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>
BERNHARD GAL – SAME DIFFERENCE (CD by Gromoga Records) *
LOW FREQUENCY ORCHESTRA & WOLFGANG MITTERER – MOLE (CD by Chmafu Records) *
NICOLAS BERNIER – COURANT.AIR (CD by Ahornfelder) *
KEY – CROWN OF WINTER (CD by Anima Arctica)
MAA – TUHKANKANTAJAT (CD by Anima Arctica)
DIRK GEIGER – AUTUMN FIELDS (CD by Tympanik Audio)
UNDERMATHIC – 10:10 PM (CD by Tympanik Audio)
ACCESS TO ARASAKA – VOID() (CD by Tympanik Audio)
KATAPULTO – PRALINES OF DOOM (CD by Onec)
DOUCHEUR VIOLENTE (CD compilation by Ack Recordings)
THE RESIDENTS – TALKING LIGHT (CD by RSD)
RICCARDO DILLON WANKE – TO R.S. (CD by Sedimental) *
CORRIDORS (CD by Sedimental) *
NIGHT SCIENCE IV (Book and CD by Cipher Productions)
LASIK SURGERY – CYCLO (CD/DVD by Silentes)
HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH – BODY OF A CROW (CD by Malaise music)
ALFREDO COSTA MONTEIRO – AURA (CD by Etude Records) *
ALFREDO COSTA MONTEIRO – CINQ BRUISSEMENTS (LP by No Fun Records)
FERRAN FAGES – LULLABY FOR LALI (LP by Etude Records)
WIRES UNDER TENSION – LIGHT SCIENE (LP by Western Vinyl)
MEM1 – TETRA (LP by Estuary)
FERGUS KELLY – LONG RANGE (CDR by Room Temperature) *
DOC WOR MIRRAN – KUNSTLERGUPPE (CDR by Miss Management) *
DANIEL ALEXANDER HIGNELL – SOUNDSCAPE STUDY 001 (CDR by Triple Bath) *
COTI – ONDA (CDR by Triple Bath) *
SPRUIT – BITS ‘N BLOCKS (CDR by Soul Shine Through)
TUSK – BUG (CDR by Stuart Chalmers)
ALO GIRL – CATHARSIS (3inch CDR by Small Doses)
N. MACABRE LUST – DESTINATION MORGUE (2CDR by CÈrebro Morto)
CELER – THE DIE THAT’S CASTE (3″CDR by Con-V)
DIM DUSK MOVING GLOOM – BLINDED BY NATTY WHITE (Cassette by Prairie Fire)
TORTURING NURSE & HOSTAGE PAGEANT SPLIT (Cassette by Rainbow Bridge
Recordings)
BERNHARD GAL – SAME DIFFERENCE (CD by Gromoga Records)
This is the 8th CD by Bernard Gal, of whom we have reviewed work before, but it seems a long time ago. His most recent, previous one, seems to be ‘Installations’ (see Vital Weekly 529). Apparently for this new work ‘Same Difference’ he went back to his long standing interest in instruments from the far east. All of these pieces were created over the last ten years. The booklet details every instruments and ideas behind the pieces. It gives an interesting view of what Gal is doing: say a piece for sheng, zheng and live electronics/sound projection (which sounds very much improvised and couldn’t hold the interest for the full twenty minutes), an acoustic guitar piece (where the connection with the far east eludes me, but it sounds wonderful), an electroacoustic composition like ‘Xuan Zhuan’, which has many layers of singing wines and bowed crotales, and which holds the interest for the full fifteen minutes and pieces for small ensembles. These pieces resemble a more classical approach, even when they involve Eastern instruments. This is not entirely the kind of music I always like very much, but they do sound pretty much alright. ‘Utoo’ for chamber ensemble sounds great: a dense cloud of sound. Altogether this makes a highly varied CD of mixed pieces. And as such it also makes that I have slightly mixed feelings about this CD. Some of these pieces were great and some less for me. But with nearly eighty minutes of music there is plenty to choose from. (FdW)
Address: http://www.gromoga.com
LOW FREQUENCY ORCHESTRA & WOLFGANG MITTERER – MOLE (CD by Chmafu Nocords)
Every CD that drops on this doorstep is inspected and judged: is it for me, or for one of my reviewers, specialized in some genre? With this one I must admit I really had a hard time. The improvisational nature of the Low Frequency Orchestra made me think this would be more suitable for Dolf Mulder’s expertise on the subject but there is something quite captivating about this release which made me think about this more myself. The Low Frequency Orchestra is a small ensemble of ‘paetzold’ recorders, electronic devices, voice, double bass and drums and they team up here with one Wolfgang Mitterer who plays organ. The starting point of this CD is a live recording which has been ‘repeatedly revised, de- and re-composed’. Taking into account this and the fact that this is a small ensemble, I was reminded of Mnemonists and Biota, who used similar group playing and extensive studio techniques to define their unique sound. Something of this I recognize in this music, especially in the title piece. It is preceded by five short solo pieces by various members of the orchestra and I am not sure why they are included. They nevertheless sound great, but its ‘Mole’, lasting thirty minutes which makes this really great. A very vibrant piece of rock music which meets up, as easily, with improvised textures and studio techniques to further alienate the listener. Things happen at considerable speed, with a nice sense of brutality and careful when necessary. An excellent release. (FdW)
Address: http://nocords.net
NICOLAS BERNIER – COURANT.AIR (CD by Ahornfelder)
More music by Nicolas Bernier, who continues here his work with Simon Trottier, a guitarist, with whom he made ‘Objets Abandonne En Mer’ (see Vital Weekly 595). I have no idea why Trottier doesn’t get a ‘proper’ credit on the cover. But alas its just by Bernier, who explores the improvised, folky guitar tunes with the extensive use of computer means. The previous one I dug nicely, but I must admit I have some problems with this new one. Though its not bad at all, its at the same time perhaps also a bit easy. On one hand we have the acoustic guitar while the computer doubles or triples the sound, while adding a blend of crackles, hiss, deep end bass rumble in occasional intervals. An uneasy marriage that worked out fine on the previous release, but here seems a bit too much searched for. Or perhaps I am just spoiled with the excellent recent releases from 12K, which seem to be operating in a similar field, but just much better organized, with a greater sense of composition and perhaps less improvised as things are here. Not bad, as said, but perhaps too quickly realized. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ahornfelder.de
KEY – CROWN OF WINTER (CD by Anima Arctica)
MAA – TUHKANKANTAJAT (CD by Anima Arctica)
Finland is a very special country full of incredible nature inhabited by very special people. It is interesting to note that a lot of bands from Finland (and there are a lot of bands in Finland) are playing music and writing lyrics that have a close connection to mother nature. It is also interesting that 99% of these bands are not “normal” pop bands, but bands roaming the doom folk and heavy metal scenes. To be honest, I’m not quite sure if I’m the right person to review these two albums, but I will give it a shot. Both bands proudly realm the wondrous world that is doom folk/neo folk.
MAA deliver their debut album, Tuhkankantajat. The fact that it is sung in their native language Finnish is certainly a bonus; Finnish is one of the most beautifully incomprehensible languages on this planet. The lyrics are printed in the booklet, but the fact that words like “riit”m”tt–myyden” are rule rather than exception, makes it complete guesswork what these lyrics are actually about. MAA’s core of A. Cederberg, J. Kettunen and M. P–yh–nen (no first names) are joined by a host of friends known (John Murphy) and unknown (the rest). The press statement says the songs are for an “eternal longing for the soul’s homeland – spirit songs for a soulless age” and that they “express and ruminate on the core aspects of Man and Life”. Oh dear. But Vital is about music, not the nonsense so often found in press statements. On Tuhkankantajat we are treated to an open sound using bass, guitars and drums embellished with cello, trumpet and piano. The male vocals (spoken/sung) are gentle and careful and Finnish, so you are not annoyed by the pretentious lyrics so often found in this genre. Rather the singing here becomes part of the melody, which is very nice. Due to the lack of variation, the songs sound slightly trapped within the band’s framework. But in all, MAA are a decent bunch, who have produced a radio friendly folk pop album, which would have benefited from a bit more adventurous approach.
A quote from Key’s album press statement: “Key see the world as a part of life’s cycle; they greet the wintertide – the coming of light and rebirth – with a great awe”. My my. Like MAA, Key are new to my ears. Earlier this year they released a beautiful wooden 3 cassette set featuring original demos. This album, Crown of Winter, is their first digital release and was completed “a year after its initial beginning and sealing, that is to say at the Spring Equinox of 2010” (not that it appears to have made any difference to the actual music). The album starts off with a rather bright To Welcome Winter, with a setting of bass, drums, acoustic guitar and deep male vocals treated with heavy reverb and echo. Much to my surprise, the remainder of the songs actually sound quite similar to this first one. There are slight tempo changes of course, but the instrumentation, the production, the vocals, it’s all more of the same. After a few songs, the ever-present acoustic guitar strumming starts to grate, the singing becomes mannered, the lyrics become more and more repetitious in their constant referring to higher spirits and the album drowns in its own pretense. This is a shame, as Key do have quality. If they would come down a bit more to earth and their audience of us paltry mortal souls and put more variety in their songs, they might actually be a bit easier to enjoy. (FK)
Address: http://www.animaarctica.fi
DIRK GEIGER – AUTUMN FIELDS (CD by Tympanik Audio)
UNDERMATHIC – 10:10 PM (CD by Tympanik Audio)
ACCESS TO ARASAKA – VOID() (CD by Tympanik Audio)
Tympanik Audio is a U.S-label based in Chicago. Since 2007 the label has launched excellent experimental electronics from all over the world. Three new albums of the label are reviewed here. First album comes Dirk Geiger who is also known as the establisher of German label Raumklang Music. The title “Autumn fields” is quite suitable thanks to the melancholic and overall nocturnal atmosphere saturating the album. With it’s combination of downbeat IDM and dreamlike feeling, the music draws attention towards early Boards Of Canada. Opening with melancholic piano, the album takes its starting point in the nocturnal atmospheres. What makes this album such an alluring experience is the rather complex textures blended by subtle noises, abstract as well as concrete and the catchy rhythm structures giving a rather clublike feeling on a few of the tracks. A great work that is complex enough to make you return again and again, meanwhile open-minded for everyone to get addicted by the beauty and overall catchiness. Next album from Undermathic sticks to the melancholic atmospheres but with a quite different starting point. Rather than being a complex texture of idm and noisy elements, Undermathic moves in more simple structures with more emphasis on the grandiosity and with a touch of industrial sounds hidden underneath. Last album reviewed here goes back to the rhythmic complexity but with a more underplayed approach to the music. Excellent clicking beats and pulses bounces along dark and grandiose ambience. Access To Arasaka comes from New York. The man behind Access To Arasaka, Rob Lioy established the project in 2006. There is an excellent grove in the dreamlike atmospheres created by the clicking beats in company with wooshing ambient-scapes. The expression of the albums recalls the style of german artist Stefan Betke alias Pole, and is equally as intense. Excellent! (NM)
Address: http://tympanikaudio.com/
KATAPULTO – PRALINES OF DOOM (CD by Onec)
The second release of Katapulto is packed in a hand finished black pizza box. The surprise box contains a DVD, a 12? with seven tracks and a CD version of the album. It is also possible to download the tracks as mp3 or as WAV-file with an extra track. But enough about this. Katapulto is based in Poland and a musical solo project of Wojtek Rusin. The music is full of energy, with nice up-tempo beats, great song-structure, unexpected breaks and nice cut-ups and ?80 en ?90 synthesizers sounds. Mostly I do not listen to this kind of music, but it catches me directly and reminds me to a band like Arbeid Adelt. The album opens with a catchy melody and rhythm and the song tells about “Adventures in Modern Bathrooms”. The “Fake French Rap” is a great parody to rap with well-used sampled french voices which don’t rap at all. Pralines of Doom is for now the sunniest moment in these dark days. (JKH)
Address: http://www.onec.tv
DOUCHEUR VIOLENTE (CD compilation by Ack Recordings)
Ack Recordings is label of A. Traeger and he releases on his label music where he is involved with. Doucheur Violente is a compilation album of noise and electronic artists from Wilmington. Compilation albums are a good medium to work with themes or as an introduction of a group of musicians. But mostly I do not like this last manner, because the styles and spheres mostly doesn’t fit. This compilation is built up very carefully and the noise of Cumean Cybil, the experimental guitar-music of Jason Ward and the noise fieldrecordings of Donovan Quixote combine really good. And the compilers A. Traeger and R. Lewis, who is responsible for the artwork, keep the diversity and alternation strong. But after ten contributions the style of the music changes into three tracks with a strong song-structure. That is a pity, because the last track is just as the first ten tracks an abstract composition. If the compilers had more restricted definition of the concept of the album and not only the area of the musicians, the CD would have had a great introduction of new music and independent groups. (JKH)
Address: http://www.ackrecordings.net
THE RESIDENTS – TALKING LIGHT (CD by RSD)
A few weeks ago I went to see the Residents show Talking Light in a small local theatre. In fact, the theatre was so small, that only 100 people or so were able to squeeze themselves in. This made sure the atmosphere was one of intimacy. The new show is called Talking Light and is a departure from earlier shows (Demons Dance Alone, Bunny Boy), in that it is less based on a concept. In this new show the Residents (now numbering three) play songs selected from their huge back catalogue, loosely tied together with short video excerpts. This worked certainly on the live show. These days, bands make a lot of money by releasing “exclusive” tour albums. Talking Light, available for sale on the tour, is no exception, save for the fact you can also get this from the official Residents site. Basically a recording of their January 2010 rehearsals (also cutting down recording studio costs) for said tour, Talking Light works rather refreshing. After their slightly disappointing Bunny Boy album/tour, the oddballs re-recorded 11 songs, ranging from late 70s songs like Semolina and Death in Barstow to the more recent Demons Dance Alone and Animal Lover. During their recent tour of America and Europe, these songs were encapsulated in various narrative “ghost/dreams stories” (which are sadly absent from these recordings) featuring strong visual elements in their performance. As such, this album lacks a certain context, which is, however, well made up by the ever-gorgeous and fiercely surrealistic music. Considered by the Residents themselves as an experiment in new directions deviating from recent albums, they will hopefully find it fit one day to release a double album including all the dialogue and incidental music from this most intriguing of shows. (FK)
Address: http://www.residents.com
RICCARDO DILLON WANKE – TO R.S. (CD by Sedimental)
CORRIDORS (CD by Sedimental)
So far I thought of the Sedimental label as a home for atmospherical music from an improvised nature, but these two new releases may proof me wrong. Pleasantly wrong. Wanke, originally from Italy, now in Lisbon, already had a CD on Sedimental, ‘Caves’ (see Vital Weekly 629) and the new one, ‘To R.S.’, continues where the previous left of. Not by adding more layers of sound, but rather a bit less and reducing the sound. Four lengthy parts here, fity-three minutes, which seem to flow into eachother. At first a drone of resonating guitar like sound which slowly develops and then slowly other elements are added. Well into the third piece we detect an acoustic guitar being strummed, electronics and maybe a piano being slammed every now and then. It may sound like a harsh thing, but its not. Wanke controls his music to a great extend. The fourth part starts out as a separate entity , it seems, with acoustic sounds being scraped over a surface and some piano, but then moves up an elegant drone piece too. The previous record was a “very nice record, this one”, this one is great!
Behind Corridors we find one Byron Westbrook, who is the technical coordinator for Phill Niblock’s Experimental Intermedia Foundation and is something of a specialist when it comes to working with multi-channel speaker installations with live guitar feedback. On his debut CD, following a string of performances. The three pieces (one of them in two parts) were edited from live recordings, i.e. the best moments I gather. Its not just guitar feedback, but also autoharp, a viola, organ and a trumpet can be heard. Or so we are told. The music is wide spread and heavily treated, and makes four great compositions in minimal drone music. It would be hard, if not impossible to avoid the obvious reference to the work of Niblock himself, but it seems that Westbrook’s music is a little bit more electronic in origin, and less instrument based. The final composition with the viola perhaps comes closes to the work of Niblock. Throughout I thought this is an excellent CD. Very spacious music of a highly relaxing mood. Tones and textures gliding nicely through your space. (FdW)
Address: http://www.sedimental.com
NIGHT SCIENCE IV (Book and CD by Cipher Productions)
An A5 book with interviews live reports and reviews. The CD contains tracks by Hum of the Druid, Raiobashi, Golden Serenades, Kazumoto Endo, Dieter Muh, The Haters and Halthan, who you would guess are the interviewees. I quite like this kind of thing, even though you might not think so from what I will go on to say, it’s a pleasant winter read and the interview thing is very much a “Why did you” … kind of thing, that you get in magazines everywhere, obviously that’s a disservice but space prevents anything more than the superficial, and perhaps a nostalgia for the printed text in an age where youtube is replacing Wiki and Google as the fount of knowledge, or should this now be called the cloud of knowledge. It does make for an interesting project in that we can hear both the sound and something of the motivations behind its creation, unfortunately in the main it seems to be of a fairly anecdotal level, ‘what do you use?’, ‘who do you work with?’, ‘how do you do it’?… and the confusion that aesthetics is something to do with either packaging or equipment, certainly no attempt at transcendentalism, or critique of it.. IOW everything is acceptable and accepted, indicative are phrases like “retro feel”, Britain is an Island”.. and “there wasn’t any conscious reason..” but sadly no attempt at a Freudian or any other exposition or any existentialist denial, I’m very much afraid these works sit on the coat tails of others, not Gnosticism either or no wave… As I seem to be giving this a negative review and await the flak, fully acknowledging my inabilities, I might as well say that the whole thing is summed up by the illustration on the back of the book, to the by line, ‘Lusting quality noise since 2002’ (quality noise – oh?) the B&W pic of a clean and neat young lady in stockings peek-a-boo revealing nothing, not even as raunchy as a Marks and Spenser’s lingerie Ad. Certainly nothing here to frighten the horses… Ouch! So that’s another zine where jliat is verboten! There was no indication of the price of this book, or any subscription, but perhaps its more sporadic than periodic, however I do hope they make subsequent publications which might be more ‘risky’? an address for anyone interested, Cipher Productions, P.O. Box 169, Newtown, Tasmania 7008 Australia, cipherproductions@lycos.com. (jliat)
Address http://www.iheartnoise.com/cipherproductions/
LASIK SURGERY – CYCLO (CD/DVD by Silentes)
Pierpaolo Zoppo is best known for his Mauthausen Orchestra project which is currently revived. And this revival lead to more activity, such as Lasik Surgery, a new duo he does with one Gianluca Favaron, who sometimes works as Ab’she, Under The Snow and Metal Music Machine. I am not sure if I ever heard of him. They have a CD and a free DVD with videoclips by Enrico Bressan. I assume at their disposal is an array of analogue synth machinery, maybe some field recordings and lots of electronics, and the music they create is a pretty interesting affair which holds between say cosmic music and bit of softer edged industrial music, which very occasionally goes into a bit of noise, such as in ‘Fragment VI (Lady In The Radiator)’. Quite nice altogether. The DVD part of this, didn’t do much for me, I must admit. Just a collection of images it seems. But the music made it well up. (FdW)
Address: http://www.silentes.it HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH – BODY OF A CROW (CD by Malaise music)
When original Christian Death vocalist Rozz Williams took his own life on 1 April 1998, he left behind an enormous archive of music. Most of this material, recorded under different disguises, was of an experimental nature, which may come as a surprise to those who know Williams only from the deathrock Christian Death played. Despite the fact that Williams enjoyed nothing more than shocking people by continuously working on (and over) the edges of good taste, he still has a considerable fan base. Malaise music (a name Williams certainly would have agreed with) has taken it upon them to release the full catalogue of William’s experimental recordings. Some of these recordings were privately “released” in the 80s on cassettes, but most of them feature previously unreleased material. 1986’s BOAC is the first project that also featured Chuck Collision, who would later surface with Williams in their perhaps better known project Premature Ejaculation. Their first collaboration is quite a diverse beast, featuring sound collages, ambient looping, vocal samples, bursts of noise and even a attempted song or two. With none of the tracks exceptionally long, this excellent album is probably the best place to start when interested in Williams’ even darker side. There is only one complaint: this album (like the other albums in this series) are announced as CD’s, whereas they are in fact CDR’s with printed artwork. Tsk. (FK)
Address: http://www.malaisemusic.com
ALFREDO COSTA MONTEIRO – AURA (CD by Etude Records)
ALFREDO COSTA MONTEIRO – CINQ BRUISSEMENTS (LP by No Fun Records)
FERRAN FAGES – LULLABY FOR LALI (LP by Etude Records)
The credit for the composition (and thus on the cover) goes out to Alfredo Costa Monteiro, but the instrument, percussion in this case, was played by Pilar Subira. On the cover we read: “Each recording has been edited, cutting the attack, at the point where the impact disappears and the harmonics start, keeping only the natural resonance and decay of the sound.” From two hundred recordings these ‘beyond attacks’ were saved and selected and then slowly build into this one piece of music. It has nothing or at least very little, I guess, to do with percussion music. Only in the final part of the work, say the last ten minutes, one could say that this is a percussive work and rather sounds like a gentle piece of carefully processed sinewaves, except that these are not sine waves nor it is processed in anyway. The acoustic sounds glide in a natural way and over the course of fifty minutes build up in quite a dramatic way, moving from one area to another, constantly changing color and direction. A minimal work but also one of great beauty and perhaps not that minimal, with all the microscopic, detailed changes. An excellent work which can be relaxing or demanding – you can choose your own approach.
Monteiro plays however an instrument himself, the accordion in this particular case of ‘Cinq Bruissements’. Recorded already in December 2006, and the cover assures us that all sounds are acoustic, which of course is important to realize. I have no idea what unorthodox methods he uses to play his instrument, but there are times that this thing is like a noise generating box. It has a low, menacing sound at times, and it mixes well with the more upfront acoustic sounds. Maybe Monteiro uses external objects to scratch on the accordion, like at the opening of one side or the other (no label info), or its a radical placing of microphones that gives this sort of effect. Either way it makes a great record, totally unlike ‘Aura’, but still of great beautiful quality. Quite raw, but at the same time also quite delicate. Both the CD and the LP show entirely different sides to the work of Monteiro and both are simply very good.
Also on Etude Records is a record by Ferran Fages, the guitar player from Spain, who delivered some pretty interesting improvised music in the past. He too gets the sole credit on the front cover, and is indeed responsible for electric and acoustic guitar, melodica, electronics and field recordings, but there is also Lali Barriere who plays guitaret, metallophone and electronics (plus artwork). But the two compositions they perform are written by Fages, so there you go. There is a ‘Lullaby Electric’ and a ‘Lullaby Acoustic’. The electric version is more drone based, with nicely woven, sustaining sounds at the bottom of the piece, over which the guitar strumms away freely (but coherently). With somewhere half way through the metallophone coming, we are almost dealing with a delicate piece of post rock music. The acoustic side doesn’t sound as acoustic I’d say, with the first part also quite drone based, and the second part of this piece is more about some lower end bass tones, before landing indeed in that acoustic terrain. An excellent record that should no doubt appeal to anyway who likes post rock, the more melodically edge of improvisation and great craftsmanship. (FdW)
Address: http://www.etuderecords.com
Address: http://www.nofunproductions.com/
WIRES UNDER TENSION – LIGHT SCIENE (LP by Western Vinyl)
Christopher Tignor is a young composer working and living in the South Bronx in New York. Together with Theo Metz he forms the duo Wires Under Tension. Both musicians played before in the post-rockband Slow Six. The music of Wires Under Tension sounds complex and complete as if a whole band is playing. But that is not true. Theo Metz is a fabulous drummer who creates beautiful beats and breaks. Christopher Tignor completes the composition with his violin and effects with ongoing loops. The music is melodic, experimental, harmonious, expressive and crossing musical borders. For the album Light Science the duo is supported by Marlan Barry, Jared Bell, Roy Femenella, Peter Hess, Phil Rodriguez and Ryan Snow who take care for example the french horn and saxophone. For one moment the music has elements like minimal music composers Steve Reich and Philip Glass. The other moments it is drony and orchestral like Godspeed You Black Emperor. After that it has moments of hip hop and after that music like King Crimson. If you count it like this, it seems to be a mess of all kinds of styles. Unfortunately the music has his own typical sound palette and the album is carefully composed holds the attention of the listener. On their own website www.wiresundertension.com they give a look in their way of working and is it even possible to download their musical computer tools by free downloads. A great album of a promising band! (JKH)
Address: http://www.westernvinyl.com
MEM1 – TETRA (LP by Estuary)
The previous release by Mark and Laura Cetilia, also known as Mem1 was called ‘+1’, in which they added sound sources from third parties, such as Jan Jelinik and Frank Bretschneider, which was however not entirely convincing. Now they have a new label and present their own work on the first release. Mem1 plays cello, analog synthesizer and electronics and have three lenghty pieces to present on ‘Tetra’. Its atmospheric music, what else would you expect from a duo that plays the cello I wonder, of slowly evolving music that places great emphasis on things being slow. The undercurrent is that of improvised music, but placed wide apart, so its not easy to spot. The fact that this is a LP is great, as it has a great cover, but I am afraid the pressing is doesn’t justify the music. Like on their first CD, ‘Alexipharmaca’, the sound is rather muffled and far away. Maybe that’s Mem1’s idea of atmospheric music? I am not entirely sure. However I didn’t think its damaging the music, but it sort of adds something to the music. Maybe a trademark of Mem1? The curve goes up with this new release, but I do believe there is more potential in this music that hasn’t be fully blossomed yet. (FdW)
Address: http://www.estuary-ltd.com
FERGUS KELLY – LONG RANGE (CDR by Room Temperature)
Following his CDR ‘Fugitive Pitch’ (see Vital Weekly 709) here is another release by Fergus Kelly from Ireland. Like on his previous release he explores textured music, or rather music made with textures. Per track he lists on the cover what kind of sound sources he uses, such as rubber mallets, home drum, coffee whisk, brass rod, spinning top, cymbal and field recording: and that’s just the first piece. To me it seems that Kelly made quite a progression since his first release. The pieces are gentle, careful, quiet and introspective. Kelly plucks the strings, uses a bow on sheets of metal, bangs the inside of a piano and uses a small variety of sounds per piece. Sometimes the mood goes up and lots more seem to be happening, such as in the closing piece ‘The Ground Beneath Our Feet’, with rattling percussion and bowed sounds. Throughout this material shows a great depth and is highly atmospherical. It shows also a variety in his use of instruments and sound sources and makes a truly refined work. (FdW)
Address: http://www.roomtemperature.org
DOC WOR MIRRAN – KUNSTLERGUPPE (CDR by Miss Management)
Art group is the translation of ‘Kunstlergruppe’ and yes, Doc Wor Mirran is an artgroup, dealing mostly with music, but also drawings and poetry. Yet on this particular release, curiously enough, Doc Wor Mirran is represented only by their founding father, Joseph B. Raimond. Its their 108th release. The music of Doc Wor Mirran is also to be known as a mixed bag. There is hardly no musical genre which they haven’t covered. Therefore I doubt wether there is one hardcore Doc fan who has them all, and likes them all. You’d need to be schizophonic. Here Raimond gets credit for guitar, synth, bass, drum programming, graphics and vocals. This results in thirteen tracks of a highly diverse nature. A lovely instrumental ballad, akin to Durutti Column, in ‘The Ballad Of Peter, Blake And Russ’, followed by the heavy drums and distorted guitars of ‘Seattle Grunge Must Die’. Grunge indeed. Guitar plays an all important role on this release, whenever introvert or extravert. The diversity that is usually between releases is here the main feature on one release. That makes it not easy to like it all. The uptempo, heavy rock guitar pieces aren’t that well spend on me, and a piece like ‘Meditation For Cedric In D Minor’ also sounds a bit tacky, with its dramatic guitar and synths. When Raimond takes back energy and let’s the whole thing flow a bit more, well, then he’s my man. Maybe its time for a solo guitar record, with sparse rhythm machines and the odd synth here and there. Did he ever do that? I can’t remember (but then I didn’t hear all 107 previous releases). Mixed bag. (FdW)
Address: http://www.empty.de
DANIEL ALEXANDER HIGNELL – SOUNDSCAPE STUDY 001 (CDR by Triple Bath)
COTI – ONDA (CDR by Triple Bath)
The name Daniel Alexander Hignell sounds a like new one to me, but perhaps I came across him before. He’s a sound artist when not playing with his ‘slightly silly math punk jazz supergroup bygrayvpartynmyrytarm. In his ‘Soundscape Study 001’, he tries to ‘blur the boundaries between two major reflective elements of the soundscape – that of the listener who exists within and contributes to the soundscape on a continual basis, and that of the visitor, the passing critic who appreciates and contributes only momentarily to the sound world he/she is absorbing.” To that end Hignell visited a small village in France and composed five pieces out of that sound material and also five were made from a recordings made in a village in Scotland. He listens not as a composer but as a visitor to the place, although I am not sure what the difference is. Also I am likewise unsure to what extend Hignell actually composed the piece, or wether they are cut outs from ‘reality’ – the information seems to be hinting towards the latter. In the French village Hignell seems to be concentrating on sounds from rural life, far, wide open shots of sound, whereas in the Scotland pieces, he seems to be more interests in closed sound events, like sounds filtering through pipes and such like. Its actually quite interesting to hear all of this, even without knowing how it was made exactly.
Behind Coti we find Constatino Luca Rolando Kiriakos, who somethings works as Coti K, and who was a member of electronic band in Greece. These days he plays the contra-bass and as such has established a connection with Nikos Veliotis and Ilios in a trio called Mohammed. On ‘Onda’ he plays solely electric contra-bass. Seven pieces, ranging somewhere between four and ten minutes. Onda, ‘wave’ in Italian (where he was born), is an album of layered contra-bass sounds. This means, to put things bluntly, drone like music, but not through masses field of sound, but through various textures, some light, some dark, and almost always seems to be floating gently down the stream. Occasionally there is a classical feel to the music, and sometimes Coti makes things a bit more abstract. Microphones are wide open, and capture much of the space in which the music was recorded. It also makes that the music is quite upfront and present, like direct in your face. Very nice. (FdW)
Address: http://triplebath.gr/
SPRUIT – BITS ‘N BLOCKS (CDR by Soul Shine Through)
TUSK – BUG (CDR by Stuart Chalmers)
Bug is ten tracks of modulated oscillations made using a Bugbrand Weevil, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqiFxnvUBb0) Stuart Chambers makes what are in effect electronic ‘field recordings’ using this device which have affinities with zoologica, each of the 10 tracks could be considered as vitrines or aquaria, some sparsely inhabited, to the extent that the creatures are hardly to be seen, as in some reptile houses where all that appears in the exhibit is its food, and a few dry branches, has the creature escaped, is it buried, non-existent or so well camouflaged that’s its probably the supposed dead branch, or like the plants Lithops – living stones, sometimes actually long dead, on some tracks it might just be the mechanism of reproduction that is the significant sound. An ecology of electronica. Bits ‘n blocks is well titled and another electro zoo of small cyborg insects… I recently played with a radio which could receive short wave transmissions, sadly these are – well maybe not sadly, devoid of the strange signals of maritime communications, scraps of Morse code and other radio modulations, replaced by FM and satellite communications? all has here become if not HNW then mostly white static, which elsewhere I could consider a progress? The only remnants of a once lively shortwave ecology is to be found now in the sub genre of digital simulacra of long dead analogue worlds. (jliat)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/spruit
Address: <skarabee@live.co.uk>
ALO GIRL – CATHARSIS (3inch CDR by Small Doses)
Harsh Noise Wall, (HNW) is the ‘Future Christ’, or if you’d prefer a more explanatory term – in Laurellean – ‘The Future Non Christ’, or even the future Socrates or Future Non Socrates, though I doubt the latter as it (HNW) doesn’t in my opinion amount to a dialogue, more than a monologue, it is a parable – certainly this piece might be? or perhaps even a miracle. An exegesis of HNW might find it miraculous, or perhaps some would prefer ‘monstrous’, a Frankenstein creation, “the future is necessarily monstrous: the figure of the future, that is, that which can only be surprising, that for which [they] are not prepared, you see, is heralded by a species of monsters” (Derrida).” However its domestication might prove harder, surely the next battle will be that of appropriation, we wait to watch how and when the current Caesars will transform into Popes… but for the moment, these may be last days in many ways, we see signs such as Catharsis, and ask is this the ‘future Christ’ or ‘Future John the Baptist’, merely! making way and not worthy to do up his shoelace? How much does it dwell in the wilderness, within its walls a slight tremble is to be found, (“What is the – I and what becomes of responsibility once the identity of the I trembles in secret?” – Derrida (The Gift of Death)) or tremble in the face of this coming monster, like a reed shaken by the wind, that noise of the whirlwind, the breath of God, Derrida’s deadly foe, phonocentrism as the God Monster roars? “And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?” So though we might be witness to the breath about one who will yet come, or perhaps the actual breath of God, it strangely leaves for me presently the role of merely holding coats, “And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air [have] nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay [his] head.” (Jliat)
Address: http://www.small-doses.com/doses/90/dose90.htm
N. MACABRE LUST – DESTINATION MORGUE (2CDR by CÈrebro Morto)
First off a label that’s scary in itself – the CDRs have paper texts glued precariously to them, one can imagine them detaching in the player and either bursting into flames or wrapping themselves around various vitals of the machine…these are live recordings by n. “one of the most important acts out of the Italian death industrial movement..” though wiki proof and google less, I suppose industrial in that there’s mechanical pulses, death because someone’s making growling noises – or it might be electronic, And the usual reverb swathes…sci fi bleeps and whooshes that are incredibly nostalgic now, but not to the conventional listener perhaps who is too young to remember Dan Dare, and even myself – back then so young (sigh!) I couldn’t read, I could only look at the pictures, honest gov. This whole caboodle could high jack the speculative realists or whatever, the alien nation, (alienation ugh!) not of the TV series, or the film which I didn’t think much of, the negro slave, black American parallels all too obvious? And a chilling justification for white supremacy just under the surface, – i.e. liberal understanding and toleration as the most powerful fascist force yet to be observed… no not that but the semi impenetrable doctoral thesis by one Ray Brassier which needs photon torpedoes and laser blasters to get through – called ‘Alien Theory’… Its transcendentalism Jim but not as we know it…” By dissolving the respectively ‘materiological’ and ‘phenomenological’ amphibolies which are the result of the failure to effect a rigorously transcendental separation between matter and concept on the one hand, and between phenomenon and logos on the other” – whoosh, zip, zap… “You are a fool Dan Dare, within three minutes I will be aboard my spaceship with all my treens, and I shall be escaping the explosion by which you will have caused your own death!”…. “a transcendental theory of matter, uncontaminated by the bounds of empirical perception and free of all phenomenological circumscription….” Wow! – you just have to believe that this ‘music’ just totally illustrates this stuff! though cleverly I haven’t said (and will not) which, Dan Dare or Speculative Realism, but surely not both!? Not even the evil Mekon or Ray Brassier could do that? but maybe Ian Bogost, perhaps? (jliat) (evil laugh…)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/cerebrodomorto
CELER – THE DIE THAT’S CASTE (3″CDR by Con-V)
What are you running away from? This question is one the last phrases of the new release of Celer. Celer is Danielle Baquet – Long and William Thomas Long. The married couple released an enormous amount of music all over the world and their music has a deep ambient and meditative atmosphere. This composition starts with dark threatening soundwaves and moves to melancholic tones and accords. The repetitive elements of the music works very well and droning and the mood develops more open and hopeful. But than the mood slowly changed.
As known, I quess for the readers of Vital, Danielle Baquet – Long died in July 2009 of a heart-failure. I do not know for what the lasts words are standing for. I think the source is from the conversation between a man and a woman is sampled from a movie. She asked him for many times just one single question: “What are you running away from?” Is this question meant for William and for all people who had to deal with the loss of a beloved person? (JKH)
Address: http://www.con-v.org
DIM DUSK MOVING GLOOM – BLINDED BY NATTY WHITE (Cassette by Prairie Fire)
Warm synth pads – slide into reverb like national geographic penguins, though no ‘synth was used’, neo frippery then… though no, not at all, this is music as a tribute to the band “seed”…. as the this melodic drone continues a blast of harsh noise and feedback.. which slowly dissolves once more into the ‘synth pad’… is this trying to say something or not, I’ve no idea, the pad is reverbed to the hilt, then that is put through a 1,000 Lexicons, then there’s more feedback, and the whole thing is covered in a rich curry sauce and scattered with chocolate buttons, put into a box of candy floss and flushed down the toilet, only to re-appear floating out to sea in a slick of crude oil and channel number 5, all of which proving fatal to the penguins. (jliat)
Address: http://www.prairiefiretapes.com
TORTURING NURSE & HOSTAGE PAGEANT SPLIT (Cassette by Rainbow Bridge
Recordings)
Odd C10! 5 minutes each supposedly, only Hostage Pageant sounded very like Torturing Nurse, though this was a very muddy recording of Harsh Noise which petered out at the close, the supposedly Torturing Nurse side was silent, I assume a mix up in duplication rather than an artistic statement. Regardless unless the material demands a fog like recording with limited range of dynamics, a very quiet performance all mid frequencies of what might be a very harsh performance was lost in the gloom. Maybe small Cdrs or biz cards have their place after all… (jliat)
Address: http://www.hellorainbowbridge.com/