PETER ADRIAANSZ – THREE VERTICAL SWELLS (CD by Unsounds) *
CHRISTIAN FENNESZ – AUN: THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF ALL THINGS (CD by Ash International) *
MIRT – JOURNEY THROUGH THE CITY OR SOMETHING ELSE (CD by Catsun) *
KIKO C. ESSEIVA – DROLES D’OISEAUX (CD by Hinterzimmer Records) *
GOLDENBATS – GOLDENBATS II (CD by Spectropol Records) *
300 BASSES – SEI RITORNELLI (CD by Potlatch) *
ALEXEI BORISOV & OLGA NOSOVA & DAVE PHILLIPS – BORINOSOPHIL (CD by Monotype Records) *
XAVIER CHARLES & JEAN-PHILIPPE GROSS & FRANZ HAUTZINGER & LIONEL MARCHETTI – TSSTT! (CD by Monotype Records) *
ERIC NORMAND – DATA LOW-FI DUETS (CD by Monotype Records) *
FUKUSHIMA (2CD compilation by Presqu’ile Records)
JAAP BLONK & MACHINEFABRIEK – DEEP FRIED (CD by Kontrans) *
JEB BISHOP & JAAP BLONK & LOU MALLOZZI & FRANK ROSALY – AT THE HIDEOUT (CD by Kontrans) *
ATTACCA – O’ THE EMOTIONS! (CD by Schraum) *
MATTHEW HALE CLARK/KEN CAMDEN (10″ by Three:four Records)
JEREMY LEMOS/MATT JENCIK (10″ by Three:four Records)
A4KMTAC – MATERIALSRECOVERYFACILITY (CDR by Suitcase Recordings)
REGOLITH – AND… (CDR by Running On Air) *
TIBETAN RED – NARRATIVE SPACES (CDR by Antahkarana Records) *
RAMSHACKLE DAY PARADE 2012 (CDR compilation by Ramshackle Day Parade)
NECK VS THROAT (CDR by Agorafobia) *
FLIM – THE GARDEN (3″CDR by Flim Music) *
PLEQ & HIROKI SASAJIMA – WITCH-HUNT (3″CDR by Taalem) *
IA – PEAK OF ANCHORITE (3″CDR by Taalem) *
ARTICIFICIAL MEMORY TRACE – CHITIN (FOR JEROME NOETINGER) (3″CDR by Taalem) *
CONTROLLED BLEEDING – KNEES AND BONES (cassette by Obsolote Units)
CONTROLLED BLEEDING – BODY SAMPLES (cassette by Obsolote Units)
LEA BERTUCCI – CARILLON (cassette by Obsolote Units)
URDWYG THE GOLDERR – CASSETTE PSYCHIC VOLUME 1(cassette by Filthy Turd)
VILE PLUMAGE – THE DOOR IS BROKEN (cassette by Filthy Turd )
POTIER – DUCTILE (cassette by Ramshackle Day Parade Records)
TV0 – RED NIGHT (cassette by Broken 60) *
PETER ADRIAANSZ – THREE VERTICAL SWELLS (CD by Unsounds)
As you might know by now, I am hopeless when it comes to reviewing modern classical music, especially when its composed by a real composer and performed by a real ensemble. Peter Adriaansz studied in The Hague and Rotterdam with Louis Andriessen, Brian Ferneyhough and Peter-Jan Wagemans. Yet there is something about this disc which I really like. Adriaanz’ is interested in amplification, live-electronics, pyschoacoustics and spatial acoustics in combination with microtonal music. Here we have two pieces, three parts of ‘Three Vertical Swells’ and five parts of ‘Music For Sines, Percussion, Ebows and Variable Ensemble’, both performed by the Dutch Ensemble MAE. It has hammond organ, 2 winds, 2 strings, electric guitar, ebow piano, percussion and sine waves in the first piece and voice, recorders, clarinet/bass clarinet, trombone, violin, double bass, electric guitar, percussion, ebow piano and sine waves in the second piece. Of the two pieces I particularly enjoyed the first one, the title piece. Its perhaps because I never too fond of that wordless chant like singing that sometimes seems to be part of modern classical music. But also ‘Music For Sines, Percussion, Ebows and Variable Ensemble’ has elements I like. The swelling and rising of sounds and slowly moving away of them (glissandi they are called, I think) work however best in the three parts of the title piece, sometimes with a slow bang on a drum. It reminded me at times of the work of Alvin Lucier, slow, peacefully, modern and just beautiful. Maybe there is a future for me and modern classical music? (FdW)
Address: http://www.unsounds.com
CHRISTIAN FENNESZ – AUN: THE BEGINNING AND THE END OF ALL THINGS (CD by Ash International)
Among the things that are least favorite to review I rank compilations, remix CDs and soundtracks. The latter usually not for their musical quality, but its always a film which I haven’t seen yet, and which I am not likely to see probably, even when Nijmegen has the biggest art-house cineplex in the Netherlands. Perhaps I always forget to study what’s on program from that cineplex. So here we have the OST from a movie called ‘Aun – The Beginning And The End Of All Things’ as directed by Edgar Honetschlager, and its about ‘mankind’s quest for the future, his desire to create the tomorrow, his fear and loathing for the apocalypse’. Not that I could have told you this from listening to the twelve Fennesz solo pieces and three Fennesz/Sakamoto pieces (previously released on ‘Cendre’). Fennesz does what he does, which is using the guitar and the computer in perfect harmony. We recognize the guitar, but its estranged enough through the computer processing that we effectively have something else. Beautiful pieces of course: Christian Fennesz is the undisputed master of all things glitch, guitar, and computer. Pieces are quite sketchy at times, like a quick pencil drawing, but maybe its because we are lacking the visual component herein. If you were looking for something new on the Fennesz front then this release might be a disappointment, but for those who want Fennesz never to change (well, only marginally that is), this is absolutely one to add to your collection. Next time a duel release, including the film, please. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ashinternational.com
MIRT – JOURNEY THROUGH THE CITY OR SOMETHING ELSE (CD by Catsun)
The musician named Mirt from Poland is a busy bee. Besides being a graphic artist he also plays in Brasil and The Gallowbrothers Band, one of the nicer experimental groups from Poland, does work for the Catsun label, writes his own blog about modular synthesizers and has his solo music as Mirt. Since 2000 he has released six solo albums, under which ‘Handmade Man’ (see Vital Weekly 725). This new one is in fact an old one. ‘Journey Through The City Or Something Else’ is his second release, on CDR released in 2002. I am not sure why this had to be released again, unless its part of a larger campaign to re-release all of his old works. Mirt has already a matured sound in 2002, using synthesizers, trumpet, guitar and acoustic instruments and perhaps a sampling device to effectively melt all of this together. The end result is very nice. aid back tunes, both ambient and lo-fi jazz/trip hop like, with bits of rhythm going on here and there. Mirt takes his time to develop his music and throughout creates nice atmospheres. A bit pop like, ambient and always relaxed, perfect late night music, sipping wine, smoking, reading or simply watching the stars. Excellent cross-over in the land of pop, ambient and psychedelics. (FdW)
Address: http://catsun.monotyperecords.com/
KIKO C. ESSEIVA – DROLES D’OISEAUX (CD by Hinterzimmer Records)
Its bee a while since ‘Sous Les Etoiles’ (see Vital Weekly 620) and Kiko C. Esseiva has released a couple of things in between, but ‘Drôles d’Oiseaux’ is his official third album. Still the references to Luc Ferrari and older Nurse With Wound are used here, and also the sound sources haven’t changed: a combination of acoustic instruments, noise, voices, field recordings and ‘static sheets of sound’. I could argue nothing has changed and perhaps nothing much did. I could write about the fact that I like change, which in fact I do, but perhaps more so for those who release albums in a tempo which others buy bread, but in the case of Kiko C. Esseiva this new album is a further exploration of something that he did four years ago already, and hardly a development is necessary I should think with such long intervals. The use of voice (from others) reminds me indeed of Nurse With Wound, and brings in a horspiel like character to the music. Rapid editing does the rest, I should think. Another name which I think should be mentioned is Brume/Christian Renou. Esseiva shares a love for non silent music and puts together many sources, mixes them together in a very imaginative way. A strong follow up to ‘Sous Les Etoiles’, and an excellent example of non academic musique concrete. This guy should be doing radioplays, I was thinking. (FdW)
Address: http://www.hinterzimmer-records.com
GOLDENBATS – GOLDENBATS II (CD by Spectropol Records)
The information on this is rather sparse. Goldenbats are a duo of G. Duncanson and D. Meade and together they use guitar, e-bow, iphone, youtube.com, shortwave radio, apple sculpture, roland space echo, temple bells and a microphone. Their four movements last in total twenty-six minutes, which seems to me rather short for a CD. I don’t think I heard their music before, and this might very well be their second release. The music is a fine if somewhat unsurprising blend of ambient textures of a darker nature, with in the ‘Quaternary’ – the shortest of the four pieces – dashes of broken up rhythm – and in the fourth movement (with an unreadable title), a nice cosmic arpeggio synth. The first two parts are more dark and introspective in approach, and both heavily in the minor chords of the synthesizer. I have no idea what contribution is made by iphone or youtube.com but throughout its a nice CD. As said, also somewhat unsurprising. There is nothing here that we haven’t heard before, sometimes better even. But Goldenbats does what they do in a fine way, and the production is throughout very nice. (FdW)
Address: http://www.spectropol.com
300 BASSES – SEI RITORNELLI (CD by Potlatch)
A trio of accordion players from the world of improvised music – that’s perhaps something new. For me it is. The unknown player here is Luca Venitucci, who was from 1996 to 2002 a member of Zeitkratzer, and before that a founding member of Ossatura. The other two players I think should be known if you read these pages every now and then. Alfredo Costa Monteiro and Jonas Kocher have regularly new releases. Maybe you think its cheating, but both Venitucci and Monteiro are also playing objects on their accordion, which seems to expand the sound quite considerably. If you think that this trio will focus on playing sustaining, lengthy pieces of drone music, then you are wrong. In ‘Abbandonato’ and ‘Mala Carne’ for instance they sound like an all acoustic noise ensemble, with lots of scratching, scraping and bending of the bellows. Its followed by ‘Maledetto’, in which the accordion sing like sine waves, carefully but also piercingly loud as the piece progresses. In ‘Gira Bile’ and ‘Fantasma’ they reach for a beautiful piece of drone music. Six pieces and almost as many approaches to the world of the accordion. Six pieces of a wonderful great, improvised music on a single instruments, times three. (FdW)
Address: http://www.potlatch.fr
ALEXEI BORISOV & OLGA NOSOVA & DAVE PHILLIPS – BORINOSOPHIL (CD by Monotype Records)
XAVIER CHARLES & JEAN-PHILIPPE GROSS & FRANZ HAUTZINGER & LIONEL MARCHETTI – TSSTT! (CD by Monotype Records)
ERIC NORMAND – DATA LOW-FI DUETS (CD by Monotype Records)
Three more discs of improvised music. The first has the regular performing duo of Russia’s finest Alexei Borisov and Olga Nosova. Together they traveled the world, playing together but also performing with others, such as Anton Nikkila, Matthieu Werchowski, Dora Bleu, Thomas Buckner, Tom Smith, Jandek, Anton Mobin and a_spirale and somewhere along the lines they bumped into Dave Phillips, who is best known for his radical approach to noise, silence, performance and video. This trio worked together in june 2009 in Moscow and the recordings were later on edited by Phillips. It combines the energy unleashed by Borisov/Nosova together with the more continuous sound world of Phillips and occasional rapid editing from him. It seems to me that all three go off their usual path a bit. Its not as loud as I would expect from Phillips (but maybe I am not listening in the same volume as he plays live… actually I am sure of it) and perhaps also less object based as I would expect and it seems less improvised for the duo, although I am not sure. But that leads however to music that is quite good. Densely orchestrated electronics, in which the voice of Nosova is there, but pushed away it seems, and throughout the music has a hypnotic, psychedelic feeling to it. Great stuff.
The other CD is a quartet of improvisers: Xavier Charles (clarinet), Jean-Philippe Gross (electro-acoustic devices), Franz Hautzinger (quarter tone trumpet) and Lionel Marchetti (revox B77, short waves). The four of them recorded this work on January 21 2010 and its quite short and quite powerful. The combination of the two electro-acoustic sources versus the two acoustic sources works well. Both Hautzinger and Hautzinger know how to produce some nasty, overtone like tones, but also sweet-as-hell playing embedded in the electro-acoustic madness produced by Gross and Marchetti. These six untitled pieces span just under twenty-nine minutes but surely one tour de force of sound explosions, silence and an excellent interplay between these four players. Great stuff.
The last CD is a series of duets between Eric Normand, who builds his own electronic devices with other people such Christine Sehnaoui Abdelnour (alto saxophone), Martin Tetrault (pick-up, surfaces, rhythm’n sound for guitar), Sebastian Cirotteau (amplified trumpet, mics & mixer and ‘mic in the mouth’) and Mario Gaulthier (analogic synth & objects). Many of these recordings are already from 2007, except the one with Abdelnour, which is from 2010. Normand also electric bass on two pieces, and ‘mics on fingers’ on one piece. In all the other its homemade and domestic electronics. I am not sure what to make of this CD. What is it that Normand wants with this CD of five year old recordings. The improvisations are quite noisy and seem without focus too much, although some of it worked alright, but overall was not entirely to my satisfaction. (FdW)
Address: http://www.monotyperecords.com
FUKUSHIMA (2CD compilation by Presqu’ile Records)
Perhaps its a bit strange to have a double CD now with all the proceeds for Japanese non-profit organizations following the nuclear power plant accident in March 2011 and perhaps that’s exactly the point Otomo Yoshihide wanted to make when he gave a lecture in April 2011. We should not forget this disaster, but also use Fukushima as a starting point for something new, something creative in the future. This is picked up by the artists on the Presqu’ile Records double compilation CD, who delivered pieces which may have no connection to each other, and artists just gave whatever they have. The musicians here weren’t afraid (or perhaps encouraged) to deliver longer pieces. We have a thirty-four minute piece by Dave Smith, a twenty one minute by Michael Pisaro – hardly usual compilation length pieces. Others have shorter pieces, but all artists seem to have an interest in a somewhat more quieter approach, and treat whatever instrument they play as sound generators, like Burkhard Beins does with his drums, or in quite a similar fashion Mark Wastell & Jonathan McHugh (I wouldn’t have put both pieces next to each other on a CD). The best pieces are the bells of Pisaro, the most curious field recording by Annette Krebs and Greg Kelley’s trumpet piece. Throughout a strong compilation for a good cause, so if you are mildly a fan of this kind of music, get it and support the good cause. (FdW)
Address: http://www.presquilerecords.com
JAAP BLONK & MACHINEFABRIEK – DEEP FRIED (CD by Kontrans)
JEB BISHOP & JAAP BLONK & LOU MALLOZZI & FRANK ROSALY – AT THE HIDEOUT (CD by Kontrans)
It was very quiet in the world of Jaap Blonk for a couple of years. I am not sure what he has been doing in those years, but recently (Vital Weekly 828) we already had a first sign of new activity, today followed by two new releases on his own Kontrans label. Packed in a cheap, slim line box, it looks like a cheap CDR release, which is a pity, but perhaps its the economy. Blonk, in case you are new, is a man who works with voice, reciting sound poetry, working with electronics and as an improviser. These two new releases are a bit of all, and worked out in two different ways. The most surprising one is the release he made with Rutger Zuydervelt’s Machinefabriek. Perhaps an unlikely combination, but Zuydervelt has played before with musicians from the world of improvisation. On May 17, 2012 Blonk and Zuydervelt recorded together at Steim for one day, and the result are nine pieces of music, closing to almost an hour. Although its not an easy marriage between the electronics/objects of Machinefabriek and Blonk’s voice, especially when the latter is in true improvised mode, such as in ‘Recipes’. It doesn’t seem to work on those occasions. However when Blonk feeds his voice through electronics in very much the same way as Zuydervelt applies objects to his electronics, some highly interesting interplay arises in this music. Maybe this work could have used a bit more editing, trimming down to the absolute best moments as some of the pieces seem a bit too long, and the album could have certainly benefitted from a shorter length, but throughout I thought this was quite a daring duet for both of them. An experiment that worked out well, if not always to my liking.
The other release is more a work of pure improvisation and has Jeb Bishop on trombone, Lou Mallozzi on turntables, CDs, microphones and mixer, Frank Rosaly on drums and percussion and Blonk on voice and electronics. A recording made on March 14 2012 at The Hideout in Chicago. This is improvised music as we know Blonk (also) for. Traditional improvised music that is. No exploration of all the sound qualities an instrument and its player have to offer, but instead closely listening to the what the others are doing, responding, reacting, interfering. Especially the things brought in by Mallozzi works very well. Most of the times, you don’t know he’s there, until he takes a lead in ‘Cachoo Tug’ and from there on brings on a very lively play, but in fact all five of these pieces are lively affairs. That makes the one hour that the release lasts not easy to digest. The listener is not granted a lot of rest during this. Here too, I thought some editing would have been in place and perhaps at forty minutes would have made an even stronger impression. (FdW)
Address: http://www.toondist.nl/kontrans.html
ATTACCA – O’ THE EMOTIONS! (CD by Schraum)
A trio of players from Berlin, all of whom has been involved in releases on Schraum before. Matthias Müller (trombone), Dave Bennett (guitar) and Axel Haller (bass). Since 2010 they form the trio Attacca and the pieces on this CD have been captured during two days, one in 2010 and one in 2011. In my book of labels, Schraum is noted as a label for improvised music of a more conventional kind. But there are exceptions and this might be one of them. Attacca uses a lot of amplification and has throughout these ten pieces something that noise based, and that element of noise is very nice. In a piece ‘It Happened When The Sun Fell’ the distortion seems to be coming from digital error, like a hard disc about the crash, than something they actually played, but in other pieces they go out all the way, almost like a rock band. The playing is very dense, almost like a no wave band would do, but then along the more strict rules of improvised music. Attacca are like the punk rockers of improvised music. They do a great job, I think. Partly on the acoustic side, close to the microphone and then with some kind of amplification/distortion on the rest, making something that I quite having heard before a lot, so that’s always most welcome. Excellent release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.schraum.de
MATTHEW HALE CLARK/KEN CAMDEN (10″ by Three:four Records)
JEREMY LEMOS/MATT JENCIK (10″ by Three:four Records)
Sometimes I wonder about all the new names I hear every week. Here we have four of them, divided over four sides of two 10″ records, as part of a series of split records on Three:four Records. According to the press release Matthew Hale Clark was born 1775, but surely its a typo. He was one half of White/Light and is a guitarist. Ken Camden is also a guitarist and his debut was on Kranky in 2010. He’s a member of Implodes. I never heard any of this, but I am told that Clark here works outside his usual drones and has a more folk like piece for acoustic guitar, along with the help of Frank Rosaly on drums/percussion and Jeremy Lemos on shruti box and posi vibes. Its an excellent moody piece of music, depicting vast empty landscapes of the big Americana. Simply beautiful. Ken Camden has two pieces of music on his side of the record and he too uses guitar but also a lot of sound effects to effectively transform his guitar sounds into glacial, slow moving masses of repeating fields of sustaining sounds. This too is beautiful, yet the landscape is not in America but more north pole styled. His side is perhaps less of a surprise, compared to the Clark side, but still very good.
Jeremy Lemos is primarily an engineer working for Pavement, Sonic Youth but he is also the other half of White/Light. Matt Jencik is also a member of Implodes (small world I mumbled), and played with Papa M and Slint. Lemos has one side which shows his recent love for all things modular, and in his ten minute piece everything buzzes and hums, making slow developments but all of sudden implosions occur and it seems that everything falls apart. Sparkling electricity! The drone mood continues on the other side with two pieces by Jencik, of which ‘Conservative Fucks’ is not my cup of tea. Lots of reverb on field recordings, but ‘Hollow Bodies’ is a fine piece of dark atmospheric drones, which has an effective late night air to it. Watch the stars while listening to this. Nice, if not really surprising. Four new names added to the list “watch out for more music by these people”. (FdW)
Address: http://www.three-four.net
A4KMTAC – MATERIALSRECOVERYFACILITY (CDR by Suitcase Recordings)
The concept of “materialsrecoveryfacility” seems so ubiquitous that it runs the risk of failing to capture the notice of those folks who would love it most. Some may read a literal description and think: oh yeah I’ve heard lots of albums like this, perhaps I don’t need to hear this one. Here, look… two American artists, tac (Tom Cox, of Tennessee) and A4 (Eric Blevins, of Atlanta GA, who also runs the Suitcase label and records as All Fours) exchange sound material with Kapotte Muziek (Frans de Waard of Nijmegen, the Netherlands, who is also the guy behind this here Vital Weekly e-zine-thing and, full disclosure, a pal of mine for many years). Everyone transforms the raw sound material, sends it back and forth, etc etc. You’ve heard this before, yes? It’s been Mail Art 101 since th’ invention of cassette culture, and is so damn commonplace that it almost doesn’t bear scrutiny. It’s about as unique as a guitarist, bassist, drummer, and singer getting together and deciding to collaborate by writing a song. But in reality, that’s only the beginning, because merely reading the lyrics is a far different experience from hearing the tune. The truth is that, despite it’s austere-seeming title, materialsrecoveryfacility is an immensely fun album. It’s as surprising and enjoyable a work of tape music as I’ve heard all year. So much that, after hearing it through for the first time, I set it on “repeat” and took it in three more times one evening.
What hooked me at first was the confusing fidelity. The first track opens in a haze of woozy audience chatter, with tape blurp seeping into the sort of voices one would hear at a concert before the show begins. This continues for long enough to signal that it’s not merely the pause before the music, but an important component that’s worth concentrating on. In fact, it becomes unclear whether the voices are live, or coming from tape loops themselves. I especially appreciate the distinctly Southern US accents of the folks talking… because, honestly, this region is far under-represented in noise/abstract music. The sense of place anchors the coming abstraction with referential humanity, which for me is a terrific entry point and a feeling that remained with me for the next hour. Gradually, the tapes take over until loops have oozed into the gaps and colonized the air, shifting the bootleg-quality non-fidelity of the start into something far more complex. The surrogate audience appears again later on (different audience? same people? just tapes of people? I love that I can’t tell!), acting for me like a surrogate community of listeners enjoying the abstract sound with me as the album proceeds. The usual gray distance that accompanies most noise/electro-acoustic albums is replaced with a feeling of communal engagement. It’s not the same as just a live recording of a concert that has clapping and chatter at the end, because the people are treated like instruments. When they’re clear, I’m part of the crowd too.
As the album goes on, we leave the audience and move into deeply non-referential territory. There’s a lovely section of aggressively non-eventful stasis, and chasms of dense clutter. The ever-present, very recognizable sound of tape, wonderfully round and hazy with edges that snap as loops start and end, contribute to materialsrecoveryfacility”s sense of taking up physical space. Mass and depth, rather than simply a wash of mashed-together sound debris, characterizes much of the music. This makes sense, since some of the music is a documentation of sound installations in galleries. The sonic material wasn’t simply packed into a computer, run through effects, smeared across a multi-track and spread back out onto a CD. The physical materials were arranged in physical space, then recorded and translated into something we can listen to.
The package, too, is consistent with the music. Created by Mark Schomberg (Yeast Culture, in Seattle WA), each gorgeous handmade sleeve is a unique LP-sized gatefold collage, silk screened in Schomberg’s usual impossibly-complex style that makes me wonder how on earth he made more than a handful of these. They must have taken him months to complete! The artists provide visual material and plenty of text to explain the many stages of their collaborative process, with lots of bits of paper for those so inclined to examine and read as they listen. The experience is somewhat overwhelming, but I don’t mind. It’s not necessary to read everything in order to enjoy the music. I know that I’ll revisit this album over and over, so I’m choosing to wait before reading all of the supplemental material. (HS)
Address: http://www.a4suitcase.com/
REGOLITH – AND… (CDR by Running On Air)
David Graham and Graeme Ross are Regolith, formed in 2005 for ‘the purpose of creating music on a geological scale; music of mountains, shifting like glaciers, slow and relentless processes on grand timescales. From deep tectonic ambience to explosive volcanic noise, this is music of stone, designed to be as contemplative and beautiful – yet unpredictable and dangerous – as nature itself’. But right now I am hearing ‘Happy Summer Days’, which sounds like a glitched up version of The Lost Jockey or Michael Nyman, and not at all like tectonic ambience or volcanic noise. Its followed by ‘Now Everybody’, a piece for more glitchy electronics, sans any orchestral samples. It seems to be what this album is about: glitchy electronics, glitchy orchestral music, although in ‘Another Orphan’ there is just orchestral music it seems. Orchestral music, as I said, that is not too dissimilar to the work of Nyman – think any Greenaway film – of a full, baroque nature and quite nice. I have no idea how Regolith produced their music. I can’t imagine – for no good reason actually – that they played all of these instruments themselves, so I gather it must be samples or perhaps – why not – a somewhat fucked up version of garageband. Whatever it is, I quite like what they are doing, as a big time sucker for The Lost Jockey and to a lesser extent the work of Nyman. Probably one of the stranger releases of this week, one of the more surprising ones and certainly one that I really enjoyed. (FdW)
Address: http://www.runningonair.com
TIBETAN RED – NARRATIVE SPACES (CDR by Antahkarana Records)
One of those ‘bands’ I could never figure is Salvador Franesch’ Tibetan Red. Although around for quite some time – actually twenty-five years or so – releases are wide apart. The two previous are already from some years ago, ‘Fouta Djalon’ (see Vital Weekly 566) and ‘Ritual Breathing’ (see Vital Weekly 658), both works received with warm anticipation here. Now after a few years here’s a new one and three of the four pieces are inspired by a trip to Japan, and one is a dedication to the painter Roman Opalka, who died last year. That piece opens the CD, but it sounds like a semisghure, a chorus of crickets already. Somewhere half way through the piece voices come in, cut-up and hard to be deciphered, but along with the semisghure turned feedback it makes an interesting piece of private poetry. ‘Encounter At The Taizo-in Temple’ seems to continue this sound poetry, but no doubt is something taped in Japanese temple. Outside we hear the chatter of birds. ‘Geisha’s Walk’ is again a piece made out of insect sounds. ‘Invisible Voices’, the final piece, reflects urban life in Japan and has voice material from the many busy interactions of Japan, which I always regarded as a very noisy country – even before I visited it myself. Although I enjoyed these four pieces, at the same time I didn’t think it had the same power of his two previous works, even when it shares similarities: the sheer minimal development of sounds, the poetry, the repetition, but maybe I heard music made up with just field recordings a bit too often by now to get fully excited. Still, I always find a new release by Tibetan Red a pleasure to hear. (FdW)
Address: http://www.salvadorfrancesch.com
RAMSHACKLE DAY PARADE 2012 (CDR compilation by Ramshackle Day Parade)
I think a group of sound artists et. al. based in Edmonton Canada, “is about acceptance and community…in which noise and experimental artists can express themselves” here 16 tracks/artists of fairly divergent sounds, minimal techie glitches, hums, harsh electro improv and spacey synth chords…I’ve compared comps to chocolate selections, but the idea of a zoo also crossed my mind, as in you perhaps remember some animals and not others and there isn’t that much in common, other than they are in a zoo, and not like the other animals in the city. Though zoos are not well regarded these days, more like prisons for creatures being guilty of being creatures. So R.D.P. is nothing like, I suspect innocent of crime and seeking community. I do have a problem with sound art as glue in that it isn’t that different from Mozart, and it would be foolish of me to express such thoughts as not only is it dangerous to upset groups, unlike zoo animals where one is protected by cages and steel fences, furthermore it offers the terrible prospect of being rejected by neo-liberals who think the arts like sport for all is good for the individual and so good for society, no different to how the Taliban regard the Koran then? That’s me in deep shit, animal dung I guess…Not that I’m accusing anyone of anything or have I visited a zoo in decades or will I do so, I sense the dread of going to a music concert or art gallery, the Saatchi Gallery is like a zoo, is a zoo? (jliat)
Address: http://ramshackledayparade.wordpress.com
NECK VS THROAT (CDR by Agorafobia)
Following his ‘Pushtoshove’ (see Vital Weekly 837) here is another release by Yol, from Hull. This one is recorded with one Miguel from Mexico, all through the exchange of sound files. He runs Agorafobia Records, the Oracle netlabel and plays guitar – the ‘neck’ in the band name. Yol provides ‘throat attack and smashing of objects’. Five pieces here which last thirty-two minutes, so considerable longer than the pieces on Yol’s self-released CDR from some weeks ago. That was an interesting blast, with short and to the point pieces, but now things are longer and embedded in some not too good improvised guitar playing, I am less positive. Its still all quite noise based for sure, but comes across as something with less power than the previous release. Or perhaps I am already used to it? I am not sure. Not bad, not great either. One of those days probably. (FdW)
Address: <yol1971@hotmail.co.uk>
FLIM – THE GARDEN (3″CDR by Flim Music)
Its hard for me to deny, or assume otherwise, but I am bit fan of the music of Enrico Wuttke, also known as Flim, and I can be angry to think why he doesn’t get the same recognition as someone like Nils Frahm? Is it perhaps because Wuttke still holds on to his band name, whereas that is perhaps not done in the world of modern classical music. Here is a new, small treasure to cherish, for those willing to find out about it. Seven pieces of keyboard music, piano, organ or perhaps even a cheap sampler of some kind, such as in ‘White Chalk’. Minimalist sketches, bits of field recordings, loops of acoustic rumble, and even a bit of noise (‘The Garden Pt.2’), which is surely an odd-ball in the works of Flim so far. Great melancholic music, introspective, quiet (well, not always then) and modern classic but following entirely his own rules. There is hardly any justice in this world. A great, easy, simple yet strong release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.flimmusic.com
PLEQ & HIROKI SASAJIMA – WITCH-HUNT (3″CDR by Taalem)
IA – PEAK OF ANCHORITE (3″CDR by Taalem)
ARTICIFICIAL MEMORY TRACE – CHITIN (FOR JEROME NOETINGER) (3″CDR by Taalem)
Hot on the heels of the previous three (see Vital Weekly 837), another trio of 3″CDR releases. The first one is by Polish sound artist Pleq, whom recorded with Hiroki Sasajima, who already had his solo release on Taalem. Together they use the entire length of the 3″CDR, almost twenty-four minutes with a piece of deep drones, the sounds of water and a bit of glitch – perhaps occured when using time stretching I was thinking. Quite a dark force this piece, hovering low over a glacier, while the air is statically charged. They take a bit of time for developments here to arrive but towards the end the mood has changed from dark to very dark and the mild distortion seems to be gone. Nice one.
IA recently came to our attention when he worked together with Julien Demoulin on a piece called ‘The Bay’ (see Vital Weekly 820) but here is one of his first solo pieces to be released. Its a cigar piece, a friend of mine would say. If you open this up in a sound editing program you will see it looks like a cigar (and I have to rip pieces for the podcast, so I see them). A slow, long fade and a short fade at the end, and in between things are slowly building up. Hard to say what it is but the whole piece has a distortion in the higher region of the sound spectrum, which I am not sure of it being all intentional. This was an alright piece, a bit too single minded perhaps, but not bad.
The biggest surprise is the piece by Artificial Memory Trace, also known as Slawek Kwi, which is hardly a drone/ambient piece, but a collage of field recordings – very much like we are used from him. Here to things build up slowly, but in a much more collage like manner, with sounds dropping in and out of the mix, until it reaches a continuous sound and things go on for some time. A fine of what seems to me pure field recordings. Not a surprise for Slawek Kwi, since this is ‘just’ another great work from him, but quite a surprise for Taalem to release it. It may seem off the path they have been taking for such a long time, but perhaps it all makes great sense. (FdW)
Address: http://www.taalem.com
CONTROLLED BLEEDING – KNEES AND BONES (cassette by Obsolote Units)
CONTROLLED BLEEDING – BODY SAMPLES (cassette by Obsolote Units)
LEA BERTUCCI – CARILLON (cassette by Obsolote Units)
Last week I wrote, hopefully lovingly, about Ramleh. Controlled Bleeding came into ear range around the same time, but I was never that much of a fan. One of the reasons was that you never knew which Controlled Bleeding you would be getting. The noise version, the jazz version, dub, Byzantine singing, ambient. So after all those years I kept two of their CDs, ‘Gag’ and ‘Golgotha’. I lost track of them, but following the Ramleh box, I decided to download some of their music (did I say that? you should ignore that) to refresh my memory. Not that I have that much time to hear it all, but much to my surprise Obsolete Units send me this week these two cassettes (which I actually didn’t download). I remember ‘Knees And Bones’ better than ‘Body Samples’, but I thought it was great to see both on cassette again. They were once released on LP, then re-issued on CD and now again on cassette. I think that’s pretty funny. ‘Knees And Bones’ shows us Controlled Bleeding in their true noise phase: lots of rambling of metal sheets, distortion pedals and an occasional synth outburst and founding member Paul Lemos’ sister making an appearance to ask if he can quiet things down. From the early works I still think ‘Knees And Bones’ is their best work, classic industrial power noise.
Already by 1985 they sounded much different as is shown on ‘Body Samples’. What us noise-kids didn’t know is that Paul Lemos and his friends had many more tricks up their sleeve and from this album forth they expanded in all different directions, usually per album. However on ‘Body Samples’ the ‘many styles approach’ appear on one record. Bits of obnoxious loud noise, cosmic music on a bunch of synthesizers, jazz rock like freak out on the guitar, marching drums, it all exists next to each other. Shouldn’t you know better, you could easily mistake ‘Body Samples’ for a compilation album. Back then I would have preferred ‘Knees And Bones’ over ‘Body Samples’, but I would have regarded myself a noise kid probably. These days its the other way around. I like ‘Body Samples’ more since it shows diversity and there of the guts to do things differently. Good to see both back in print.
Music by Lea Bertucci – we time-travel to ‘now’ – has been reviewed before, recently her duo with Ed Bear (Vital Weekly 834) and her release with her band TwistyCat (Vital Weekly 824). Here she has a solo cassette with a piece per side. On the title piece Bertucci plays bass clarinet, feedback and found tapes, which sound strangely enough quite coherent altogether. With an instrument like that it’s not easy not to sound melancholic and as such this is not different, but with the strange collage of the found tapes things are indeed a bit different. The other side has “Magnetic Collage #2′ which is a ‘collaged 1/4 inch tape’ and it also says ‘musique concrete for the 21st century’, but sounds to these ears more like musique concrete from the industrial underground of the 80s, Jonathan Briley like, but nothing wrong with that. Mildy distorted at times, female voices talking and throughout a darker atmosphere. A fine tape indeed. (FdW)
Address: http://obsoleteunits.com/
URDWYG THE GOLDERR – CASSETTE PSYCHIC VOLUME 1(cassette by Filthy Turd)
VILE PLUMAGE – THE DOOR IS BROKEN (cassette by Filthy Turd )
Cassette psychic volume one arrived and somehow somewhere this description – its in quotes so its not me, though I’m in total agreement “Lo-ability noise. Barely coherent sound. A worthless enterprise. I do like your shoes, are they good for walking? Kazoo, UKE, junk, feedback, bad taste. Rubbish audio experience. Badly dubbed to recycled tapes and painted blue, a move which may prove damaging to your scientific machinery. Hand made covers. Be warned; I love that pause button and will use it as the gods command – no two copies of CASSETTE PSYCHIC VOLUME 1 will sound the same. If the tape plays at all, I invite you to break out the prayer mat and spill juice.” From further garbled messages this tape is neither the same each copy being different, and non of for sale. Anti capitalism. You send a tape you might get a copy, you send money you’ll probably get abuse. Vile Plumage is a surprisingly clearer recording though the mire and grime of CPVol1 makes this an unfair comparison, more detritus sound and use of echoes over incoherency. Obviously not HN or HNW but lacking any clear signal which in this case is directed at a critique of socio-political ideologies of the contemporary. It shares the null communication but here its motivated, not as propaganda though, more a psychosis as audiological response to the disease of existence. (jliat)
Address: http://filthyfilthyturd.blogspot.co.uk/
POTIER – DUCTILE (cassette by Ramshackle Day Parade Records)
A C16 of found instruments? And electronics which shows a possible critique of “history” in HN which prompted the following idea… The kind of improvisation that Derek Bailey, AMM and many other musicians from the last century undertook could be in the face of the digital catastrophe of via individualizing networked humanity into a substratum of technology was an attempt to regain that moment when some predecessor – homo- erectus first made sound via improvisation. A yearning for the womb or the very un creation, precisely the sentiments of Joni Mitchell’s ‘back to the garden’. Whether it be guilt, loss or fear without purpose or God, this intellectualism masks a very childish (not child like) reaction to loss, or foundness, Heideggerean “throwness”. Making enemies here – but wasn’t National socialism extremely childish, and the image of the overweight philosophy in Nazi uniform laughable? Still he opposed democracy and so is still philosophically loved. A many faceted loss of the individual and fear of technology, cybernetics and such, but not a return to some Arcadia or one that can even stop at synthesis of DNA or any “2 bit Universe”. This might be precisely why at times in this seeming naïve exploration, of sound and devices for making sound, there is always an element of violence and anger which is again a Freudian hatred of the rejection of the womb, improvisation is not the sterile digital chatter, or as Hollywood portrays the unblinking cyborg. We have only to ask what companies like Apple and Microsoft are making, no weeping Mary’s are to be found in any Apple Store, or any improvisation that isn’t already pre-programmed. However improvisation is to be regarded like much else of music its a failure, hence Potier’s anger and tape is apt? (jliat)
Address: http://www.potier-point.blogspot.co.uk/
TV0 – RED NIGHT (cassette by Broken 60)
When I was younger I tried to read some William Burroughs, but perhaps I was too young and when I was older I never cared to go back again. So these things go, I guess. So I never read ‘Cities Of The Red Night’, a book that inspired Ruaridh Law, also known as TVO, for his cassette ‘Red Night’. So having not read the book I am not sure if this is the right soundtrack, but judging it solely by its musical merits, I think this quite nice. Stripped down techno rhythm in ‘Ba’dan’ or ‘Yass-Waddah’ reveal an influence of Pan Sonic, along with strong influences of forty years of ambient music and bits of dub like excursions. Its all too home-brew for the dance floor but this spooky music works well walking desolate cities with this on your walkman (not ipod), preferably on repeat. Bill gets its place too here and all is fine. Except that all is an illusion. Very nice tape indeed. (FdW)
Address: http://www.broken60.com