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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 518
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week 12
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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!
complete tracklist here: http://www.vitalweekly.net/podcast.html
you can subscribe to the weekly broadcast using the following
rss feed:
http://www.harmlog.nl/vitalfeed.asp
New broadcasts will be sent directly when uploaded. For more information
on
podcasts go here: http://ipodder.sourceforge.net/
* noted are in this week's podcast
DANIEL MENCHE - SCATTERED REMAINS: EARLY
RARITIES (2CD by Soleilmoon Recordings) *
CRAWLING WITH TARTS - OCHRE LAND, BLUE BLUE SKIES/GRAND SURFACE
NOISE OPERA NR. 7 (CD by Pogus Productions) *
UNIVERS ZERO - LIVE (CD by Cuneiform) *
GJÖLL - WAY THROUGH ZERO (CD by Ant-Zen Recordings)
NICK PARKIN - REFRACT (CD by Soleilmoon Recordings) *
MODERN INSTITUTE - EXCELLENT SWIMMER (CD by Expanding Records)
*
MILLER & FIAM - MODERN ROMANCE (CD by Expanding Records) *
NOVEL 23 - FLY THROUGH THE FEELINGS (CD by Shaped Harmonics)
CENTROZOON - ANGEL LIQUOR (CD by Divine Frequency)
KAZUMASA HASHIMOTO - GLLIA (CD by Noble Records) *
PURE - HOME IS WHERE MY HARDDISC IS VOL. 2 (CD by Feld Records)
*
TERRESTRIAL TONES - DEAD DRUNK (CD by Paw Tracks) *
GINORMOUS - THE ENDLESS PROCESSION (CD by Hymen)
SIX DOORS (CD compilation by Housepig Records)
UNICORN - PLAYING WITH LIGHT (CD by Housepig Records) *
SKY BURIAL (CDR by Housepig Records)
NO-NECK BLUES BAND & EMBRYO - EMBRYONNCK (CD by Staubgold)
*
HASSLE HOUND - LIMELIGHT CORDIAL (CD by Staubgold)
EKKEHARD EHLERS - A LIFE WITHOUT FEAR (CD by Staubgold)
VERFASSUNG (LP compilation by Hörbar)
LIVING ORNAMENTS - VLOKKEN (CD by Narrominded) *
MAKAZORUKI (CD by Narrominded)
AIDAN BAKER - REMIXES (CDR by Arcolepsy)
SEAN OG'S TRIHORNOPHONE - AT FIRST I THOUGHT IT WAS THE END...
(CDR by Bottlenote)
ALLA ZAGAYKEVYCH - TO ESCAPE, TO BREATHE, TO KEEP SILENCE (MP3
by Nexsound)
DANIEL MENCHE - SCATTERED REMAINS: EARLY
RARITIES (2CD by Soleilmoon Recordings)
Little over a decade ago, Daniel Menche appeared on the scene
and took it over by surprise. Although he played his home town
Portland a lot, and even released a couple cassettes, it wasn't
until Soleilmoon released his first CD 'Incineration' and immediately
Menche gained recognition. Playing around with the notion of 'noise',
it was soon known that Menche played a literally more physical
version of that. And one of things that may happen when you are
'hot' is that everybody wants to release your music, and that
certainly happened to Menche. He did a lot of contributions to
compilations, limited vinyl releases and some such. All pretty
hard to find stuff these days, certainly if the recent flood of
material made you hungry for the old material. This double CD
(at the price of one) collects those old pieces, but there is
an objection to be made. The cover is a bit unclear as they are
the original pieces that are re-mastered or cut down, I assume
the first. It's a pity of course that it's not a complete collection,
still leaving 'holes' for the true fans, but on the other hand
it's great to see them back in print and in some cases not on
scratchy vinyl (I'm no big fan of those, as you can imagine).
Menche's work took many shapes already in those early days, from
the loud, obnoxious sound material to processing field recordings.
Using the studio in a much more intelligent way than many of his
contemporaries, his music always a strong sense of dynamics. There
is always something happening on which ever level, deep end, mid
end or high end. Playing all of these pieces in row means we have
a much better and complete picture of his many talents, so that
this can serve not only the hungry die-hards, but also as introduction
to the newcomers. One small complaint: the inside text is a bit
hard to read. (FdW)
Address: http://www.soleilmoon.com
CRAWLING WITH TARTS - OCHRE LAND, BLUE BLUE
SKIES/GRAND SURFACE NOISE OPERA NR. 7 (CD by Pogus Productions)
The last time we reviewed a release by Crawling With Tarts, is
close to nine years ago ('I Am Telephoning A Star', Vital Weekly
81). A year after the band ceased to exist - not because of the
review of course, but Micheal Gendreau, one of the two members
went to do music under his own name. Crawling With Tarts, being
Gendreau and Suzanne Dycus, existed from 1983 to 1998, and were
one of the first to work with the sound of vinyl. Quite unlike
the current range of turntablists, who use the vinyl and turntables
as an instrument itself, Crawling With Tarts made sound collages
out of the material found on the records, amplifying speech and
music along with the surface noise, the crackles and hiss. Sometimes
they use them as loops, and sometimes the straight forward lifted
spoken word on the vinyl. Those were the ingredients of a surface
opera from Crawling With Tarts, and thus so on 'Grand Surface
Noise Opera Nr. 7', which is funny to hear again after so many
years. It's like a nostalgic trip listening to nostalgic music,
since many of the used records are pretty old. In the other piece
(both last over thirty minutes). The other piece can be regarded
as the first Micheal Gendreau solo piece, even when there is sound
input from Suzanne Dycus, or rather 'conceptual information'.
Whereas the surface opera is just a nice nostalgic thing to hear,
the 'Ochre Land, Blue Blue Skies' is a great piece of intense
sound, motors producing them on various surfaces, vinyl hiss and
the sound of small amplified electro-acoustic objects, all put
together in a very fine, minimal yet intense sound collage. Maybe
in retrospect the Crawling With Tarts concept was perhaps a bit
too limited but it opened possibilities for the solo work of Gendreau
to expand beyond it. And as such this is a fine testament. (FdW)
Address: http://www.pogus.com
UNIVERS ZERO - LIVE (CD by Cuneiform)
Since Présent impresses with each time stronger live albums,
I was desperately hoping for a live recording of Univers Zero.
This wish is now fulfilled with their newest release for Cuneiform
Records. And it is a perfect counterpart for the most recent studio
albums.
The history of this legendary group goes back as far as 1977 when
there first album saw the light. At the time punk rock conquered
the world, a bunch of belgian musicians invented their very own
musical universe that after all those years still is far from
outdated. In 1983 they recorded what is often considered as their
peak 'Ceux Du Dehors'. The group disbanded in 1986. About the
same time R.I.O.-styled chamber-rock in general had to make place
for other musical developments. In the years after Daniel Denis
managed to record two solo-albums, and in 1999 Univers Zero was
ready for a comeback. Of course their music can be labeled as
chamber-rock or avant-rock, etc. Also diverse musical influences
can be traced which is inevitable. But what I would like to stretch
out is that Univers Zero speaks first of all with a very original
voice. All compositions carry a clear stamp that comes from the
musical vision of Denis. Besides Denis, on this new live album
from the early days only Michel Berckmans (oboe, english horn,
bassoon, melodica) gives acte de présence. With his characteristic
bassoon he is an essential part of the Univers Zero-sound. Of
the other members only Eric Plantain on bass has some history
with the band. He played also on 'Implosion' and 'Rhythmi', the
albums that preceded this new album. New is violist Martin Lauwers.
Also Peter van den Berghe who impresses with several crafty and
virtuoso solos (track two and three). But I doubt whether he is
in all aspects the ideal keyboard player for UZ. Kurt Budé
plays clarinets and sax. The music is colored by the background
of the musicians. In the first piece bassist Plantain plays almost
funky. Peter van Bergen does not hide his experience in jazz-music.
Three tracks come from 'Hard Quest' (1999) which can be considered
as their come album after 'Heatwave' (1986): 'Xenantaya', 'Civic
Circus', 'Kermesse Atomique'. These compositions sound more convincing
than they did on the 'Hard Quest' album to me, especially 'Xenantaya.
From their last studio album 'Implosion' (2004) we hear 'Falling
Rain Dance' and 'Méandres'. 'Elektronika Mambo Musette'
comes from a solo album by Denis (1993). From the old days only
two pieces are played: one track from their classic album from
1983, namely 'Bonjour Chez Vous', that is still as impressive
as it sounded 20 twenty years ago. Plus 'Toujours Plus à
l'est', taken from the rare Japanese ep 'Crawling Wind' (1983)
. Especially these two old tracks - that I know best - make clear
to me that Univers Zero has not the sharpness and dynamic range
that it reached in earlier days. With this I do not mean to say
this is not a good album. On the contrary. There surely is drive
and power in the playing, delivering thrilling moments. Most compositions
breath a sinister atmosphere. But on the other hand the music
is also uplifting and positive. The pregnant compositions follow
a strong inner logic. Leaning on the drums of Denis the musicians
produce an accessible kind of rock albeit uncommon. Music that
is still relevant after all those years, full of (funny) surprises
like the bolero-motive Budé plays in track three. Special
attention deserve also the pre-fabricated intros of percussive
sounds-capes that Denis labored out in his home studio I think.
These have there very own charm and identity.
Most recordings for this CD were made during a concert in Brussels
in june 2005. I was lucky to be there on this incredible hot evening
as well on some other concerts in the last few years. Also very
recently on an excellent concert in La Louvière with Andy
Kirk on keyboards. It had nice improvising moments between Kirk
and Denis. Plus a beautiful rendition of 'Before The Heat' by
Kirk, as well a unrecorded composition by Kirk. But for those
who cannot visit their concerts let this new CD be a proof that
Univers Zero still is a very hot band (DM)!
Address: http://www.cuneiformrecords.com/
GJÖLL - WAY THROUGH ZERO (CD by Ant-Zen
Recordings)
Extreme music seems like a flowering part of the culture in the
Northern parts of Scandinavia. Norway was in the forefront of
the early black metal, just like Sweden was pioneering the death
metal-scene from the late eighties forward. Also in the territories
of harsh electronic music, Scandinavia has been well going, thanks
to the Swedish Industrial legendary label Cold Meat Industry.
Icelandic project Gjöll (featuring members from different
Grindcorebands such as Forgardur Helvitis) demonstrates with this
debut release out on Ant Zen Recordings that the island from the
very North of Scandinavia also knows how to push the boundaries
of the musical sound. The album titled "Way through zero"
is a conceptual work that focuses on the dark sides of human nature.
What we are dealing with here is the sound of one man's mental
state developing from depression to aggression until, the force
of self-awareness tries to defeat the man's soul of darkness.
The musical expression of the album describes this mental development
in a quite impressive way. "Way though zero" are divided
into five parts. All parts are untitled since they more likely
describe the different steps of mental development. First part
opens with deep rumbling low frequency drones first of all reminiscent
of Coil's explorations into harsh electronics on the album "Constant
shallowness leads to evil", and the warning printed on the
"Constant shallowness."-disc saying "May cause
drowsiness - do not play while driving or operating machinery"
could well be used on this 7-minutes opening track. Second track
works more energetic with ritually mid-tempo rhythm textures and
freezing sounds like the outbursts of an electronic processed
didgeridoo. The feeling of something waiting to explode lies underneath
the surface of this second track. And things certainly happens
as third part of the album takes over. Symbolizing the shift from
subdued depression to driving aggression, pure hatred comes to
expression and hell breaks loose as harsh waves of evil drones
penetrates. On the first two tracks the voice of a man getting
more and more frustrated lied somewhere in the sonic expression.
On this third track the voice changes from angry to furious as
the voice are sucked into aural machinery reminiscent of Swedish
Power Electronics-maestro Brighter Death Now. After this exercise
in sonic extremity fourth track sneaks slowly up. Subtle, almost
inaudible drones of isolation symbolizes the mental state of pensiveness.
A whispering voice assists to build the feeling of tranquillity.
Fifth and final track, with its 19 minutes being the longest track,
returns back to the more dramatic expression with buzzing noise
drones bouncing back and forth in approx. 12 minutes until atmospheric
ambient sounds of suppression brilliantly describes the man's
desperate attempt to break the circle of viciousness. Whether
he succeeds to break loose is questionable, since the ambience
nicely balances between a feeling of relief and endless depression.
Judged by the sonic expression the ending of the story is open
for the listener to interpret. Never the less this is an excellent
thematic exploration into the dark sides of human souls. A quite
unusual album in the Ant Zen-sphere, because of its sonic introspective
character. Highly recommended! (NMP)
Address: http://www.ant-zen.com
NICK PARKIN - REFRACT (CD by Soleilmoon
Recordings)
If I'm not mistaken this might be already the fourth CD (five
if you count his album with Tom Gillieron) by Nick Parkin on Soleilmoon.
Somewhere in my book, I associated the name Nick Parkin with ambient
with the big A, but that chapter needs to be re-written, I guess.
Parkin won a first prize in 2001 at the Bourges International
Electroacoustic Competition and on 'Refract' he uses a 'variety
of gongs and other metallic percussion with environmental field
recordings. That may sound the best ingredients for a good ambient
album, but Parkin takes the material a bit further, and makes
it much more edgy and angular than y'r average ambient album.
Parkin takes the techniques of modern classical electronic composing,
but it's to effect on his own sound material, and starts playing
around with the result. Now unlike a lot of the modern composers
it's not the usual pitching up/down of the material, making sounds
roll over each-other or that kind of thing that is popular amongst
his contemporaries, but he makes minimal pieces of slowly evolving
sound material, in which 'water' is a recurring theme. The music
washes by like an endless stream of sound. At times it sounds
like a friendly creek and at others like an ocean. It's throughout
the entire a fine balance of ambient music and modern music, thus
breaking with both traditions and making a very, delicate and
intense album (FdW)
Address: http://www.soleilmoon.com
MODERN INSTITUTE - EXCELLENT SWIMMER (CD
by Expanding Records)
MILLER & FIAM - MODERN ROMANCE (CD by Expanding Records)
Alright I must admit that when I opened this, I was a little bit
suspicious. Two more releases on Expanding Records. They sure
have a mighty fine taste in electronic music, but so far what
they do is inside a very specific corner of electronic music,
making a lot of music sound very similar. First I popped in Modern
Institute and was truly surprised by it. I hear a cello, piano,
some synths, but hardly any breakbeat rhythm like material, or
melancholy breathing throughout every plug in used. Adding to
the surprise I learn that Modern Institute is Martina Bertoni
on cello and Teho Teardo on everything else. Teardo we know from
his 80s collaborations with Nurse With Wound, and later on with
Scorn, Rothko and Lydia Lunch and not to forget his recent solo
CD 'Tower/Microphone' (see Vital Weekly 485). Moving away from
all of that he crafted this great CD that is more modern classical
in approach, with a great sense of drama. Tracks a short, almost
sketch like, which is some cases is too bad, as some pieces could
have easily expanded beyond the format of three minutes (the average
length here), but throughout Modern Institute knows how to put
down the atmosphere very well. This is an excellent debut, refreshing
a lot of what Expanding Records stands for.
So then one would imagine that the next one would be the disappointing
one. But its not, even when it comes closer to the 'traditional'
sound of Expanding Records. Dave Miller and Harry Hohnen form
Miller & Fiam, the latter having also records on Hefty Records.
Beats are reduced here too, but more present than with Modern
Institute. It's quite a diverse record, of real upright bass playing,
sometimes jazzy rhythms (lots of brushes there), sometimes mellow
piano's, but melancholic keyboards that is so common for others
in this field, is not present at all. Sometimes things move towards
more steady, ongoing rhythm oriented pieces, but it never reaches
the point of breakbeats or techno. Just like Modern Institute,
Miller & Fiam move out of the rigid Expanding Records, giving
the music an entirely different twist - certainly different than
Modern Institute, but that's the great power of it. It sounds
so normal, yet fresh, breaking away from any restrictions. I'd
say Expanding Records made an important step with these two releases.
Let's hope it forecasts more great things. (FdW)
Address: http://www.expandingrecords.com
NOVEL 23 - FLY THROUGH THE FEELINGS (CD
by Shaped Harmonics)
Novel 23 aka Roman Belousov is, by now, well known craftsman of
melodic idm and electro inspired music. Even when today and from
a few years ago idm music is a dead end, it's great to hear someone
taking care of the melodies in the electronic music today, without
too much trickery in it, just developing the melodic side in the
songs, with all the sounds being ornaments added to each melody.
That's the sound of Novel 23 and of this new great album, which
with it's sound is much more similar with the older one 'Melodies
of childhood for advanced imagination' than to the more recent
one 'Architectural effects'. 'Fly through the feelings' has a
more straight forward, direct and kind of plain sound, seemingly
simplistic but not simple, and with a point in all 8 wonderful
tunes. The production aspect is, of course, well taken care of,
Novel 23 likes to use old analogue synths, which certainly add
a distinctive charm to the sound. Great and very enjoyable album.
(BR)
Address: http://shapedharmonics.com
CENTROZOON - ANGEL LIQUOR (CD by Divine
Frequency)
It's been a long time since I reviewed Centrozoon's 'The Cult
Of: Bibbiboo' (see Vital Weekly 329), and my judgment was harsh.
Markus Reuter (on touch guitar and devices) and Bernhard Wöstheinrich
(synths and programming) sounded to me like Robert Fripp, with
an unhealthy dose of reverb, free improv and prog-rock, less the
drums (bring in the drum computers). The new album, 'Angel Liquor'
was recorded live to tape, save for some addition in the process
of mixing (?) and mastering. It's been a long time since that
release, and I must admit that nothing seem to have improved here:
it's still the frippian stretched out guitar sounds, dissonant
synth washes (the press text says that the 'musical dissonance
and consonance (...) is closed to composers (...) like Anton Webern
or Olivier Messiaen - but I rather play a Webern string quartet
than Centrozoon) and badly sounding drum computers. Prog-rock
never interested me one little bit, and hearing this, I know why.
Again, I'm afraid it sounds boring, I pass on, once more. (FdW)
Address: http://www.divinefrequency.com
KAZUMASA HASHIMOTO - GLLIA (CD by Noble Records)
Somewhere along the line I missed out on
Kazumasa Hashimoto's record 'Epitaph', which was released in May
2004, so it's been a while since 'Yupi' (see Vital Weekly 377).
The Noble label releases albums that go by the concept of 'Music
For Daily Life' and this new album by Hashimoto is the eleventh
release. Once more Hashimoto plays music that is acoustic sounding,
but probably heavily digitally made. Or at least that wouldn't
surprise me at all. A kind of melancholic popmusic with elements
from ambient music, but also with vocals. There are still the
elements of Penguin Cafe Orchestra meeting Ekkehard Ehlers or
F.S. Blumm and like with 'Yupi' I am wondering if I like this,
and if so why. The music seems to be made of cliché's,
which shouldn't be a problem. Cliché's how to please the
audience, and as such it's no real treat, no gritty sound or some
such. It flows nicely, is warm and nice. But God knows why...
(FdW)
Address: http://www.noble-label.net
PURE - HOME IS WHERE MY HARDDISC IS VOL.
2 (CD by Feld Records)
It's been a while since Vol. 1 of this CD (see Vital Weekly 325)
but like the first volume it features two live shows of Pure,
this time recorded within nine days of each-other. One in Brussels
and one in Winnipeg. It means that Pure uses improvisation to
gather his sounds, puts in some live sampling on the spot. Sometimes
he uses whatever the air has to offer and sometimes he samples
some romantic classical piece. That last thing I must admit is
not so my thing. I prefer things more purely (pun intended). When
he takes some sounds and starts playing them around in a minimal
yet consecutive way, building layer upon layer. The Brussel piece
has some of the sampled choral work, which just didn't work for
me, but luckily the majority of the piece is not like that and
consist of clear blocks of sounds, short ones to form a rhythm
and longer ones to provide a drone related background. The Winnipeg
recording is more along the lines of the CD on Mego that was released
shortly after that, 'Noonbug' (see Vital Weekly 346) and is much
more purer piece of evolving sine waves or feedback like sounds,
which slowly built up and start to interact with each-other. This
is my favorite piece of the CD, but both are a good showcase of
the talents this man has. (FdW)
Address: http://www.feld-records.com
TERRESTRIAL TONES - DEAD DRUNK (CD by Paw
Tracks)
Even when 'Dead Drunk' is the third album of Eric Copeland (of
Black Dice) and Dave Portner (of The Animal Collective), it's
the first time for me to encounter their music, recorded as Terrestrial
Tones. They lived together for a while in an apartment in Paris
and recorded this highly curious album. Sampling I'd say is what
their main thing is, but what they throw into the blender is a
highly odd mixture of whatever sounds they can lay their hands
on. There is some sort of electro-acoustic sound sometimes, there
is ethnic music, noise, feedback and perhaps even the sampling
of pop-tunes. Sometimes they manage to keep their music at a deliberate
low bit rate trying to get an even more gritty and noisy sound.
Curious I'd say, since they don't seem to be much bothered about
the differences between the sound input, but actually the diversity
of the material is the power of this record. The method of processing
is throughout quite similar and that puts in some coherency. Quite
a nice, noisy and raw affair, this one, moving away from the Black
Dice and Animal Collective sound, into what good, intelligent
noise can be. (FdW)
Address: http://www.paw-tracks.com
GINORMOUS - THE ENDLESS PROCESSION (CD by
Hymen)
Known for being co-creator on various animated TV-series, american
artist Bryan Konietzko shows another side if his multi-talent
with the music-project Ginormous. His new album, titled "The
endless procession", is the follow-up to debut album "Our
ancestors' intense love affair" released on Hymen Records
back in 2005. What separates Ginormous from most artists on the
IDM-scene is Bryan Konietzko's passion for stringed instruments.
Even though the use of the strings always is subtle it still adds
a nice organic feeling in the otherwise exclusively electronic
sound world. Though the album isn't musically groundbreaking,
there still is something that separates the style of Ginormous
from most other acts on the Industrial-related IDM-scene. The
force of the project and what makes this album a pleasant meeting
is Ginormous' ability to create melodic sound textures, away from
the darkness that most often saturates albums from that certain
scene. Apart from the frequent use of distorted rhythms and elements
of noise Giniormous' musical expression almost seems optimistic
and warm in expression with some nostalgia thanks to the light
and rather musical atmosphere on the album. That the photos decorating
the CD-cover look like some "winter into spring"-scenery
only helps to strength the feeling of optimism on the overall
album. For the quick ones there is a limited double disc-edition
containing both Ginormous-albums! (NMP)
Address: http://www.hymen-records.com
SIX DOORS (CD compilation by Housepig Records)
UNICORN - PLAYING WITH LIGHT (CD by Housepig Records)
SKY BURIAL (CDR by Housepig Records)
The Housepig Records label was founded in 2004 to release experimental
music that changes shape all the time: noise, ambient, drone or
perhaps 'just' experimental. Among the first releases we find
a compilation that showcases the label approaches to what they
want to release. Each of the six tracks last between nine and
twelve minutes, which is nice, since it gives us a good opportunity
to listen to their work much better. What is to be noted is that
the 'real' noise is not really present, which is kind of odd,
seeing the presence of say Bastard Noise and Guilty Connector
and Tabata. They do make pieces that are 'present' but not at
all in a sense of true noise. It's more of a thematic compilation,
like six new interpretations about drone and ambient, and some
of them in a more noise related setting. Aube sounds like Aube,
which in a way is a pity after all those years. Bastard Noise
sounds like a real surprise, but the best tracks are the closing
piece of densely layered darker material of Oblong Box and the
opening piece of Unicorn, which is almost classical in approach,
with it's cello-like guitar sounds. A great compilation!
Normally my curiosity would not be fulfilled, as I would like
to know what Unicorn is about after hearing such a nice track
on a compilation, but luckily Housepig's first release as a label
is a CD by Unicorn. We learn that it's a project of W.T. Nelson,
who is a member of Bastard Noise, Sleestak and Carne A. On his
'Playing With Light' there are seven of his musical pieces, along
with three short films, with his music. The music is not the same
as on the compilation, which is not really a big problem, since
it shows us that Unicorn plays more cards. What can be noticed
that the music is more electronic, or rather less acoustic than
the compilation suggests, dwelling mostly on manipulated guitar
sounds. Sometimes they are soft and subtle, such as in the beautiful
title piece or in 'Clay And Fire'. Things are louder and meaner
in 'Rain (But Not Candy'). In all a pretty varied disc of ambient
and drone related music, but certainly with a strong edge of its
own.
The final release is by Sky Burial, aka Micheal Page, whom we
met before as Fire In The Head, when he released his 'Be My Enemy'
CD (see Vital Weekly 505). That was a dam fine great slab of noise
music. For good reasons he choose another name when it comes to
different music. Sky Burial is surely something different as it
moves away from the true noise, in favor of a richer sound where
rhythm and drones meet up. A bit raw and crude here and there,
this is more along the lines of the works of bands that use guitars
and drones to create their music, such as Skullflower, but throughout
Sky Burial is a bit softer and less forward. That puts him aside
of the others in this area, and that's very nice. Maybe some of
the pieces are a bit long for what they want to communicate, but
it's certainly a nice release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.housepig.com
NO-NECK BLUES BAND & EMBRYO - EMBRYONNCK
(CD by Staubgold)
HASSLE HOUND - LIMELIGHT CORDIAL (CD by Staubgold)
EKKEHARD EHLERS - A LIFE WITHOUT FEAR (CD by Staubgold)
Three new releases on Staubgold, which is slowly getting one of
the more important labels to release music that crosses over from
experimental to popmusic, wether or not this is by electronic
means. The first one is a collaborative work, the first for the
No Neck Blues Band, here teaming up with Embryo, a krautrock band
from Munich. The first one got reviewed before in Vital Weekly,
but to refresh your mind: No Neck Blues Band was formed in New
York in 1992 and consist of an ever changing line up of musicians,
who are all more or less anonymous. Embryo exists since thirty
years and only Christian Burchard is the constant members. More
than a hundred members were at one point or another a member,
but despite having released twenty or so albums, I never heard
of them. Two times improvising groups that is surely too much,
isn't it? It's not. It's great, but I must admit being a fan of
the No Neck Blues Band for some time. Their free form playing
of whatever instrument is at hand, and wave that into minimal
patterns is something I like very much, even despite some of the
hippie undercurrents that this music may have. I said I don't
know Embryo, but to me this sounds altogether more like the No
Neck Blues Band and it's simply gorgeous.
Hassle Hound is something I never heard of before, even when Mark
Vernon of Vernon & Burns is part of it. He plays computer,
sampler, loops and keyboards. The other members are Ela Orleans
on vocals, violin, guitar, keyboards and toy instruments and Tony
Swain on guitar, bass, samples, loops and keyboards. So far they
had a split 12" on Textile and a 10" on Pickled Egg,
so 'Limelight Cordial' is their debut CD. If Staubgold wants popmusic
they could call in Hassle Hound, as they play their own weird
version of popmusic. Partly based on plunderphonics, with all
sorts of weird samples being thrown into the mix, there are also
neat lovely tunes, exotica and surf music and what else. A true
hotch potch of sounds and ideas. Most of them are well made, sometimes
they miss the point at all, but that's hardly a problem. Throughout
it's a very nice CD of mixed media poptunes.
And finally a new CD by Ekkehard Ehlers. Once doing minimal techno,
once doing one of the best microsound glitch pop CD (with Stephan
Mathieu) and once doing a great pop band (März). A man with
ideas. Many ideas, but his new CD I simply fail to understand.
He plays around with blues. He has Joseph Suchy on guitar and
balafon, Franz Hautzinger on trumpet, Björn Gottstein on
viola and Howard Katz Fireheart on vocals and mouthharp and himself
on 'processing and amps'. Blues: the dark and doomy music from
years ago, into the world of terror, war and climate disasters.
I can see the point, but don't understand the music. It's blues
for sure, even when it's merely improvised but there is a rawness
intended (cheap microphones perhaps, simple amplification) that
adds a certain graininess to the album, but to me just sounds
like not a very well made recording. Maybe I have the blues? Or
perhaps I don't like the blues. Either way, not my thing at all.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.staubgold.com
VERFASSUNG (LP compilation by Hörbar)
Ah the classic format of compilation LP, with booklet. It looks
retro, very 80s like, but it's 2006. The Hörbar in Hamburg
is an organisation that puts on concerts, mainly in the B-Movie
cinema. Hörbar is mainly run by musicians, who work as volunteers,
doing the sound, the bar and the door. Every week they meet up
and do something. Now Hörbar also acts as a label, and this
compilation is the first release. Of course it features music
from the people that make up the Hörbar organization. The
good thing is that it holds many musicians I never heard of, such
as Pizza Ni Ni, Renoise, Margitt Holzt, Guy Saldanha and Ebinger,
sitting next to somewhat more known locals such as Evapori, Gregory
Buettner, Sonata Rec, [Hyph-], TBC, Incite and Y-Ton-G. Of course
the biggest star from Hamburg, Asmus Tietchens, is also present,
with the most silent and reduced piece of the lot. What can be
noticed that there is a fair amount of noise material on this
record, such as TBC, Guy Saldanha and Audible Pain. Margitt Holzt
and Incite represent the rhythm side of this bunch, whereas Tietchens
has his own followers such as Gregory Buettner and some seem to
follow their own track, such as the curious piece by Ebinger (who
he?). Evapori and Sonata Rec play pieces that are a cross over
between the world of Tietchens and the underworld of noise. The
most curious piece is by Pizza Ni Ni, entitled 'E', it seems just
the one time strumming of an E chord on the guitar. A booklet
describes the pieces and has a bunch of nice quotes. Limited to
300 copies - that is the final trick from the 80s, make a few
and create a rarity! (FdW)
Address: http://www.hoerbar-ev.de
LIVING ORNAMENTS - VLOKKEN (CD by Narrominded)
MAKAZORUKI (CD by Narrominded)
Dutch label Narrominded is slowly expanding their horizon. In
the early days of the label it seemed that they would release
anything that would deal with ambient, glitch, electronica or
microsound, but in 2005 they expanded to releasing music that
deals also with real rock, like their releases of Gone Bald and
Quarles van Ufford - free math rock is what they play. These two
new releases display their interests very well. From their original
line of releases, there is first of all Living Ornaments, the
band behind the label. Previously they released a split LP with
Accelera Deck and a 3"CDR on Scarcelight, but 'Vlokken' is
their first full length release. It contains of the mentioned
ingredients of glitch, electronics, ambient and microsound, and
perhaps one could say that this is by now a bit of a boring thing,
but actually it sounds great. They also incorporate piano and
guitar in their music and even occasional elements of techno music.
Sometimes along the lines of the melancholy of music on Expanding
Records, but Living Ornaments certainly has a much more lively
and active sound at their controls. The variety is here much more
present than on some of the Expanding or Highpoint Lowlife recordings,
and it's an adventurous trip they are on. Some of the tracks are
merely sketches, whereas others deliver really worked out ideas.
It's quite a mature work.
At the other side of the musical spectrum we find Makazoruki,
a four piece rock unit from The Netherlands, even when they are
all four originally from Bosnia. According to Narrominded they
are a 'hot' live band and the music is to be compared to Sonic
Youth and The Chameleons. I wouldn't know, since I gave up a while
ago on rock music, certainly when it's supposed to be 'alternative'.
The tracks are considerable longer than any of my old punk records,
and more complex in structure than the average punk record. Perhaps
perhaps this is indeed quite nice, in fact I wouldn't dream of
even doubting that, but its surely not so my thing. I can listen
with interest, but it's hard for me to relate to this. However
it's a good thing that Narrominded expand their musical horizon,
but they see something I can't. (FdW)
Address: http://www.narrominded.com
AIDAN BAKER - REMIXES (CDR by Arcolepsy)
Aidan Baker is present with his music for a few years now, being
mostly ambient-droney music on the albums, as is the sound on
this CD with remixes. The remixers have taken sources or sounds
from various tracks and done the reworks in the similar atmospheric
style as the original author's music. Some of the pieces are rhythmic,
as the jazzy mix by Millimetrik, or even with a dancey rhythm,
as the track by Building castles out of matchsticks. Few of the
remixers are more familiar names: Cordell Klier, Wilt, Fear falls
burning (aka Vidna Obmana) and Troum with a rather short but very
nice psychedelic ambience piece. The others, new in this musical
style, are: Andrea Marutti (great kind of vast ambient piece),
The Blameshifter, Naw, Gruntsplatter and Pilotram. There's a nice
flowing sound on the whole release, which is maybe nothing spectacular,
but well done and very enjoyable listening. (BR)
Address: http://www.netrover.com/~amizen/aidan/arcolepsy.htm
SEAN OG'S TRIHORNOPHONE - AT FIRST I THOUGHT
IT WAS THE END... (CDR by Bottlenote)
The music of Sean Og reached us before, through his album 'Very
Little Is Weightless' (Vital Weekly 464) and 'The Garbled Message'
(Vital Weekly 481). On his previous releases he played all the
instruments himself, mainly wind instruments and percussion but
his Trihornophone is a band for which he writes the tunes. It
has Og on alto saxophone, Bill Blackmore on trumpet, Kelan Walsh
on baritone saxophone and Dennis Cassidy on drums. Like 'The Garbled
Message' this is an even more jazzy release than his first one.
The tracks are short, witty and to the point and sound to me like
real composed pieces, and not free jazz improvisations. Sometimes,
certainly in the first few tracks the drums play a more funky
rhythm, which reminded me a bit of A Certain Ratio (less the production
of course) whereas the latter pieces reminded me of Willem Breuker,
combined with folk music and a bit of marching music. Very nice
and forwarding music, one to cheer the listener up for sure. Even
when it's a bit far away outside what is normally played here,
this is quite nice indeed. (FdW)
Address: http://www.sean-og.com
ALLA ZAGAYKEVYCH - TO ESCAPE, TO BREATHE,
TO KEEP SILENCE (MP3 by Nexsound)
The Ukrain is a fine country when it comes to women doing experimental
music. Following Zavoloka, here is Alla Zagaykevych. She composed
'real' classical music for orchestras, small ensembles and some
such, but in 1997 she also founded the Electronic Studio of National
Musical Academy of Ukraine. The three works that are now available
as a MP3 by Nexsound deal with her work in electronic music. In
each of the pieces Zagaykevych plays 'recording and live computer',
treating respectively somebody playing violin, voice and piano.
'... is a multimedia work that aims to reveal with art means a
process of human self-identification in an imaginary 'city environment'.
She then raises all sort of questions about life, cities, movements
etc, but it's a bit difficult to see them being connected to the
three music pieces. The hectic, virtuoso violin playing in 'To
Escape' is a bit too hectic for me, but the much more delicate
processing. The voice in 'To Breathe' is almost gone, just waving
high above the ground and the piano of 'To Keep Silence' is surely
present, but gets nicely transformed in an almost Tietchens' like
manner. Even if the ideas behind it are a bit beyond, those two
tracks are a true delight to hear. (FdW)
Address: http://www.nexsound.org
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