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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 482
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week 27
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Vital Weekly, the webcast: as an experiment
for the time being, we offering a weekly webcast, freely to download.
This can be regarded as the audio-supplement to Vital Weekly.
Presented as a radioprogramm with excerpts of just some of the
CDs (no vinyl or MP3) reviewed. It will remain on the site for
a limited period (most likely 2-4 weeks). Download the file to
your MP3 player and enjoy!
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podcasts go here: http://ipodder.sourceforge.net/
MONOS - GENERATORS (2CD by Die Stadt)
Ø: KANTAMOINEN (CD by Sähko Recordings)
OPAK - TWO SLEEPWALKERS ON A TIGHT-ROPE (CD by Creaked)
LODEN - VALEEN HOPE (CD by Eat This Records/Plexiphonic)
HALFSET - DRAMANALOG (CD by Elusive)
THE HAFLER TRIO/AUTECHRE - æ3o/h3æ (2CD by Die Stadt)
PHROQ - COLLAPSE (CD by Ground Fault Recordings)
ASMUS TIETCHENS - FORMEN LETZTER HAUSMUSIK (CD by Die Stadt)
SARA AYERS - A MILLION STORIES (CD by Dark Wood Recordings)
SPHERICAL DISRUPTION - NULL (CD by Audiophob)
MANDELBROT - AUF TAUCHFART (CD by Audiophob)
JASON TALBOT - A LOVE SO BRIGHT IT SHINES A HOLE THROUGH MY HEART
(miniCD by C.I.P.)
VERTONEN - ORCHID COLLIDER (CD by C.I.P.)
CHRISTOPHE CARDOEN/LIONEL MARCHETTI/EMMANUEL PETIT - MERE FEU
40 TETES (CDR by Absurd)
BJERGA/IVERSEN - PLAY THE OSLO GROOVE MACHINE (CDR by Utan Titel/Absurd)
AMYGDALA (CDR by Deserted Village)
PAUL G SMYTH - THE ANAESTHETIC (CDR by Deserted Village)
JAC BELOEIL - AN ABSENT-MINDED TRACK (3" CDR by Entr'acte)
MACHINEFABRIEK - RUIS (3"CDR by Machinefabriek)
MACHINEFABRIEK - BEESTENBOEL (3"CDR by Machinefabriek)
VIOLET - OKRAINA EP (mp3 by Con-v)
MONOS - GENERATORS (2CD by Die Stadt)
Many times I write in my reviews that something is good for what
it is, but that is doesn't put a new perspective on things. He
or she who reads well knows that I usually doesn't this when it
becomes to things that have my private interest: music of people
like Andrew Chalk, Monos, Ora, Paul Bradley and Mirror and that
is absolutely true. The shortest review I could write about the
new Monos double CD (or triple if you count the CDR that comes
with the mailorder copies of this) would be this: 'the new release
by Monos lives up to its expectations and fits well along the
lines of their companions Ora and Mirror but doesn't shed much
new light on the future of drone music'. Because that would sum
things up entirely. However I will elaborate a bit more, simply
because there is more to say. Monos are Darren Tate, who is credited
with water heater, radio and electronics and Colin Potter who
is responsible for processing and electronics. One CD has three
pieces and one has 'just' one piece. A typical Monos piece starts
out with a single hum for some time, and then this hum is expanded
into an ever expanding, densely woven cloud of sound. It sounds
sometimes vaguely like an organ and at other times it might indeed
be just the water circulating through the central heating system.
A sound is added, maybe two, but not many more. All of these sounds
form the backbone of the piece and can be regarded as the unplayed
instruments. The processing of these sounds are the generators
that set the sounds in motion, they make the melody, whoever minimal
that may be. The music takes as much time as needed, up forty-eight
minutes on 'The Black Sea'. Long, but it never comes across as
too long. So I might not be the best person to criticize this
kind of music which has my strong personal appreciation, but I'd
still recommend anyone to get the full three disc set, even when
the developments in this kind of music are not very big. (FdW)
Address: http://www.diestadtmusik.de
Ø: KANTAMOINEN (CD by Sähko
Recordings)
It's been a while since Mika Vainio last recorded under the name
Ø, nine years to be precise. Since the early days of Panasonic
- now Pan Sonic - he was more active as that (in fact before Pan
Sonic), but in recent years he used his own name to release solo
music. Yet there is a distinct difference between Ø and
Vainio under his own name. Vainio is more abstract with beats
somewhere hidden and as Ø his pieces are more rhythmical,
but here the divisions are blurring. Vainio uses solely analog
electronic equipment, and settings on those machines can't be
saved, so each track is an unique one. Some of the pieces on this
new CD are inspired by his childhood, although it's far away from
being a concept album. Rhythms are used sparsely here, and with
the usual amount of reverb that we know so well from his previous
work. There is most definetely a more ambient feel to this, and
the sparse and somewhat cold sounds have been replaced by a more
warm set of tones. Perhaps it's the composer getting aged? Thinking
of his childhood, and setting them to a warmer set of music? Maybe,
but perhaps it's also to do with expanding the type of music that
Vainio, under which ever guise, is so well-known for. It's in
either case a most welcome come-back of someone who never went
away. (FdW)§
Address: http://www.sahkorecordings.com
OPAK - TWO SLEEPWALKERS ON A TIGHT-ROPE
(CD by Creaked)
This is Creaked fourth release and it's signed by duo Arnauld
Sponsar and Julien Grandjean joined under name Opak. As I got
idea about this label from their previous releases their sound
is fusion between rock music with experimental moments and electronic
production. Blend that Opak puts together on this release is somewhere
around. Electronic instruments and classic rock approach mixed
into contemporary 21 century flavor. A bit lounge atmosphere,
scratching, broken rhythms, melodic bass lines. are other eclectic
achieves of this release. Jazzy drums are combined with samples,
tapes, dictaphones into hypnotic post rock atmosphere reminding
of best Chicago and thrill jockey attitude. Their solid sound
structure is built up from real instruments energy supported with
guitar drones, tons of samples, ambient soundscapes and periodical
sudden glitches. accomplishing strong but relaxing totality. Their
live acts are also featured with visual projections provided by
Thanassis Fouradoulas giving complete multimedia
experience. It is probably a must see live act. (TD)
Address: http://www.creakedrecords.com
LODEN - VALEEN HOPE (CD by Eat This Records/Plexiphonic)
Eat this records and Plexiphonic labels are joining on this release
for the love of beautiful music, as they said, and release the
debut album of Loden. Valeen hope was produced in period of 14
months between Amsterdam and Brussels. On these twelve songs you
can find warm electronic music or pop electronics that can be
listened on labels like Morr Music or exactly Audiobulb, Elusive.
As well as many other labels that appeared recently with this
sound. On moments noisy, but on moments pleasing, moving to direction
of ambient... Pop and rock reminiscence can be also found shining
through the electronic sounds. There are also some guests on this
release, providing guitar sounds, vocals as well as noises. Video
is also here, that Ewo (Plexiphonic) visualized for the track
'Tenofour'. He also does visuals for Lodens live acts and runs
the Plexiphonic website. Maybe this is just another release that
offers simple pop electronics. Anyway just give a chance. Maybe
you'll find something nice in it. (TD)
Address: http://www.plexiphonic.com / http://www.eatthisrecords.com
HALFSET - DRAMANALOG (CD by Elusive)
We already know Elusive through their compilation Electra that
was presenting their sound intentions. Halfset is latest signing
on this Irish label and this is their fifth release that reinforces
the labels intention in releasing organic melodic electronica.
Under Halfset are hiding Stephen Shannon, producer/engineer and
Jeff Martin who has two solo releases behind him. On Dramanalog
they made mixture of analog electronic sound, analog synths and
warm atmospheres in combination with real instruments such as
guitar, banjo, mandola, glockenspiel, melodica. as well as occasional
vocals. All that supported with programmed downtempo beats. Recently
Halfset started working with live drummer Cillian Mc Donnell formerly
of Jubilee Allstars, a harpist/rhodes pianist Sinead Nic Gearailt
and a jazz trumpet player Bill Blackmore. The result is live show
built on beat driven electronica with melodic flow. This sound
is already well known from labels like Audiobulb or Autres Directions
In Music. and well more established ones like morr music or city
centre offices, despite elusive are much more into idm-ish oriented
pop electronics. Warm organic melodies, poppy intentions and soulful
electronics are clichés used for producing and describing
this kind of sound. Too much labels and artists are now dealing
with this sound so it became a bit boring already. But anyway.
Try it and you will see if you will like it. (TD)
Address: http://www.elusiverecordings.com
THE HAFLER TRIO/AUTECHRE - æ3o/h3æ
(2CD by Die Stadt)
This is the second time around for the Hafler Trio and Autechre
to work together, following their mini CDs in the first package
(see Vital Weekly 404). More than before it's hard to tell who
does what here, even when it comes to know who did what disc.
But both discs hold surprises. Like on the previous collaboration
drones play an important role (like on many of the recent Hafler
Trio releases, I hasten to add), but they are presented here in
the form of an audio collage, meaning sudden changes, cutting
straight into a new area. There are also other sounds used in
a raw, almost electro-acoustical way - even when Mister McKenzie
may not like me for using this word - like the opening of a door
or water sounds. Stylistically this may run back to earlier Hafler
Trio releases such as 'Brain Song' or 'The Sea Org', similar changes
happen here. However one disc holds a short segment of pure digital
noise, almost in a Merzbow/Mego fashion, and that is perhaps the
biggest surprise of all. Although it's lasts a few minutes, this
might be something that will be a new feature in the work of the
Trio, or even for Autechre? It's these points that make this into
a more than excellent release, a landmark. (FdW)
Address: http://www.diestadtmusik.de
PHROQ - COLLAPSE (CD by Ground Fault Recordings)
Following his two recent CDR releases on Solipsism and Carbon
Records (see Vital Weekly 477), here is a new CD on Ground Fault
Recordings. Phroq is Francisco Meirono, who lives in Switzerland.
On 'Collapse' he plays around with electronic manipulations of
contact microphones and field recordings made in Spain, Japan
and Switzerland. Just like on his previous releases, 'Collapse'
is a very dynamic affair, ranging from quite soft to intensely
loud, as loud as some of the Merzbow material. But it's this balance
between the loud and soft parts that makes this into a pretty
varied CD, balancing well on both. Although the CD lists nine
different tracks, I strongly would recommend listening to this
in one go and not as nine separate tracks. It works much better
when seen as one longer work. Intense when loud, lulling to sleep
when soft, and Phroq can go either way. (FdW)
Address: http://www.groundfaultrecordings.com
ASMUS TIETCHENS - FORMEN LETZTER HAUSMUSIK
(CD by Die Stadt)
It's easy to see that a lot of people will have taken the first
five Asmus Tietchens re-issues for granted and that now the more
interesting things start to happen. Understandable since much
of Tietchens recent fame is based upon those records that he made
after his so-called 'Sky Phase', when he started to develop his
own form of musique concrete. 'Formen Letzter Hausmusik' was originally
released on United Diaries, the label run by Steve Stapleton of
Nurse With Wound, in 1984. Tietchens mailed him a cassette of
his more 'serious' works which made in the seventies, so pre-dating
all the material on the Sky Records, and Stapleton was blown away
by it, saying it was the best work he'd heard in '10 years'. On
this LP explores musique concrete to a wider extent for the first
time, using water sounds, violin, glass and what now be called
'field recordings'. Some of these pieces are still excellent,
like 'Studie Für Glasspiel', 'Hydrophonie 1' and 'Studie
Für Klavier', but the high end violin sounds in 'Kammermusik
1' and 'Kammermusik 2' is a bit too long, and drenched into sound
effects and have an overall too improvised character. Even included
is one of the first pieces At it's time this was no doubt a shocking
LP, as very rarely someone with no classical training made such
as music, but it's still the learning Tietchens, refining his
skills and ways in the studio, but still after all the years,
this is a very nice Tietchens LP after all those years. And it's
lengthy stuff here, since the original LP lasted already sixty
minutes (in excellent classical pressing), plus we get three bonus
tracks. (FdW)
Address: http://www.diestadtmusik.de
SARA AYERS - A MILLION STORIES (CD by Dark
Wood Recordings)
The press blurb that came with this CD read in bold letters: 'Ethereal
vocalist-composer Sara Ayers releases her new CD 'A Million Stories'
on Tuesday, July 19'. And usually that makes me suspicious, as
something 'ethereal' is usually not my cup of coffee, at all.
The cover doesn't give much information, as to the how and whys
of this, but 'A Million Stories' is a single piece of almost thirty-nine
minutes and is perhaps one, perhaps more stories, and it features
the voice of Sara Ayers, aswell as synthesizers and field recordings.
If anything, her voice could be best compared to that of Lisa
Gerard of Dead Can Dance, even when her music is something entirely
different. A dark ambient setting, crackles of a far away fire
and Sara's voice singing sustained lines of wordless singing,
like Gerard's quasi mediaeval words (and don't get me wrong, 'Aion'
is one I like). This is close to the border of new age music,
but the instrumentation used made the balance still on the 'good'
edge, it's simply too dark to be put away as new age, and can
be filed under 'dark atmospheric ambient' music. But it's close
to the edge, very close. (FdW)
Address: http://www.saraayers.com
SPHERICAL DISRUPTION - NULL (CD by Audiophob)
MANDELBROT - AUF TAUCHFART (CD by Audiophob)
Here is a bunch of bands of which I never heard, all operating
in a certain, somewhat darker corner of the musical spectrum.
Spherical Disrupted is one Mirko Hentrich from Germany's industrial
heartland, and he has released seven CDRs and seventeen tracks
to compilations, but is now ready for his first real CD. A long
one, with eight tracks, each with a considerable length, although
'Nichts', ('nothing' in German), really contains hardly any music.
It's like Spherical Disrupted wants to show us what he is capable
of. The opening piece 'Grau' ('grey') is a stutter, almost industrial
affair and 'Com Verbot' a rather simple piece played on a keyboard
with a likewise simple and minimal rhythm, hovering on the edge
of industrial ambient. 'Kein' is a slowed down techno piece. Limping
on more than one feet, this is however quite a nice release, nothing
surprising in here, but alright in its darkness meeting rhythm.
Mandelbrot started also as a solo project, by P. Muench (also
of Synapscape and The Rorschach Garden) and released as such some
solo work, but on 'Auf Tachfahrt' ('on a diving trip') he is helped
by B. Teichner (also of The Rorschach Garden). Underwater exploration
is the theme of this CD and they use dark ambient electronics
to achieve this. Unlike the Spherical Disruption this is a much
more coherent CD of dark ambient music, played on a bunch of old
synthesizers. Cascading waves going slowly in crescendo and decrescendo
picture a world below the waves. Elegantly played and executed
with great care, but also with, like with so many ambient music,
not much new under the sun. However it's great pass-time music.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.audiophob.de/
JASON TALBOT - A LOVE SO BRIGHT IT SHINES
A HOLE THROUGH MY HEART (miniCD by C.I.P.)
VERTONEN - ORCHID COLLIDER (CD by C.I.P.)
Both Vertonen and Jason Talbot were recently on tour in the southern
and western parts of the USA, so not by me. But I catched Jason
Talbot playing turntables before, when he was as a duo with Howard
Stelzer. Talbot not only plays records on turntable, but he also
plays the turntable itself, with contactmicrophones, toothbrushes,
balloons and metal. On this twenty minute CD, he displays his
skills very well. For Talbot loves sound and not so much the medium
it is created with. The turntable is a mere tool to generate sound
and not a thing to make sound playing. This is much more musique
concrete or electro-acoustic in approach than anything. Talbot,
also a gifted improviser, has recorded his various skills on the
turntable in various modes and builds an excellent collage of
sound, that is noisy but elegant, with lots of small events happening.
Talbot was on tour with C.I.P. labelowner Blake Edwards, who works
since 1991 as Vertonen, having released two CDs and a whole bunch
of 7"s, CDRs and a split LP. This new CD is a step forward.
Coming from more noisy and violent drone works, this new one is
a distinct step into a new direction, that of much more subtle
drone works. Before Vertonen also worked with turntables, but
now I am not so sure if he still does this. Whatever the sources
are that Vertonen now uses, they produce a much more subtle drone
music, that works along the lines of the people that influenced
him, such as Eliane Radigue and The Hafler Trio, but I'd like
to add that Vertonen seems also influenced by such people as Monos,
Ora and Mirror. Slowly evolving minimal and sustained drone music,
played on perhaps a bunch of analogue synths being fed through
a line of sound effects. Like with the Monos CD reviewed elsewhere,
this kind of music is perhaps a dead end, but it is surely quite
nice. (FdW)
Address: http://www.cipsite.net
CHRISTOPHE CARDOEN/LIONEL MARCHETTI/EMMANUEL
PETIT - MERE FEU 40 TETES (CDR by Absurd)
BJERGA/IVERSEN - PLAY THE OSLO GROOVE MACHINE (CDR by Utan Titel/Absurd)
Now here is something new: music that was recorded live at the
mass service held for Pierre De La Faye (1917-2003): music commissioned
for a small group of people, it's like mediaeval times again.
In this thirty-two minute piece of music things are not entirely
silent (and I don't mean the feedback that probably accidental
aroused). The crackling of small sounds of objects being rubbed
and scratched, the occasional plucking of a strings and the scanning
of surfaces: it's all loud and clear present in this recording.
Moving slowly and in a minimal way, this is indeed music to close
your eyes to, and contemplate or meditate. It reminded me of Kapotte
Muziek's similar approach to silent electro-acoustic music. Very
nice silent electro-acoustica.
A mistake from the printed lead to this release: since the cover
were misprinted and there was a recording lying around from Sindre
Bjerga and J. M. Iversen, why not release it in those misprinted
covers. The recording was made late last year by Bjerga who plays
electronics and amplified objects and Iversen on electronics.
These two Norwegians have collaborated before but not always with
great success as far as I'm concerned. However 'The Oslo Groove
Machine' is a major step forward: the densely interwoven electronics
that is at various times a bit noisy and uncontrolled, but throughout
maintains a certain strength that is captures the listeners attention.
File under lo-fi improvisation meets industrial soundscapes. Or
some such. (FdW)
Address: http://www.anet.gr/absurd
AMYGDALA (CDR by Deserted Village)
PAUL G SMYTH - THE ANAESTHETIC (CDR by Deserted Village)
Real purists, among which I am not, want their improvisation straight
forward and at that they may have a good time with Amygdala, the
group with Dave Caroll (The Wormholes) on percussion, Fergus Cullen
(Papercup) on guitar, Gavin Prior (Murmansk) on percussion and
electronics and Paul Roe (Concorde Ensemble) on bass clarinet.
The recordings captured on this CDR release are the first they
made as a band, during two sessions, lasting an hour or so, and
they appear here in their complete form. Welcome to the world
of improvised music in it's most pure form, either presentation
(straight forward live) aswell as musical content. The instruments
sound pretty as they are, guitars, drums, clarinet and all, with
not much alternative techniques being played and the whole thing
is like a jazz band on a lot of drugs (although that seems the
same to me, but perhaps I am wrong). A lot of speed and energy
going on here and despite some of the conservative approach to
improvised music, it's certainly quite alright, and live probably
even better.
Paul G. Smyth is for me a new name, but apparently he has played
with the likes of Evan Parker, Derek Bailey, Charles Gayle, Barry
Guy, Keiji Haino and has a couple of his piano improvisations
on his own Nysha label. The recordings on 'The Anaesthetic' were
made in a dark room at the Printing House in Dublin and in these
seven pieces, Paul plays the piano on the keys (not the inside,
the strings, the body etc), but he does this with great intensity.
Somewhere in the back there is the occasional sound of a police
car, which adds to the intense playing. Sometimes the music very
soft and sometimes a bit louder but it never reaches a point where
things are too loud. Haunting music, certainly when played late
at night with a thunder storm outside, like I did. (FdW)
Address: http://www.desertedvillage.com
JAC BELOEIL - AN ABSENT-MINDED TRACK (3"
CDR by Entr'acte)
You have to go to the website of Entr'acte to know more about
this, since the cover is just black, no information and no separate
information, just the catalogue number printed on the CDR itself.
Not that the website would give any other information than the
artist name and the title, and I know absolutely nothing about
Jac Beloeil. I don't know what his intentions are with 'an absent-minded
track', but the furious computer noise piece sounds like it was
made with the composer being absent minded for the duration of
the recording of this. Loud and mean noise, in an uncontrolled
rhythmic manner, but that somehow fails to make a big impression.
It's pretty alright for a couple of minutes, but the full twenty
is a bit too much. (FdW)
Address: http://www.entracte.co.uk
MACHINEFABRIEK - RUIS (3"CDR by Machinefabriek)
MACHINEFABRIEK - BEESTENBOEL (3"CDR by Machinefabriek)
Rutger Zuydervelt shows us how to use the medium of CDR: 'Ruis'
was recorded on june 27th and on july 4th, the promo of the released
disc lands on this desk, and as usual with a nice cover. 'Ruis'
was recorded live (I guess while reading the notes on the cover:
a conversation between Rutger and someone who heard it) and is
another leap forward. His previous concerts were noisy from second
number one until the proceedings were over, but on 'Ruis' he builds
things up in a carefully, starting in sheer inaudibility and then
over the course of seventeen minutes things built up into a mighty
crescendo. Way to go, I'd say.
'Beestenboel', which is a hard to translate Dutch word meaning
something of a 'mess', is a studio affair, and has eight tracks
and one remix by one Vladimir. 'Beestenboel' is an entirely different
release, as it features melodic stuff such as 'WC-eend' and 'Bokkepoot',
but also some more noise outings such as 'Apestaartje'. This release
reminds me a bit of the other CDRs I heard from Machinefabriek
before, limping on many feet and seemingly finding it hard to
make a choice in which direction to go. The Vladimir remix of
'Compare & Contrast' with it's doomy vocals however is quite
nice. It's like listening to a radio programm. (FdW)
Address: http://www.machinefabriek.tk
VIOLET - OKRAINA EP (mp3 by Con-v)
Violet is one of Jeff Surak's monikers, Zeromoon label owner and
part of glitch/dubby techno project normal music. He has recorded
many noise/drone/improvised releases by now on various labels
and this is his last placed on con-v label. It is 24 minute piece
composed from source material recorded in Russia and Ukraine on
his tour last summer. These field recordings from snoring, toilet
flush, coughing, train drive and other various static noises and
ambiences were than edited into peaceful, drone soundscape. Whole
piece is more or less equal in its intensity. Sometimes glitchy
parts interrupt the peaceful atmosphere, sometimes ambience dominates
and sometimes snoring creates the body of the track. Excellent
work, one of his best so far when field recordings are in question.
(TD)
Address: http://www.con-v.org