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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 495
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week 40
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DEPARTMENT - SHAPE DECAY (CD by Laboratory
Records)
JOHN TILBURY - BARCELONA SOLO PIANO (CD by Rossbin)
TILMAN EHRHORN - HEADING FOR THE OPEN SPACES (CD by Resopal)
FLATLINE SKYLINE - HORIZON GRID (CD by Mechanoise Labs)
STELLADRINE - YOU'LL NEVER SEE YOUR WORLD AGAIN (CD by Mechanoise
Labs) *
MAJESSIC DREAMS - MAJESSIC DREAMS (CD by Oscillatone Recordings)
THEMBI SODDELL - INSTANCE (CD by Cajid Media)
CAMILLA HANNAN - MORE SONGS ABOUT FACTORIES (CD by Cajid Media)
MICHEAL GENDREAU/ALEXEI BORISOV/VIOLET - BOGATIRI (CD by Zeromoon)
BOOKS ON TAPE - DINOSAUR DINOSAUR (CD by Alien8 Recordings)
NADJA - TRUTH BECOMES DEATH (CD by Alien8 Recordings)
PAUL DOLDEN - DELIRES DE PLAISIRS (CD by Empreintes Digitalis)
GILLES GOBEIL - TRILOGIE D'ONDES (DVD by Empreintes Digitalis)
KARL BÖSMAN - UNTON (CD by Bad Beatz Records)
VENETIAN SNARES - MEATHOLE (CD by Planet Mu)
EARZUMBA - SIMULANDO UN REFUGIO (CD by Old Gold)
IF THOUSANDS - I HAVE NOTHING (CD by Silber Records)
KOUHEI MATSUNAGA - FOR GEMINI AND BACK TO HEIAN (3"CD by
Feld Records)
THE HAFLER TRIO - IF TAKE, THEN TAKE: TRICKS, HALF TRICKS AND
REAL PHENOMENA (LP by C.I.P.)
SURVIVAL UNIT - HONEST, RELIABLE, TRUSTWORTHY (7" by Styggelse)
SURVIVAL UNIT - ASSHOLE (CD, private)
BJERGA/IVERSEN - BURNING THE LIGHT AT BOTH ENDS (CDR by Carbon
Records)
CHAOS THROUGH PROGRAMMING - GRAVE RAVE (CDR by Push The Button
Records)
RP COLLIER - MAP OF THE SKY (CDR, self-released)
QUARLES VAN UFFORD - AURAKRAMP (CDR/MP3 by Narrominded)
ANDRE BORGEN - THE MOST ADVANCED FIELDS OF MODERN SCIENCE (3"CDR
by Nervous Nurse)
FLUTWACHT - FIELD RECORDINGS (3"CDR by Nervous Nurse)
CHEFKIRK - CONDITIONS TO AVOID (CDR by Nervous Nurse)
MACHINEFABRIEK/FEVER SPOOR - DEVIATIES (CDR by Anima Mal Nata)
GEOGRAPHY OF NOWHERE VERSES MATHS, BALANCE, VOLUMES - MOTHER TO
SILENCE (CDR by Humbug)
PAR ASLE PETTERSEN - FRAGMENTER 1996-2002 (CDR by Humbug)
JEBUS - THE ANTS ARE EATING MY HEAD (CDR by Elvis Coffee Records)
PSYCHIC SPACE INVASION - AND THE COWS GO MU (CDR by Elvis Coffee
Records)
PSYCHIC SPACE INVASION - THE MAGPIE RHYME (CDR by Elvis Coffee
Records)
THE BREATH OF FORGOTTEN PLACES (CDR compilation by Elvis Coffee
Records)
DEPARTMENT - SHAPE DECAY (CD by Laboratory
Records)
At last new work by Department, the Australian duo of Delov and
Gatz. Their previous work was a double CD spanning recordings
from 1997-2003 (reviewed in Vital Weekly 453) and before that
they had two previous CDs (see Vital Weekly 306). A band working
in isolation, or so it seems. There is an extensive use of synthesizers
and rhythm-machines, but also guitars, bass, samplers and perhaps
some sort of field recordings. It's safe to say that Department
plays mood music: in each track they create a cinec mood, usually
of a somewhat darker nature and explore this throughout the length
of the piece. Rhythm seems to be playing a more important role
than before, which makes it less easy, I guess, to put in your
own home cinema soundtrack. Again, the production is done with
great care, with eye for detail. What else is there to say? Not
much really. It's experimental music for those who love a strong
portion of ambient, without wanting to miss any rhythm section,
but without being called techno. That thing. It's a pity they
hoover in obscurity (at least from this perspective). (FdW)
Address: http://www.dept.com.au
JOHN TILBURY - BARCELONA SOLO PIANO (CD
by Rossbin)
AMM are unfortunately not covered very often in the pages (or
should that be bytes?) of Vital Weekly, but their free-form improvisation
is among the best I know. Until recently a trio for quite some
time, but Keith Rowe has left, so it's down to Eddie Prevost and
John Tilbury. Prevost makes it every now and then, mainly for
his work with Sakada or other improvisational activities, but
solo recordings by John Tilbury are pretty rare. I think I heard
his interpretations of Cage works once. The recording at hand
here was made in Barcelona in 2003 and contains Tilbury improvising
solo at the piano. Of course his playing is not limited to just
the keys of the instrument. Tilbury plucks the strings, plays
them with a bow (perhaps, I'm not sure there) or with his fingers.
Music-wise this comes close to the music of AMM, naturally, I'd
say, but this time we just hear the piano. Silence plays a role,
as usual, in this highly contemplative recording. This is music
to play in a sparsely lit room, and sink deep down into it. Put
it on repeat for some time. (FdW)
Address: http://www.rossbin.com
TILMAN EHRHORN - HEADING FOR THE OPEN SPACES
(CD by Resopal)
By night and day, Tilman Ehrhorn is a saxophone player, composer
and teacher. He has played with Wayne Shorter but also big bands,
symphony orchestras and such like. Yet, you couldn't tell if you
were just playing this CD. I could have started this review by
saying he also played with Frank Bretschneider and that he recorded
for Mille Plateaux, and then 'Heading For The Open Spaces' would
be less of surprise, since the influence of Bretschneider is quite
clear. Ehrhorn plays around with fragmented loops, clicks and
cuts. It's hard to say wether these clicks and cuts have anything
to do with his background in jazz music, i.e. that he uses recordings
of that, or that it's a totally separate interest. I assume the
latter, since I don't recognize any saxophones or such. The only
relationship to see is the use of a groovy sound, a bit like laid-back
jazz rhythms that can be spotted in this. A groovy affair. Jazz
glitch? If it doesn't exist, one should invent it. If Bretschneider's
music is too cool and clean, then Ehrhorn might be right up your
more dirty groove alley. (FdW)
Address: http://www.resopal-schallware.com
FLATLINE SKYLINE - HORIZON GRID (CD by Mechanoise
Labs)
STELLADRINE - YOU'LL NEVER SEE YOUR WORLD AGAIN (CD by Mechanoise
Labs)
Don't think I ever heard of Flatline Skyline before, but it's
a band of R. Andrew Scott and Jacen Kemp. They play electronics
and sing-a-long to those and 'Horizon Grid' is their debut. Crossing
the boundaries of gothic like IDM, and IDM-like gothic, they are
at times quite poppy, but somehow they won't make it to the charts
with this. Overall, the atmosphere is a bit too dark and the songs
are a bit grey. Occasional noise elements is another thing that
will put the hit-makers of. However, me think this is quite a
nice work. Kemp's singing reminded me at times of Marc Almond,
but it's less soulful. That's perhaps my main objection against
this CD: it all sounds to similar, there is no standout track,
no real up-tempo one (or real down-tempo), a heavy guitar solo,
god knows what else. For maybe eight or so tracks it's very good,
but then the desire of change becomes urgent. Still, I think quite
positive about it, would rate this with seven out of ten (if I
would do such things).
Of an entirely different nature is the CD by the likewise unknown
(for me, at least) Stelladrine. Maybe you think seventies when
hearing the word 'concept album', but 'You'll Never See Your World
Again' is a concept album, about space invading, rockets and time
travel. But with the cartoon like cover this is all highly tongue
in cheek: it's more a fifties view than say the recent 'War Of
The Worlds'. Stelladrine uses synthesizers, drum computers, even
guitars and voice snippets from old films ('they are electronic
computers, not human beings') in order to make a take on 'Forbidden
Planet' with healthy dose of humor. Quirky, up tempo music most
of the time, with a spaghetti western sound on the guitar and
theremin in 'The Future Isn't What It Used To Be'. It's all very
retro futurist stuff and it's a most pleasant album for lovers
of electro, sci-fi and such like. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mechanoise-labs.com
MAJESSIC DREAMS - MAJESSIC DREAMS (CD by
Oscillatone Recordings)
A while ago, Vital Weekly reviewed 'Listen To The Moon', by Swedish
Majessic Dreams, aka Mats and Jessica Majessic. That was a mini
CD, and here is the full length. You can't refer to a- and b-side
on a CD, but if it could, one could say that the first eleven
tracks are on side a and the twelfth track is on side b, as it
splits the album right in half there. Maybe at sixty-eight minutes
it's all a bit lengthy but let's say. Majessic Dreams play folk
music with an experimental edge to it. The experimentalism lies
mainly in the use of computer treatments of sounds somewhere in
the back. Upfront are the vocals of both Mats and Jessica (who
only sing together on a few occasions, mainly it's them separate)
and their guitar playing. In 'As Your Hands Fold In Mine' they
sing together and they sound almost like Simon and Garfunkel (which
I happen to like). So far so good, but to have twelve tracks is
a bit much, even when the thirty-four minutes of 'Majessic Dream'
is a dam fine, psychedelic piece of swirling drones, organs sounds,
vocals and guitars, it's maybe a bit too much after the eleven
pearls we already digested. I can imagine this music is too sweet
for some people, me included, but Simon and Garfunkel don't spin
my player every day either. A well succeeded full length debut.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.oscillatone.com
THEMBI SODDELL - INSTANCE (CD by Cajid Media)
CAMILLA HANNAN - MORE SONGS ABOUT FACTORIES (CD by Cajid Media)
More music from downunder: this is Thembi Soddell's second release,
following 'Intimacy' (see Vital Weekly 417). Soddell is one of
the few female microsound artists I know, but her work can easily
meet up with the best brothers in the field. Soddell uses an extremely
dynamic sound: for minutes things can be utterly soft, seemingly
with nothing happening and then things come to an explosion and
they are very noise related. Again she works with field recordings
but apparently also with instrument textures, but it beats which
instruments that should be (the cover states cello and guitar).
This gives this a slightly more musical edge than say the work
of Francisco Lopez, to which especially the softer parts are related,
and Kozo Inada, of whom she uses some of the very abrupt breaks
in the music. Soddell comes up with a fine follow up to the debut,
although no longer a surprise, still quite a nice one.
On the same label is the debut by Camilla Hannan, another female
artist. 'More Songs About Factories' uses location recordings
of industrial sites in Melbourne, Australia. A factory can be
a great source of rhythmic music, Vivenza proved this already
in the early 80s. At times Hannan sounds a bit like Vivenza, with
the plain, repetitive sound of a machine. But that's only the
beginning of the journey: as the CD progresses, things evolve
in a more ambient sort of way, but always with the rhythmic component
on it's back. And whereas Vivenza mainly used some equalization
and a bit of sound effects, Hannan uses the entire set of possibilities
of the computer to explore every micro-second of the music. Sometimes
these processing may sound a little bit too simple and straightforward
in terms of time-stretching, but throughout this is a most enjoyable
CD and a well-made debut. (FdW)
Address: http://cajid.com
MICHEAL GENDREAU/ALEXEI BORISOV/VIOLET -
BOGATIRI (CD by Zeromoon)
In December 2003 Violet, Micheal Gendreau and Alexei Borisov went
on tour in Russia, playing concerts in Moscow, Saint-Petersburg
and Yaroslav. Three man with a big time history in experimental
music. Violet is Jeff Surak, formerly of 1348, New Carollton and
Watergate Tapes, these days of Zeromoon, V. and Violet. Gendreau
is since about twenty years the man behind Crawling With Tarts,
as-well as a solo artist and Alexei Borisov played in the Soviet
Union's first new wave band (Center), played techno as F.R.U.I.T.S.
and these days as a solo musician on every major festival in Europe
and North America. Each artist delivers the best fragment of their
solo concert.
Micheal Gendreau opens here with a very controlled piece of feedback,
deep end drones, static hiss and crackles, yet he manages to avoid
the traps of microsound. Gendreau's solo music bears not much
resemblance with Crawling With Tarts (although in all honesty
I can't remember when I last heard that), because it's much more
present, upfront and heavy, but he keeps things nicely under control.
The piece by Alexei Borisov is one that is a little bit less focussed
and swiftly goes out of control. He feeds his sounds through a
bunch sound effects, playing around with the notions of noise
music but it seems a bit unfocussed to me.
Violet's piece is 'Demonstration Of Decay' consisting of an one-minute
short-wave piece played on a variety of CDRs, cheap samplers and
micro-cassette recorder, but which surprisingly works in ambient
way for the bigger part of the piece. Just towards the end things
go out of control and the decay becomes apparent. As a document
of a tour quite alright. (FdW)
Address: http://www.zeromoon.com
BOOKS ON TAPE - DINOSAUR DINOSAUR (CD by
Alien8 Recordings)
NADJA - TRUTH BECOMES DEATH (CD by Alien8 Recordings)
I am not sure if the Dinosaur in the title is meant to be the
dinosaur band who just released a new studio CD, their first in
eight years, but let's hope that in thirty years time, Books On
Tape, will sounds as energetic on his new album. Books On Tape
is the beat-punk project of Todd Drootin, from Los Angeles. His
previous releases were made available as MP3 as-well as on CD
and 10" by No Type/Greyday. On his new release he offers
fourteen catchy tunes of punk inspired techno/hip hop music. They
are cut with the speed and energy of punk but all created with
electronica. Books On Tape likes to play around with the sounds
from organ (or perhaps a plug in thereof), creating a fat tune,
throwing in a few guitar samples and the occasional vocal snippet.
Not every track is up-tempo, but they are all played with a certain
rawness that is not seen often in the world of smooth electronics.
It may seem that I think this is all just thrown together, but
it's not: the tracks are made with great care, close eye for detail.
It progresses from 'Sing The Blues' (see Vital Weekly 385), adding
more variety to the dish, but maintaining it's raw power.
On the same label, but something entirely different is Nadja.
With the previous release 'I Have Tasted The Fire Inside Your
Mouth' (Vital Weekly 425), Nadja was still a solo project of the
omnipresent Aidan Baker, but now it's Baker on guitars, vocals,
drum programming and Leah B. on bass and vocals. 'Truth Becomes
Death' is the first release on a 'real' CD. When Baker has his
solo hat on, playing his ambient guitar pieces, I am usually (not
always) quite pleased, but with the first Nadja that wasn't the
case, and also 'Truth Becomes Death' is not much of my coffee.
Let me state I like drone rock, I like Earth, Sunn 0))), Troum
and all the heavy weight ambient music makers, and to a certain
extent I enjoy Nadja too. The slow, spiraling sound of a drum-machine
set against the wall of guitars, bass and vocal howls is quite
nice, at times. But the sound is too full, too dense, with not
much air (and probably intended to be like that, no doubt), but
it's a bit too blurry for me. The details are gone, admits in
this vast mass of sound. Not bad, but perhaps not my thing to
the extent that I would play this very often. (FdW)
Address: http://www.alien8recordings.com
PAUL DOLDEN - DELIRES DE PLAISIRS (CD by
Empreintes Digitalis)
GILLES GOBEIL - TRILOGIE D'ONDES (DVD by Empreintes Digitalis)
There is so much music crying for attention. Or music being the
attention seekers for other things. Paul Dolden's 'Entropic Twilights',
the opening piece of his CD 'Delires De Plaisirs' deals with this
notion by blending tons and tons of music together, like the world's
history of music, sampled together, stretched out, compressed:
guitars play prog rock tunes, along ethno percussion, along a
classical choir etc. Plunderphonica anyone? Yes, perhaps it's
plunderphonica indeed, but not really of my liking. Any reference
to the original is gone, and the whole thing sounds digital and
clean, and almost like a progressive rock piece at times. Not
my cup of anything really. The other two pieces are from his so-called
Resonance Cycle. They are 'The Gravity Of Silence. Resonance #5'
(for flute and tape) and 'The Heart Tears Itself Apart With The
Power Of Its Own Muscle. Resonance #3 (for violin, viola, cello,
double bass and tape)'. Here two no introspection, no point of
rest, but big blown sounds coming from every corner of the speakers,
almost violent in approach, macho music. Muscle music for heavy
weight, with similar progressive rock influences (including a
ditto cover). Definitely not my thing.
Of much, much more interest is the CD by Gilles Gobeil, with three
pieces for the Ondes Martenot, one of the first electronic music
instruments, already built in the early thirties, if I'm not mistaken.
The Ondes Martenot is played by Suzanne Binet-Audet, and Gobeil
processes these sounds via all sort of manipulation, mostly computer
me thinks. In 'To Suzanne Binet-Audet' the instrument is linked
to samplers, synthesizers and a sound processing unit, and the
two melt together. This is serious music, with the capital 'S'.
In terms of academic approach, this seems to me a continuation
of whatever Empreintes Digitalis has been doing for the last decade.
The up and down gliding of tones and sounds: it's something that
has been explored before too, but Gobeil's electronic work, linking
'ancient' technology and to new technology is a very work, which
sounds on this DVD great. No images, just music is here... (FdW)
Address: http://www.electrocd.com
KARL BÖSMAN - UNTON (CD by Bad Beatz
Records)
A while ago I reviewed 'Das Kind In Der Küche' by Karl Bösman,
a CDR release by Tosom, with atmospheric sounds-capes, sound effects
and electronics. Now he has released his first real CD on what
seems his own label, perhaps not. For reasons unclear the recordings
on this CD were made in 1999, but see the light of day now, six
years later. Like before, Bösman works his way through a
set of atmospheric sounds, which in the first few tracks get the
addition of layered guitar, but towards the end, say the last
three tracks, all seem to be more electronic. Here the rhythm
elements also returns. It's nowhere similar to anything dance
related, just a recurring bunch of repetitive sounds. The music
is not vaguely at all, it's very much the opposite: there is lots
of dynamics explored here, giving the material an almost modern
classical approach, such as in 'Esplentorture', but it keeps leaning
on the darker edges of music. Quite forceful with ties in both
ambient, modern classical music, musique concrete all sauced with
a touch of darker atmospherics. (FdW)
Address: http://www.badbeatz.com
VENETIAN SNARES - MEATHOLE (CD by Planet
Mu)
Can't say I followed the career of Aaron Funk, aka Venetian Snares,
but what I heard sounded good. It's up-tempo, aggressive breakcore
style may not appeal to me on a daily basis, but every now and
then, this is surely ok. This makes it hard for me to compare
this with his previous works, of which I heard 'Doll Doll Doll'
to some extent, but the crashing beats sound harsh as it should
be, cutting and splicing them together with darker than life vocal
samples, mean industrialized sounds and orchestral bits. What
else can I say? Great, dark breakcore. Nothing more, nothing less.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.planet-mu.com
EARZUMBA - SIMULANDO UN REFUGIO (CD by Old
Gold)
Apparently this is already Earzumba's tenth release, so I am sure
I missed some here and there, which is a pity, as so far, 'Simulando
Un Refugio' included, I liked what I heard. Earzumba is Christian
Dergarabedian, once a founding member of Reynols, a member of
CD Lens Cleaner Trio and since time a solo artist. The eleven
tracks on this new album can be seen as one long track. Earzumba
plays synthesizers, percussion, guitars and piano, but he knows
how to process these with the use of a computer beyond the point
of recognition. In one long mix, the eleven parts drift by, moving
from hectic and furious sound collages to more ambient like passages,
such as 'Con Sus Heroes Famosas'. As ever an eye for detail in
the production, there isn't a single moment of weakness here.
I never realized before, but there is a strong resemblance between
the work of Earzumba and the old Brume work: the strong collage
approach, with hectic and nervous changes, the percussive element
and 'the never a moment of silence' approach. You can get lesser
things to be compared with. Another great CD. The only trap Earzumba
shouldn't fall into, is producing too many similar works (like
Brume did for a while). (FdW)
Address: http://www.oldgold.org
IF THOUSANDS - I HAVE NOTHING (CD by Silber
Records)
Despite their five years of existence, four albums and three EPs,
I never heard of If Thousands, the duo of Christian McShane and
Aaron Molina. They return, so I am told, here to the more experimental
days when they first started out. They receive help from Paul
Metzger of TVBC on banjo and GST&2i on horns. Together they
recorded this album during a two day studio improvisation, which
were mixed by Ben Durrant later on. If Thousands play drone music
that takes their drones from guitars (unlike others who use synthesizers
or field recordings - to make the difference a bit sharper) and
the music they come up with here bears resemblance from the likes
of Stars Of The Lid or Windy and Carl - the beatless form of post
rock. Heavy mood music with a darker touch. Slow waving tones,
with guitar pedals stuck firmly in endless modes form the backbone
of many of the tracks and on top they play a sparse melody or
sometimes merely a set of tones. Gentle music with a darker edge
to it. Maybe not entirely uplifting, but certainly one that could
settle the mood on an autumn evening. (FdW)
Address: http://www.silbermedia.com
KOUHEI MATSUNAGA - FOR GEMINI AND BACK TO
HEIAN (3"CD by Feld Records)
A lot of people are thanked on the cover of Kouhei Matsunaga's
mini CD 'For Gemini And Back To Heian'. While listening to the
music, I have been looking at this list: Achim Wollscheid, Mika,
Ilpo... and I couldn't help noticing some similarities between
Matsunaga's music and that of Wollscheid and Pan Sonic. Not that
Matsunaga rips plainly the music of these people, but it seems
that he uses sounds from them. The clicking sounds from various
Wollscheid installations, some of the rhythm patterns of Pan Sonic,
but luckily enough Matsunaga transforms these in his computer.
Maybe you know Matsunaga as a producer of noise music, but on
this mini CD things are kept quiet - well, to some extent. It's
more a long collage of rhythmic sound, of non-sequenced loops,
feeding through some sound effects. Sometimes it works very well,
but sometimes, it seems that he is searching too much for the
right sound. In that sense it sounds like a live-in-studio affair,
than a thoroughly composed work. It's o.k. though, but not great.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.feld-records.com
THE HAFLER TRIO - IF TAKE, THEN TAKE: TRICKS,
HALF TRICKS AND REAL PHENOMENA (LP by C.I.P.)
With a lot of our reviews we don't mention the cover of the product.
Usually because we think it's the music that we should care about,
but here is an exception: this new LP by The Hafler Trio is by
far the best dressed item of the week. A mirrored image in full
color with extra black over black printing and a trapezoidal booklet,
with more images and text. Text in the usual Hafler Trio fashion,
texts that elude me most of the time, to be honest. You read a
few lines, put the booklet aside and think about what you read.
In the meantime you can play the music. What is noteworthy here
is that each side apparently has more musical pieces, but that's
just (another) illusion - like so many things with The Hafler
Trio. Each side runs like one track, even when the eye notes more
pieces per side. Nothing is what is seems to be. The Hafler Trio
raises questions and never gives answers, and even if it would
do, you still wouldn't understand it. The music is a continuation
of the drone music that The Hafler Trio have been exploring ever
since their return to the music, late 2002. The b-side is a bit
similar to the work executed with Autechre on their second collaboration:
soft drones that end abruptly a few times in the beginning, and
then there is a click sound. After that things start again. Overall
it seems to be fading out at a very slow speed. As before and
as to come, The Hafler Trio raises questions as-well as eyebrows,
but they do this with the great sense of esthetic. As a true devotee
no objections here. My favorite of this week. (FdW)
Address: http://www.cipsite.net
SURVIVAL UNIT - HONEST, RELIABLE, TRUSTWORTHY
(7" by Styggelse)
SURVIVAL UNIT - ASSHOLE (CD, private)
Here is one of those reviewers nightmares: I think the band is
called Survival Unit, that the 7" is called 'Honest, Reliable,
Trustworthy', the CD is called 'Asshole' and the label for the
7" is Styggelse. Couldn't find a label name for the CD. A
search on the net did lead me to some website about the band,
but there too it wasn't easy to find any real information, but
looking at the provided images, it seems to me that Survival Unit
are one of the old school industrialists. The 7" sees them
working along a synthesizer line and some bass guitar being fed
through an echo unit. Nothing special, and rather low-key.
The CD has five long tracks of piercing electronics, no bass guitar,
nor any sign of the rhythm machine. In the first track things
are still a bit down to earth, but by the time we reached the
fifth track, things are pretty noise based. However it's the kind
of noise that didn't appeal to me very much. Most of the time
it was unfocussed, non-directional, and too random. Things that
would have been released in the eighties on cassette in an edition
of ten copies, but apparently that sound is popular enough these
days to celebrate a CD release. (FdW)
Address: http://somrec.com/survivalunit/
BJERGA/IVERSEN - BURNING THE LIGHT AT BOTH
ENDS (CDR by Carbon Records)
It has been noted before but the ongoing collaboration between
Bjerga and Iversen, two of Norway's unsung underground heroes
is a particular fruitful one. In the beginning I wasn't too pleased
with it, but the past few releases have made me quite happy. 'Burning
The Light At Both Ends' is a thirty some minute work (their current
favorite length, I believe) of what sounds to me like a bit more
electronic before than before. An ongoing backdrop of what could
be a distortion pedal, with the high frequency range, an ongoing,
shortwave like sound. Furthermore the whole thing is at a considerable
low volume, which is also extraordinary for two guys who share
a common fascination for more noise related music. The dark and
brooding atmosphere covered in these sounds is again a step forward,
taking the proceedings away from the earlier improvised work towards
more pre-planned works (or so it seems). Still raw and untamed,
but quite nice. The most refined moments to date. (FdW)
Address: http://www.carbonrecords.com
CHAOS THROUGH PROGRAMMING - GRAVE RAVE (CDR
by Push The Button Records)
Things have been silent for Chaos Through Programming, from Malmö,
Sweden. Their previous release, 'Rock N Roll Genocide' dates from
more than a year ago (Vital Weekly 427), but still the sampler
plays an important role in the music of Chaos Through Programming.
Breakbeats, samples of orchestras, drums, guitars - the whole
musical lot of twenty centuries of music seems to be crammed into
these thirty-one minutes. Chopin's funeral march appears in 'Happy
New Deer Hunting Season', crashing nicely with the beats. Sometimes
a sample passes by and it sticks in your head as one of those
things you know, but can't place. Highly energetic, along the
lines of Venetian Snares (although with a less deep production)
or Books On Tape - to mention two others from this week's weekly
- with the speed and energy of punk music. Maybe not as fresh
as it was before, you can be pleasantly surprised once I guess,
but nevertheless a great release, again. (FdW)
Address: http://www.pushthebutton.tk
RP COLLIER - MAP OF THE SKY (CDR, self-released)
There is so much more to discover, like RP Collier. His albums
are available at CD Baby and are self-produced CDRs. Collier plays
guitars, thumb pianos and toy synthesizers. It's not easy to say
what this music is about. Collier uses to quite some extent ebows
to play his guitar, there is rhythm, it's a bit moody. It's not
that we are dealing here with something that is very unique or
anything, but the retro guitar sound (a bit Frippisch, I'd say)
sounds a bit outdated. It seems as if Collier wanted to record
some music that he likes himself, without asking too many questions,
such as 'is this something anyone else would like to hear'. None
of the nine pieces wants to stick in the mind, it washes away,
right after it's finished. Too smooth and not enough sparkling
ideas of it's own, I think. (FdW)
Address: http://www.cdbaby.com/rpcollier2
QUARLES VAN UFFORD - AURAKRAMP (CDR/MP3
by Narrominded)
Only recently, Vital Weekly 469, I reviewed the first release
by Morbide Eenheid, a Dutch free rock combo, playing along the
lines of people on Amanita and King Crimson. The band no longer
exists, but as a fenix out of its ashes, here is Quarles Van Ufford
(which in Dutch is the name of gentry), whose aim it is to make
one 'good' rock record. Reduced to the core of guitar, bass and
drums, Quarles Van Ufford is helped by a violinist and a saxophone
player. The eight pieces sound powerful, with groovy drums, heavy
rock riffs, all being played tightly enough. This is of course
all highly arranged music - there isn't something happening that
shouldn't happen. That gives the music, despite it's power and
intention, also a somewhat clean character, a bit of distant and
alien sound. But for those who love their music to be forceful,
mathematically calculated, or those who think King Crimson is
still king and Zorn didn't produce enough, know where to get it.
It's available on a limited CD and free to download on the website
of Narrominded. (FdW)
Address: http://www.narrominded.com
ANDRE BORGEN - THE MOST ADVANCED FIELDS
OF MODERN SCIENCE (3"CDR by Nervous Nurse)
FLUTWACHT - FIELD RECORDINGS (3"CDR by Nervous Nurse)
CHEFKIRK - CONDITIONS TO AVOID (CDR by Nervous Nurse)
A bunch of new releases on the German Nervous Nurse label, which
is guaranteed time for noise. Andre Borgen is a new name for me,
and on his seven track, three inch CDR he offers a blend of distorted
sounds. How these were generated we aren't told, but it could
be, me thinks, a bunch of computer generated noises. Although
in the first track 'Ijjuggyug Jkgvyyyyy' things are rough edged,
and could set the tone for the entire release, this is only partly
the case. Over the course of twenty minutes things get more and
more interesting, with small events happening, more detailed sound,
refinement of tones and attitudes. Of course Borgen doesn't play
a single melody, but has a keen ear of shaping what can't be shaped.
Flutwacht has had a couple of releases before, and on this 3"CDR
they manipulate a field recording made in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium.
It doesn't say wether this is a concert recording or something
else (putting up a microphone in the air?). Let's say this is
a concert recording. Before I knew Flutwacht (which I named Fluchtwacht
by accident, but no-one complained) as a typical harsh noise project,
but here the stuff is more mellow, if that can be possible at
all. Slowed down voices, vague rumble of percussion and what seems
to be the absence of electronics. It's ok for say ten minutes,
but the double length vs the single mindness of this is a bit
too long. Although the new direction is always good!
And Chefkirk? Well, he was away for a weekly or two, but here
he returns on his mission to release a CDR on every CDR label
in the world, with a nine track noise beast. It seems that he
has left his rhythm and noise period behind in favor of a more
noise oriented direction, a return to his prime source. However,
it also seems that the experience of releasing an endless stream
of CDRs over the past two years has paid of, since the noise he
is putting on here is quite noise, with enough variation throughout,
small, subtle (however strange that word might seem) changes and
odd shapes to form his material. Personally the rhythm and noise
was more attractive to me, but this is quite nice too. (FdW)
Address: http://www.nervousnurse.net.tc
MACHINEFABRIEK/FEVER SPOOR - DEVIATIES (CDR
by Anima Mal Nata)
If I'm not mistaken this is the first release of Machinefabriek
on a different label than his own, and perhaps also the first
release on a 5"CDR, in stead of a 3"CDR. He shares this
disc with Fever Spoor, and it's released by Anima Mal Nata, Fever
Spoor's own label. The two cuts by Machinefabriek were recorded
live in Arnhem and shows his recent interest in playing a more
noise related set of music when playing live. Feedback, distortion
and sound streaming of a bunch of mini-discs are all knitted together
in a Merzbowian blast.
The three pieces by Fever Spoor are most likely studio recordings.
Sound-wise this is along the lines of the live sound of Machinefabriek.
Lengthy and dense fields of distorted electronics, but sometimes
the sound of a thumb piano or fragments from a film leak through.
Nice stuff, but not something that hasn't been done before. Nice,
not great. (FdW)
Address: <mherms@home.nl>
GEOGRAPHY OF NOWHERE VERSES MATHS, BALANCE,
VOLUMES - MOTHER TO SILENCE (CDR by Humbug)
PAR ASLE PETTERSEN - FRAGMENTER 1996-2002 (CDR by Humbug)
More riddles, this time from Humbug. The band is called Geography
Of Nowhere Verses Maths, Balance, Volumes (certainly leading in
the competition for the most weird band names) and the title is
'Mother To Silence'. But that's about all we are told here (and
the Humbug site is down for the moment). Music-wise, Geography
Of Nowhere Verses Maths, Balance, Volumes play free form psychedelic
music. Jamming around on guitars and percussion, feeding it through
their echo machines, it sounds recorded in their rehearsal room.
No big time money on production here. The music is only so so,
most of the times the improvisations drag on, seemingly without
end. Vague rumbles on the percussion (a bit like the old Zoviet*France,
but without coming near to their power), guitar jarring and whispering
vocal sounds. Not my thing.
Previous work by Par Asle Pettersen was reviewed in Vital Weekly
331, and things have been silent since then, until now, when he
comes up with a release of work he recorded between 1996 and 2002.
It's subtitled 'A Collection Of Sketches, Unfinished Pieces and
Concert Material made between 1996 and 2002'. And just like his
previous release this is another fine and delicate work of computer
processing (well... looking at the years, maybe not) of sine waves,
synthesizer sounds or found sounds/field recordings (one track
includes the sound of wine glasses). Still along the lines of
Behrens, Meelkop and Roden, but with the big difference that Pettersen
indeed creates sketches here as the twelve tracks don't take much
more than just thirty minutes, which adds to being something of
its own. It's pity that his name is not much more of a household
one, his work is pretty good! (FdW)
Address: http://www.tibprod.com/humbug.htm
JEBUS - THE ANTS ARE EATING MY HEAD (CDR
by Elvis Coffee Records)
PSYCHIC SPACE INVASION - AND THE COWS GO MU (CDR by Elvis Coffee
Records)
PSYCHIC SPACE INVASION - THE MAGPIE RHYME (CDR by Elvis Coffee
Records)
THE BREATH OF FORGOTTEN PLACES (CDR compilation by Elvis Coffee
Records)
The Elvis Coffee Records label from Wales releases small editions
of works by people from the South Wales area, but not exclusive
to that area. Most of these artists are new to me, people like
Jebus. It features members of Psychic Space Invasion, Green End
Listening Station and Directive 4 (all never heard of, but surely
so when I finished this review). Jebus plays around with a battery
of guitars, pedals, samplers, theremin and electronics and all
of the tracks on 'The Ants Are Eating My Head' are from the first
session as Jebus. Sometimes drone related, sometimes glitchy and
scratchy, the sound of guitars seem far away here, most of the
time. But it's spacious character makes this into quite a nice,
atmospherical release. Underground psych music.
Psychic Space Invasion is an one-man band, consisting of Ian Holloway
and 'And The Cows Go Mu' is his fourth release. According to the
information, this a more meditative release than the previous
three. This is the first release in the Liminal Animal drone series,
'the liminal phase is the point during a ritual where the participants
is journeying between one state of being and another'. Four lengthy
cuts of drone music, made up with a variety of cheap machinery,
or it seems to me. Textured sounds swirl in and out of the mix,
with the addition of percussive elements. I am not sure if I went
to another state, but it was quite a pleasant release.
'The Magpie Rhyme' is the latest release by Psychic Space Invasion,
and, again according to the information, sees a return to 'the
more abstracted ambient territories that characterized previous
releases'. Holloway uses here guitar, harmonica and melody horn,
along with a box of broken glass. Here the music is also lurking
in ambient corners, but is throughout more musical and less based
on drone music. Strange percussive sounds and guitar feedback
set against a wall of ambient sounds, making this is a more massive
release, filled with sound from every corner.
If this is all too much to handle, then the compilation 'The Breath
Of Forgotten Places' might be the place to start. It has the aforementioned
Jebus and Psychic Space Invasion, but also Directive 4, Green
End Listening Station, Swn, Ulysses Girelle and The Buff Monkey
Ensemble. Various angles of experimental music, including a Glenn
Branca wall of guitars by Green End Listening Station, ambient
music by Swn, garbled computer noise by Ulysses Girelle and drone-rock
from The Buff Monkey Ensemble. A fine selection of underground
music with no particular stand out tracks, but also no bad ones.
One to investigate. (FdW)
Address: http://ecr.homestead.com
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