they played in 2007 when they toured Europe with Nadja, Asia Nova and Voice Of Eye. At their disposal they have such diverse sound players as guitar, bass, voice, accordion, balalaika, flute, mouth-organ, melodica, gong, field recordings and sound effects, although its hard to pin down any of these specific in this recording. Computer sounds don’t play a role in their work – everything is done by hand. Tis almost hour long piece is a pretty strong manifestation of their music. They want to reach for the dream state, the unconscious side of the brain and they succeed well. This piece, which clearly has various movements does just that: it sticks right into the brain of the listener and it transports him. I am not the sort of person to put any music when going to sleep, but this would certainly be worth to try out. But how would I review that then? The poor reviewer has to stay awake, but conformably drifts away when playing this. A highly refined Troum record. Perhaps not one that is very different from their previous output, but certainly one of the better. (FdW)
Address: http://www.touretterecords.com
CARL OESTERHELT & JOHANNES ENDERS – DIVERTIMENTO FUR TENORSAXOPHON UND KLEINES ENSEMBLE (CD by Alien Transistor)
From the title one would expect some piece of serious composed music. But that is not the case here. Although I do not want to state that this work is not a ‘serious’ one, it is very different from what you would expect from the title. It is suite in six parts, lasting for some 36 minutes. All parts are melodic and harmonic pieces of music for a small line up of strings, sax and percussion. Pulsating lazy voodoo-rhythms are at the base of this work. On top of this an ensemble of violins, bass and cello play their thing. Moondog is on the corner, who combined in a similar way this kind of rhythm with classical themes and orchestrations. Also Sun Ra and Lynn Hope may have given some inspiration. In short a very sympathetic piece of work. Strange, funny chamber music it is. Surprising even in it’s accessibility. Very pleasant music of pastoral and timeless atmospheres with warm, moody playing by sax player Enders. Oesterhelt and Enders have both played in Tied & Tickled Trio, as well as other groups. No idea if there is any continuity here with their musical past, as I do not know anything about it. Anyway, a successful hybrid work, this one! (DM)
Address: http://www.alientransistor.de/
BERGEROND – ETRANGE EN COMPAGNIE (CDR by Freaky Waves)
Canadian Vincent Bergerond follows undisturbed on his very own path. For those who are already familiar with his style, this new release will not bring much news. But again it is a well-crafted example of his unique art. The collection of songs he now presents where written and produced in the first part of this year. He cites and produces short musical movements, using mainly wind and string instruments, that make up the ingredients for bigger musical structures, like in the 12-minute opening piece ‘Riant va sans l’autre’. In effect, the fluency of the original musical elements is interrupted by manipulations by Bergerond. The voices of Eriksson and Knox feel perfectly at home in this complexity and meander imperturbable through it. Viveka Eriksson also sings the lyrics on ‘Intention DÈvorante’, ‘Me dÈtester quand je l’aime’ and her poem in Swedish on ‘Le monde se dÈfait toujours tout seul’. Daniel Knox sings also on ‘Me dÈtester quand je l’aime’. Liz Alice do the same in French on ‘Intention DÈvorante’. FrÈdÈric Szymanski adds classical guitar on ‘Riant va sans l’autre’, 8 chords and some piano on ‘Spasmacousmatic..’ Dan Stearns adds microtonal piano on ‘Spasmacousmatic’. Of all pieces on this album I found this one to be the most organic. Also this piece awakened memories to the work of Dimthings, who with his album ‘Heart of Klux Flux’, and other albums also aroused attention by his unique musical manoeuvres in the 80s and 90s. This original talent never had his breakthrough alas, and remained locked in a little circle of musicians and friends. I hope it will not go the same for Bergerond, and I wish him many inspiring meetings with other musicians and artists to further develop his original vision. (DM)
Address: http://www.freakywaves.com/
BAY/OSLO MIRROR TRIO – SAME (CD by Conrad Sound)
SEKSTETT – SAME (CD by Conrad Sound)
Two releases from the small Norwegian Conrad Sound label, that is directed by double bassist Guro Skumsnes Moe. She – no wonder – appears on both releases. Sekstett is Frode Gjerstad (clarinets), HÂvard Skaset (guitars), Lene Grenager (cello), Hilde Sofie Tafjord (French horn), B¯rre M¯lstad (tuba) and Guro Skumsnes Moe. Members of this sextet are also engaged in Spunk, Frode Gjerstads Circulatione Totale, Art Directors, Sult, Bay/Oslo Mirror Trio, MOE, Femail, and Lemur. How abstract these improvisations may be, like the closing improvisation, they head along a strong nucleus. I never had a dull moment with this one. The opening piece has a bluesy feel in a way, with a ‘screaming’ cello who cries his heart out at the end. Acoustical improvisations that were recorded mid 2009. The improvisations are full of little details and subtleties, in a constant stream. Altogether a very fine work. Very communicative and full of musical sound explorations. Bay/Oslo Mirror Trio shares two members with Sekstett, Havard Skaset (guitars) and Guro Skumsnes Moe (double bass). To other core members are Tony Dryer (double bass) and Jacob Felix Heule (drums). This makes four members. They started in 2008 in San Francisco and decided for a fixed instrumentation of two drummers, two double bass players and one guitarist.
For the recording of their cd a second guitarist was added: Ave Mendoza plus Kyrre Laastad as the second drummer. Again a sextet, but because of the instrumentation one could also speak of a double trio. Their eleven improvisations are of a more rough nature then those of Sekstett. Their interactive playing leads to disturbing noisy climaxes from time to time, which makes their approach of improvising different to that of Sekstett. Both releases are absolutely wonderful and excellent examples of improvised music. (DM)
Address: http://www.conradsound.com/
ERNST KAREL ANNETTE KREBS FALTER 1-5 (CD by Cathnor Recordings)
PATRICK FARMER DOMINIC LASH BESTIARIES (CD by Cathnor Recordings)
“Falter 1-5, a duo electroacoustic improvisation recording by Ernst Karel and Annette Krebs” is lo-fi and disturbingly panned across the stereo field of short pulses and silences, as the artwork suggests very minimal micro sounds – painfully careful constructs of detritus sounds, mains hums, vinyl surface noise, microphone fumbles, all minuscule non-entities of sound, like pocket fluff, carefully placed in silences and panned with watchmaker precision across the stereo field. Very much “compositions” of found? sounds remarkable in their inconspicuousness. Perhaps bringing attention to a world focused on the macrocosm the micro, though I find the carefulness, fragility and perhaps sincerity and thoughtfulness strangely out of place in the current epoch in which the gentle only serves as decoration, and the trivialities are not precious and marginalized but
rendered in neon. If Falter was micro sound then Farmer and Lash in what is called an acoustic improvisation is not more of the same but less into the non existent. Patrick farmer – percussion – Dominic Lash – double bass. This micro sound ‘music’ exudes a seriousness that should be respected, it makes a specifics of sound exploration which is strangely incongruous, even using headphones and at full volume ‘external’ sounds dominate, and performance thus becomes problematic, and I don’t think such ‘problems’ as externalities are helpful or intended as the ‘compositions’ have a kind of logic and coherence of their own. An inner and other world – removed from this one, one that I find impossible to communicate with. (jliat)
Address: http://www.cathnor.com/
GHEDALIA TAZARTES – ANTE-MORTEM (CD by Hinterzimmer)
URAL UMBO – FOG TAPES (LP by Hinterzimmer)
Following ten years of silence, Ghedalia Tazartes released ‘Hysterie Off Music’, which was reviewed in Vital Weekly 593. It isn’t followed by another ten years of silence, but with merely three years and now there is ‘Ante-Mortem’ and like ‘Hysterie Off Music’ this is surely another strange thing, but then so might be his entire career, which started in 1979 and counts only nine albums and few EPs. This man is hard to pin down, but surely he is like an one-man orchestra. There is more guitar then on the previous, layered together, along with synthesizers and drum computers. And of course, the voice of Ghedalia Tazartes, which is the central point of focus. He can sing with great pathos, he can be intimate, passionate and soft. There are twenty-three pieces on this CD, all quite short, but each with its precise texture. Loops of sound, bit of ethnic music, sound collages, an opera – its all there, and this great hotchpotch makes sense: Ghedalia Tazartes is an outsider, not caring about fashion, musical trends or such mundane things. Tazartes creates his own sound world, at whatever time he seems convenient. The true one man pop band, orchestra, singer-songwriter. Perhaps not entirely my cup of tea – I’d be the first to admit that – but certainly something I appreciate a lot. The true outsider is an one-man enterprise.
Following their untitled CD on Utech Records, Ural Umbo now release a LP on Hinterzimmer, Reto Mader’s, one half of Ural Umbo, own label. He gets the credit for bass, strings, organ, synthesizer, horns, kalimba, percussion, drums, tapes, electronics and edits while Steven Hess (whom we also know as playing in On, Haptic and Pan American) plays drums, percussion, electronics, tapes and edits. Apparently, so the press text offers, they have a love for doom and black metal, but fortunately its not so apparent in the music. It is dark indeed, just like the debut CD, but it has a rather cinema like quality to it. There is a great amount of reverb used on these tracks, which, I must admit, didn’t like very much. Its pretty intense music, atmospheric (very!), but also carries a metallic ring to it. Its not a record of improvised music. Hess plays his drums and percussion with care and precision, filling in small details, but in a great textured way. The music owes much more the world of drone music than to say improvised music, or pure electronic music. Not every piece here is great however, as some seem to stay inside a few loops of sound, augmented with some sound effects – the at times dreaded reverb. But throughout a fine follow up to the CD. (FdW)
Address: http://www.hinterzimmer-records.com
KERŸNEN – BATS IN THE ATTIC (CD by Pica Disk)
Tommi Ker”nen using vintage analogue synthesizers from EMS in Stockholm. Produces a single piece of 35ish minutes of analogue mayhem. Problematics
of writing about… about say the perfect. the perfect is both simple and difficult, like the blank sheet of paper- perfect until the first mark is made, the silence before sound. and then the great and historic background, the same old story that appears in the garden of Eden, through Greek and world wide myth. for whatever reason, laws of thermodynamics, evil spirits, id, ego, super ego conflict. Comodification of labour and theory, excess.noise is essentially easy and so difficult, or difficult and so easy, as a block of sound or sounds undifferentiated once achieved, and technically this is a relatively simple matter, even of making a mistake, e.g. the feedback loop, then once (this) nirvana is obtained what does one
do, it takes a god or Buddha to do nothing, to not interfere, not offer advice, change a detail, make a mark or even suggest a game of cards. Its not that Nirvana is hard or noise is difficult, its that human nature in the main will want to interfere and impose form, feeling, and above all meaning. I.E. a non existent god is perfect and does not do this, but at a deeper level than human nature, nature itself abhors a vacuum – or as Nietzsche points out nature never reaches perfection as if it could it would (have). I have one criticism of this work and its that at about 16 minutes there is a break which might indicate a second piece/track, but other than this human or natural intervention, this work is and remains, a perfect work of abstract noise. The proof of my thesis is the time it took and number of words written to say just this, but to anyone with ears who can listen that is what this work is, perfect. (jliat)
Address: http://www.picadisk.com
ZBIGNIEW KARKOWSKI & KELLY CHURKO – INFALLIBILISM (CD by Herbal International Concrete Disc)
Four tracks – Track one.. “sustained pressure”, very harsh (whiteish) noise overload. beautiful torrent .. two .. “subjective probability”. Partly similar part disconnected hum three. “The pleasure of the interval”. Begins with very low bass & volume hum and glitches building or morphing into drone gong and ending in glicthy high pitched noises. Four .., “de-vein”. industrial air conditioners fairly static process of filtering to lower frequencies very unlike track 1’s incoherence. All these we are told are live tracks, but makes little difference as with the exception of the first track the hand or mind, sub conscious (or not) is clearly at work, perhaps under the guise or old pretext of being “experimental” or psychological or psycho-acoustic or even ‘industrial’ surrealism.. there is sufficient ‘surface’ – as in made
surface or space – authorship- to attach a label . ‘Not that there is anything wrong with that’ proviso added here, if you want ‘music’ of some sort then its to be found easily with the exception of track one. I suppose why you would want to find music is your own thing, and as such should be respected, but as someone said somewhere else – liberal toleration is a form of totalitarianism just like anything else, the failure of metaphysics was more than an act of enlightened integrity but gave the chance of religiosity to re-emerge unchallenged, as such I suppose those who prefer tracks two, three, and four should be dragged screaming from their houses and burnt alive? (jliat)
Address: http://www.herbalinternational.tk/
TORTURING NURSE – IL COMUNISMO DOVEVA MORIRE (CD by Mind Flare Media)
“Why noise from Japan was spectacularly good was that noise as miss-appropriation of western music in post war Japan was where miss-appropriation of the west was paramount, removal of tradition in favor of day glo Elvis’s Whiskey made from genuine Scottish grapes and school girls in tartan mini skirts.” . discuss.. Or why miss-appropriation has now firmly shifted to China might be the explanation of the ability of Torturing Nurse to take over the incoherence of noise from the great masters of Japan, and that in there inconsequential screaming, noise and feedback is what they do so well, whether from design, pastiche or naivety, it doesn’t matter, all is symptoms without any traces, illness without disease, psychoanalysis of sanity, this is a culture which was never part of the monotheistic religions. Judaistic calling which engendered the enlightenment and guilt, Freudian Oedipus or Marxist theory ,T.N. is a superficial image, a simulacra of the west without foundation or introversion, it has nothing to attack or demolish, so is pointless, nothing to solve or cure, the name itself silly lacking any psychosis of western introversion, those bare chested lot who miss mommy, no this is noise as noise for noise from noise and nothing else besides, and 74 minutes which is never enough. All those blokes in Texas half drunk on Budweiser with their effects pedals, guitars and toys should take a listen and weep, no not weep, too much weeping already, maybe then get washed have a shave and get a job at HMV in the local mall, or else take up the dizi, sheng, paigu, paixiao, guan, erhu, zhonghu, dahu, banhu, jinghu, gaohu, gehu, yehu, cizhonghu, diyingehu, leiqin, guqin, sanxian, yangqin, guzheng, ruan, konghou, liuqin, pipa, zhu????? (jliat)
Address: http://www.mindflaremedia.com/
IF, BWANA – ASSEMBLE.AGE (CD by Mutable Music)
Al Margolis career as If, Bwana has been going strong for more than twenty-five years now and it has making strange turns. Originally, to put it crudely, If, Bwana was an industrial group, using raw sound collage/montage techniques, but it has grown over the years in a way that not many others do. While many of his peers took the route to more musique concrete, Margolis went into the serious avant-garde direction. Working with small ensembles and soloists with various instruments, he now composes that are seriously modern and, at other times, sounding improvised. The role of Margolis is that of the conductor. Not in the traditional sense, raising a baton, but the organizer. He tapes the music and then fiddles it about using the computer. Maybe the ‘organizer’ is a better word, or ‘assembler’, to stay in tune with the title of the CD. Sometimes he receives sound material, such as by Trio Scordatura, which he then organizes into a piece of music, such as the nicely woven drone like sounds of ‘Ringing The Bell’, and sometimes they all team up to play live, as in ‘Cicada #1: EHG Version’. Its here that the music sounds more improvised, an ‘real’ instruments (voice, trombone, flute) collide with a nord modular and computer. In ‘Six Minus 6’ and ‘DTTO’ it seems we are dealing with a composed piece of music and its hard to say what the role of Margolis is. His working method seems to differ within each piece he does and that’s something that is surely great as it makes a very release. Different approaches to a similar working ground. A fine work, yet again, of various interests (composed music, improvisation, musique concrete techniques) merging together. Quite a unique voice in this music. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mutablemusic.com
TEXAR/MARIA ASKATU (12″ by After Music Recordings)
Darren Brown from Boy Dirt Car has got the drift again. Boy Dirt Car revived, but here he is present with two different outfits. Somewhere between 2007 and 2009 he played as Texar, with himself on electronics and Richard McCollum on guitars and theremin and played some concerts in the Midwest of the USA, yet ‘more recently disappeared’. The music is all improvised and shows traces of Boy Dirt Car: the gritty dirty sound of feedback like guitars, taped voices and quite obscure electronics. A pretty lo-fi recording seems to be doing the rest. A somewhat sketchy affair when it comes to improvisation, exploding into bouts of noise towards the end.
Brown is also part of a collective led by Jarrod Olman from Spain called Maria Askatu. In this ‘collage’ they have recordings from the Basque homeland and Amsterdam. Here too we find a Boy Dirt Car influence, but also Brown’s solo work: organ like sounds, rumbling of metallic sounds, water sounds, and mumbling voices. Perhaps constructed as part of some ritual? Quite a mysterious piece of music, I’d say. A collage indeed. This side I enjoyed more than the somewhat dislocated Texar side, but throughout a pretty enjoyable record. Crude music by and for crude people. No doubt. (FdW)
Address: http://www.aftermusicrecordings.com
PARCSEC3 – (CDR by Insubordinations)
A new release from this very interesting Swiss netlabel. Interesting for those who have a weakness for free music and noisy improvisations. This one by Parsec3 is again a fine example of this. Parsec3 is a trio of Christian Graf (guitar), D’Incise (laptop, objects) and Filippo Provenzale (drums), all three of swiss origin. Great playing from these musicians. They carve with great care and intensity very engaging sculptures in time. There is fine playing to be enjoyed by guitarist Graf, who is a very effective player. Drummer Provenzale is constantly on the move, introducing new patterns playing in a very dynamic style. The contributions by D’Incise are more difficult to grasp but fit very well in this line up. There are moments that this music really lifts you up. They built inspired structures that have an overwhelming effect from time to time. Emotional and passionate music. Great work!! (DM)
Address: http://www.insubordinations.et/
ST. RIDE – CERCANDO NIENTE (CD-R by Niente Records)
Niente Recods is a small label based in Italy and run by Edo Grandi and Maurizio Gusmerini. These two men are also the members of St. Ride. The aim of the label is to release music of independent musicians and with the attitude “Nothing is music.” Cercando Niente means “Looking for Nothing” but I cannot say that the music is nihilistic. The twelve tracks are created by a strong voice, percussion, synthesizer and guitar. The tracks have different musical influences like electronic punk, noise, no wave, free-jazz and experimental music. St. Ride combines all these styles in a coherent way. The voice of Maurizio Gusmerini fits well to the music. The first track is a Requiem and lot’s of music-styles are mentioned. Is this song about the death of all musical style s or is it about the funeral of the barriers between all styles. For me it makes no sense, this album is a great mix between different styles. Some are harsh and massive. Others are full of rhythm and silent and sensitive. This album is a pure expression of two Italian musicians who like to experiment and that is what I like. (JKH)
Address: http://www.nienterecords.com
NICK HENNIES – PSALMS (CDR by Roeba)
This is the fifth release is a relatively short period (see also Vital Weekly 665, 719, 732 and 735) and one could suspect him of releasing too much music. Its the third release in succession where he just uses solo percussion. The way he plays his percussion is however great, so I am not complaining as ‘Psalms’ just sees a continuation of some great quality music. Hennies plays minimal music. One instrument played in a steady rhythm. On this CDR he performs four pieces of his own and Alvin Lucier’s ‘Silver Streetcar For Orchestra’. That piece I heard before and uses a triangle, played in a steady rhythm, but creating beautiful resonances and overtones. In ‘Untitled (1918-2000)’ he plays vibraphone and has strange intervals, which don’t always sustain. These two pieces are used as a starting point for the other three pieces, respectively for vibraphone, snare drum and woodblock. The instruments are well explored in a steady rhythm, but with slight variation in attack, dampening of the instrument and minimum change of tempi, Hennies creates some great sonic texture. For the careless listener perhaps simple (but gentle) banging on a single instrument, but if you listen closely (and you should, really, always listen closely) some beautiful textured, minimal music arrives. The natural successor I’d say to many of Steve Reich’s percussion pieces with the strict approach of Alvin Lucier. This must sound great when heard live. Excellent release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.barrychabala.com/chabala/roeba.html
MY FUN & JOHN IRA EBERSOLE – CAMARADERIE (CDR by The Land Of)
Justin Hardison is the man behind both The Land Of label and the musicianship of My Fun. His label dabbles in the nicer packaging I’ve seen in the world of CDR releases and this new one is a particular nice one. It comes with an oversized package poetry booklet with poem written by John Ira Ebersole and designed by Kimberly Ellen Hall. It reminds me of some of the packaging coming out of Extrapool (with the same degree of vulnerability). Although I am not sure, it seems that the poetry was generated using computers and internet, but they seem to be standing apart from the music: no poetry is read out loud in these pieces. But surely they work well together. The music is quite dreamlike, all digitally processed from field recordings it seems (we hear them birds flying over and water sounds), nicely processed into long, gliding and sustaining sounds. To these processed sounds Hardison adds an organ or harmonium, which comes in both a natural form and stretched out to form longer drone sounds. Glaciar like but not really ‘cold’, if you get my drift. Peaceful music, dreamlike music. Nothing new as such under what you want, but executed with great care and, together with the package, a fine release. An example to follow. (FdW)
Address: http://www.thelandof.org
DYLAN PALME/HAL MCGEE – SPLIT (CDR by Hal Tapes)
KATHY BURKETT/HAL MCGEE – SPLIT (CDR by Hal Tapes)
ANDREW CHADWICK/HAL MCGEE – SPLIT (CDR by Hal Tapes)
The musical history of Hal McGee goes back to 1982, when he started to release music on cassette, with such bands as Viscera (together with Debbie Jaffe, also known as Master/Slave Relationship), Dog As Master and collaborations with If, Bwana, Dave Prescott and Chris Phinney. He moved out of sight in the new millennium, but is back now, re-issuing his catalog on cassette pretty soon. I am not sure if that would include these three CDR releases. All of them are split releases, all with Hal McGee providing one half, and all of them use microcassettes to compose the music. That is a nice idea, since the microcassette has a specific sound quality. On the first we find one Dylan Palme, of whom I never heard. Originally this was made in an edition of one. It lasts an hour and both pieces consist of ‘glued’ together field recordings of found sound, street sounds, spoken word, noise bits and such like. This especially on Palme piece. McGee’s pieces uses some sounds that seem to return every now and then, and could pass of as the more composed piece. But throughout it all seemed a bit ‘easy’ to me and not always engaging to hear.
Likewise I never heard of Kathy Burkett, who has various pieces as her side to this, but unfortunately cuts as one track, so its not easy to say where they start and stop. She uses the sounds from microcassettes in order to create real songs, with head and tail. She uses organ, her own voice and found sound, and the really interesting thing is that it has an outsider sensibility, pop meeting radioplay kind of thing. McGee’s piece is more a continuos affair of field recordings – the airport lounge perhaps – along with voices of two guys, speaking, singing etc, but is a more patchy affair then the previous. Private poetry perhaps?
Andrew Chadwick we of course know from his releases as Ironing, the more noisy end of microcassettes, but not here. His piece is rather subdued one of highly obscured field recordings – like he’s hiding his recorder under his jacket while doing the laundry. McGee seems to be following his footsteps on this one, also working with obscured sounds, radio snippets and such like.
For all six pieces I think they are too long. It was perhaps nice in the 80s to release sixty minute tapes with music like this, but surely we have developed a bit now, and editing is no longer a scary thing? (FdW)
Address: http://www.halmcgee.com/
MARKO KARLOVCEC – GREETINGS FROM THE SEA (CDR by Botanic Records)
IRENA TOMAZIN & MARKO KARLOVCEC – THAT WHICH HAPPENS IS ITSELF DRIPPING RED
(CDR by Botanic Records)
Mr Karlovcec is “a young musician (saxophonist, guitarist, experimental no-input electronics) from Slovenia, active on the contemporary improvised/noise/”alternative” music scene. ” The difference between cargo cultists and ‘real science / technology’ is easy to spot, and in an age of globalization (which is bad?) and multiculturalism (good?) a respect for cargo cultism is probably de-rigueur, though remember the problem of liberalist totalitarianism. That said lets get on with the public burning then, more due not to one particular flammable act but an explosive compound, here “young”, “musician”, “saxophonist”, “guitarist”, “experimental”, “Improvised”, “noise”, “alternative”, they are all there like wooden control towers and painted landing strips, one match and its all smoke. But I (‘me’) have not as yet lit it, so its anyone who follows my analogy who is guilty, as guilty as the proverbial Pharisee – the whited sepultures and eye of the adulterer bit.(if you see it you have lit it, if not you’re OK) The duet with Irena Tomazin (renowned singer, dancer and actress) is sax and vocal noises, noises at times extremely harrowing, in a live performance. Greetings from the sea (no-input effect units, mixer) consists of three tracks, the first moves from pulsing bass gently through high pitches and noise through to an almost inaudible finish, track two is similar in sound, only the sequence is altered, whereas the last track is made from controlled low gong like sounds at static twittering.. one suspects this like the rest might have some meaning, which (to make a spark if not strike the match) is the problem. “There is no signified”. and sadly with this ‘lack’ the sea kissed shores of the coral islands have long ago seen the last B52 and Dakotas depart. what is left other than self amusement and hope is only of interest to the anthropologists or naive liberals (the ones who fund ‘the arts’). (jliat)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/markosinai
Address: http://www.myspace.com/torarobit
FRANCISCO LOPEZ – UNTITLED #271 (3″CDR by Kaon)
Its now Francisco Lopez’ turn to have a look at the sounds Cedric Peyronnet (also known as Toy Bizarre) recorded along the Taurion river in France. An ongoing series, which already brought Bruno Moreigne, Giancarlo Toniutti and Jos Smolders. It seems to me, as a dedicated follower of Lopez’ work that he uses more the computer these days to create his work. I am not entirely convinced that this is a good decision. In the ‘old’ days, Lopez worked with CDRs and mixing board with extensive equalization to create his music, and surely you could such things on the computer too. He uses here extreme high ends and extreme low ends in processing the water sounds, but to be honest: it stays a bit on the ordinary side of things. Its the kind that lands more often on this desk, and doesn’t seem to have that Lopez magic we know and love. The piece is in four parts and all are upfront – no inaudible silence, no extreme loud parts – save perhaps for the heavy bassed last 8 minutes. Somehow I have the impression of an ‘easy’ piece, and no matter how often I play this, that feeling won’t go away. Its not a bad piece, don’t get me wrong, but a man of this high standard, we should perhaps expect more. (FdW)
Address: http://www.kaon.org
BACILLUS – ANTHRACIS (b-card CDR by iheartnoise/cipherproductions)
A tiny Business CDR yet with 4 tracks but only 5 minutes in a Biohazard warning clear envelope with printing on clear plastic. One sheet detailing the tracks the other detailing the background of the bacterium, its discovery, and effects. Much more information @ bacillus.webs.com/research.htm. The tracks sound like their description made from “various detritus of society in basic analog formats and treat them as disease does to a body; I break it down to a point where it becomes an organic slush, and then move on to the next host”. Being naughty I’m tempted to argue that eukaryotic cells themselves (and all the evil therein) were a result of a prokaryote failure at producing slush. So the only risk is that Bacillus’ activities might be more harmless and creative than is first made obvious, even to the extent that the target host cannot be an apple mac due to the format. There is obviously much more to be said, especially to anyone who doesn’t “get” noise, and just what it is, is it the disease or the symptom of a disease? Another important decision to be made, but having got the message – that of the deconstruction – of DNA, code, language, culture, growth, structure, coherence, one is not left with an alternative but with the violence of truth which does not lie anywhere outside, strangely noise passes itself on yet fails to be communicable, well this kind of noise. Well I’d argue that this “is” the only kind of noise which is noise.. which at one time and in one perspective would be impossible to prove, however the lack of communication is a proof, and a transcendental absolute in itself, in Brassier’s nihilism “the organon of extinction. cancellation of sense, purpose and possibility” yielding the actuality of ‘the thing in itself’ of OOP and Meillassoux’s infinite if negative reconciliation with thought and the absolute – same thing? blah blah blah. Yes! I should cut myself short here and cut to the chase, the B-Cdr is a perfect example of what noise is and recommended to those who know what it is and those who don’t. Fantastic stuff Peter- love your work. (Jliat)
Address: http://www.iheartnoise.com/cipherproductions/
Attention:
The fact that Vital Weekly no longer reviews online releases, John Hudak started such a place, a blog to review digital-only releases. Notify him of your new online releases, with a request to review: chaba@duchamp.inbox5.com
The blog is here: http://chabasound.blogspot.com