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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 611
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week 4
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Vital Weekly, the webcast: 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
before submitting material please read this
carefully: http://www.vitalweekly.net/fga.html
Submitting material means you read this and approve of this.
* noted are in this week's podcast
JUNKBOY - THREE (CD by Enraptured Records)
*
FELIX KUBIN AND DAS MINERALORCHESTER - MUSIC FOR THEATRE AND RADIO
PLAY (CD by Dekorder) *
AGF - WORDS ARE MISSING (CD by AGF Producktion) *
BALMORHEA - RIVERS ARMS (CD by Western Vinyl) *
FLUORESCENT GREY - GASEOUS OPAL ORBS (CD by Record Label Records)
*
ELEKTRONISK KOMPILATION (CD compilation by Stupid Dream Records)
INCAPACITANTS - EL SHANBARA THERMINOSIS (CD by Segerhuva)
EDWIGE - THE INCONSOLABLE WIDOW THANKS ALL THOSE WHO CONSOLED
HER (CDR by Segerhuva)
AUTISTIC DAUGHTERS - UNEASY FLOWERS (CD by Staubgold) *
DINNER MUSIC FOR CLUBBERS (CD by Staubgold)
NOVI_SAD - MISGUIDED HEART PULSES. A HAMMER, SHE, AND THE CLOCK
(CD by Tilt Recordings) *
DEDO 3 - RESUMEN DE MOVIMIENTOS (CD by Hronir) *
VICTOR NUBLA - CATALEG D'USOS SIMBOLICS (CD by Hronir)
DOT TAPE DOT - TOMAVISTAS (CD by Other Electricities) *
BAJA - WOLFHOUR (CD by Other Electricities)
FESSENDEN - V1.1 (CD by Other Electricities)
HIJOKAIDAN - POLAR NIGHTS LIVE (CD by Pica Disk)
INCAPACITANTS - BURNING ORANGE (CD by Pica Disk)
TOMASZ KRAKOWIAK - LA CIUTAT ETS TU (CD by Etude Records) *
JOSE LUIS REDONDO - LA RESPONSE EST AUX PIEDS (CD by Etude Records)
ALFREDO COSTA MONTEIRO - EPICYCLE (CD by Etude Records)
YUI ONODERA - SUISEI (CD by And/oar) *
YUI ONODERA - RHIZOME (CDR by Gears Of Sand)
PETER NEWMAN - PAPERHOUSE (DVD by Demux)
WADE MARYNOWSKY - INTERPRETATIVE DANCE (DVD by Demux)
ST.RIDE - ANTOLOGIA DEL MEDIO MONGOHOLI NASI (CDR by Setola Di
Maiale) *
KASSEL JAEGER - EE[ND] (CDR by Mystery Sea)
ROBE - TREPANATION (CDR by Outfall Channel) *
CAPITAL HEMORRHAGE - ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION (CDR by Outfall Channel)
TWISTED FAERIE TALES - A [WALNUT + LOCUST] COMPILATION (3"CDR
by Walnut + Locust)
GIANCARLO BRACCHI - UNIVERSAL SOUL ADAPTER (3"CDR, private)
JUNKBOY - THREE (CD by Enraptured Records)
From the department of music that is not strictly
for Vital Weekly comes Junkboy, a name that sounds like noise,
but it's not. Junkboy are two brothers, Mik and Rich Hanscomb
with a handful of friends to help them out. References mentioned
are Brian Wilson, Elliot Smith, Tortoise, Krautrock. Recording
their intimate music at home, this is a heavy folk record or a
soft rock record. When they sing it's not so much thing, like
the recent Little Wings release (see Vital Weekly 608), with whom
they share a similar sound. But Junkboy play longer passages of
instrumental music than the aforementioned Little Wings (just
to mention a recent reference), which perhaps counts for the Tortoise
influence here, which makes this album a bit more enjoyable -
in Vitals' more experimental terms - and more experimental. Bells
tinkling, horns, flute and lapsteel add a warmth to the music.
Even the wordless vocals of 'Held Inside' and the retro guitar/flute
solo in there may date back thirty-five years, it makes a wonderful
nice tune. A fine combination of post rock, krautrock, folk and
singer songwriter material, with enough to love for even the more
experimental heads at the Vital HQ. (FdW)
Address: http://www.enrapturedrecords.com
FELIX KUBIN AND DAS MINERALORCHESTER - MUSIC
FOR THEATRE AND RADIO PLAY (CD by Dekorder)
The wonder of modern German pop, Felix Kubin that is, hardly makes
it into these pages, which of course is a great shame. Armed with
his organ and korg he plays popmusic, but ever throughout his
career as Kubin, he has been playing music that he was asked to
compose for film, theatre and radio. They form an equally important
feature in his work. However it's not the music we/you might know
him best for. From three of these pieces, the best parts (why
not the complete work?) are now released as 'Music For Theatre
And Radio Play'. Five pieces for 'Zufall', a theatre piece , six
pieces for 'Hollywood Elegien', also a theatre play and eleven
pieces for the radio play 'The Raft'. Twenty two pieces in total
with a total playing time of thirty nine minutes, makes twenty
two short pieces. No doubt dictated by the rules of the theatreplay,
but separated from that, it's a bit hard to figure out what these
plays are about. There is no extra information on their content
and pieces stand by their self.
From uptempo party like music (including
guestmusicians on guitar, saxophone, violin and percussion - the
Mineralorchester) to moody, sketch like pieces and semi orchestral
pieces like 'Drifting'. The sketch like character of the pieces
doesn't make a coherent listening affair and it's hard to tell
the difference between the various plays they were composed for.
However if you see them a bunch of songs, separated from their
original context, this is wild gang of pieces, joyful, sorrowful,
funny and hilarious. It shows us a more experimental Kubin who
hasn't lost his wit and wisdom. (FdW)
Address: http://www.dekorder.com
AGF - WORDS ARE MISSING (CD by AGF Producktion)
Music by Antye Greie, also known as AGF, didn't make it in Vital
Weekly for reasons that will never be known. AGF was once a member
of Laub, an electronic pop duo and released solo work on Orthlong
Musork, Asphodel, Mixer and since some time on her own AGF Producktion.
I lost count what she released so it's a bit hard for me to place
her new CD (her fourth solo) 'Words Are Missing' in the larger
context of her work. Poetry, vocals, language play an important
role in her work, but for this new one words are missing - she
uses the voice to create sound and the computer to transform those
sounds. In the booklet every track gets a picture - sometimes
a photo, but it can also be words, letters or something that could
something like that. The music by AGF is highly personal music,
in which she puts together personal emotions, feelings and experiences.
Yet this is no an entirely closed work, the title of the pieces
in combination with the visual aspect give the listener an idea
what they are about. 'KZ' (short in German for concentration camp)
is based on a visit to Buchenwald when she was sixteen. From her
voice she constructs beats, drones, cut up voices are looped and
it might be best easy to say her work is click n cuts. Not abstract
as with many of her male counterparts, not danceable as related
to the dancefloor, yet strong on rhythm, moods and atmospheres.
Perhaps sixteen tracks is a bit long, but it's certainly a varied
work, sometimes heavy on rhythm, sometimes as quiet as poetry
can be. Very nice. I should check out what else I missed from
her. (FdW)
Address: http://www.poemproducer.com
BALMORHEA - RIVERS ARMS (CD by Western Vinyl)
Last week we had the chamber ambient (chambient?) music of Mico
Nonet, this week another much alike band, from Texas this time:
Balmorhea. They operate from a somewhat classical perspective,
using guitar and bass along with violin, cello and some piano,
but effectively the music is of similar nature. The acoustic guitar
is plucked nicely and the four strings strummed carefully. Mood
music of the highest kind. It's fits nicely along their Icelandic
counterparts of Sigur Ros or some of the other Fat Cat artists,
like Max Richter. When the piano kicks in, it reminded me of Wim
Mertens. It's all grey and great, this slab of atmospherics. So
far so good. The only thing that bothered a bit in the end was
that fourteen of these sketchy winter-like music pieces is perhaps
a bit too much (nearly an hour in length). After about two-third
one (say the average old LP length) I had pretty much enough and
wanted to change the tune. That doesn't happen and Balmorhea remains
the same throughout, but it's all a bit too much drama. Great,
in a smaller dose, nice but a tiring as a whole. (FdW)
Address: http://www.westernvinyl.com
FLUORESCENT GREY - GASEOUS OPAL ORBS (CD
by Record Label Records)
It's been a while, a long while since we reviewed 'Lying On The
Floor Mingling With God In A Tijuana Motel Room Next Door To A
Veterinary Supply Store' by Fluorescent Grey, the music project
of Jacob Harnigon from California (Vital Weekly 419). Originally
his next one was supposed to be released by Isolate Records, who
once brought us the debut of Venetian Snares, but the owner Wai
Cheng passed away in 2006, so it's now on Record Label Records.
In the four years that passed since the previous CD and this new
one, it seems that nothing much has changed: still tracks are
quite long for a start. When he starts, Harnigon doesn't how to
stop, or perhaps it's a strong desire not to stop. The music,
as before, is highly rhythmic, from drum & bass patterns to
quasi ethnic music - the whole drumkit has been used, wether or
not analogue. Things work best when speed is pulled back and elements
from dub music come in along with some more experimental sounds.
Here too, again, a bit too long. The music could be enhanced when
Harnigon would apply more structure to his music, make it more
coherent/less chaotic and shorten things down to what he think
could be the essence of a piece. In a small dose not bad at all.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.recordlabelrecords.org
ELEKTRONISK KOMPILATION (CD compilation
by Stupid Dream Records)
Apparently Stupid Dream Records did well with some other acts
on their label and time has come to 'handpick' new artists for
whom there might be also fame and glory at the end of the road.
Trust me: I don't know. When I predict fame, nothing happens,
while when I keep stumm all sorts of things happen. Oh well. Stupid
Dreams call this 'great, smart and experimental new electronic
music', but I mainly hear lots of techno based tunes, from every
angle (minimal, elektro, trip hop, dub, club etc) that are hardly
experimental. They are electronic for sure, maybe smart and sometimes
great. What can be noted is that many tracks have vocals! Lyrics!
Catchy tunes! Raps! No doubt, with the right promotion, good fortune
and such like, there is cash maker in this lot (Papercut? Discolor?),
but throughout this collection is too cheesy for the "real"
experimental heads of Vital Weekly, except for the noise of Olle
Oljud . Potential would-be millionaires please pay attention here.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.stupiddreamrecords.com
INCAPACITANTS - EL SHANBARA THERMINOSIS
(CD by Segerhuva)
EDWIGE - THE INCONSOLABLE WIDOW THANKS ALL THOSE WHO CONSOLED
HER (CDR by Segerhuva)
The Incapacitants release is of a 1995 cassette, which features
theremins instead of vocals. and before I continue - two things
- anyone interested in the noise genre should get a copy - and
secondly - the Incapacitants fall into a different category as
far as I'm concerned - being located within a genre which ensues
traditional musicology and its associated aesthetics - but anticipating
the familiar questions "did I like it - is it good?"
the wrong answers would be "yes" and "yes".
Anything this pure is beyond ethics in the Nietzchean sense for
one - which does mean the previous answers are also not "no",
"no". Given limited space, such a work could prompt
a book! - within the gestalt the theremins begin as ostensive
features which are embroidered into the overall object - which
is not an object at all but more molecular that molar - in the
Deleuzeian sense, that makes for the differentiation of noise
in general, and this release in particular, as being outside the
western (molar) hegemony of power, tradition, politics, ethics
et al. (maybe that's why punks "like" it too!) - and
while still in this -"thousand plateaus" much of the
above applies to Edwige - (Mania, The Rita, Sewer Election) a
tribute to Edwige French the "erotic film star", this
is a re-release of a sold out vinyl- Perhaps "tighter"
packed by being a joint collaboration the term "erotic"
only politely re-inscribes for comfort the "pornographic"
- which again - dismembers (makes the Molar Molecular) the female
form as a sex object(s) - or simply three organs (without a body)
anathema to the chattering classes' modernist/feminist cliques
- reveals a contra - powerful female exploitation of a male seminology.
(This) Noise does not communicate, pornography does not procreate.
(jliat)
Address: http://www.segerhuva.se
AUTISTIC DAUGHTERS - UNEASY FLOWERS (CD
by Staubgold)
DINNER MUSIC FOR CLUBBERS (CD by Staubgold)
Somewhere over the years Dean Roberts moved out of my sight. After
his releases for Mille Plateaux, his work as White Winged Moth
and other explorations of guitar and electronics, he started to
play 'real' songs. It wasn't a conscious decision to loose him
out of eye-sight, but it happened. I must have missed the first
release by Autistic Daughters, perhaps because it was vinyl only,
also on Staubgold in 2004. As Austic Daughters, Roberts (guitar,
vocals) teams up with Martin Brandlymayr on percussion and computer
and Werner Dafeldecker on guitar and bass, plus a whole bunch
of guests, such as Chris Abrahams (The Necks), Martin Siewert
and Valerio Tricoli. This is singer-songwriter music, stripped
to the very essence of music. Not a note or sound too many and
lots of silence. Not real silence, but just a few sounds that
go on. Imagine some of the more subdued moments of say Kapital
Band 1 or Trapist but then with lyrics, which are likewise sparse.
The music is played in what seems an improvised manner, but also
carefully planned when it came to mixing the music. It's simply
great stuff. I know I rant against the speaksinging, singer songwriters
and such like, but here it sounds lovely. Maybe it's the grey
rainy day that has put me in a melancholic state.
Also on Staubgold is a mix CD by one Peter Grummich, a DJ from
Berlin who is a party animal and records for Shitkatapult and
Kompakt, but here takes hold of the Staubgold catalogue to create
a mix CD that can be played before going to a party or after -
chill out music. Which is the perfect thing on a sunday afternoon
- in my case - waking up, drinking coffee and get last night's
party - ending 5 o'clock this morning - out of my system. I have
no idea in what way the pieces are edited or changed. I put it
on, drink more coffee and relax reading a book - 'Who Killed Martin
Hannett' - in my case. Once the CD is done, I feel more relaxed,
hop back to the computer and write these lines. All the usual
Staubgold suspects are here: To Rococo Rot, Sack Und Blumm, Rafael
Toral, Reuber, No Neck Blues Band, Alejandro Franov, Kammerflimmer
Kollektief and such like. A post party pill that you can't swallow,
but makes you feel good. (FdW)
Address: http://www.staubgold.com
NOVI_SAD - MISGUIDED HEART PULSES. A HAMMER,
SHE, AND THE CLOCK (CD by Tilt Recordings)
The underscore in the name Novi_sad marks the difference with
the other Novisad in the field of music. This is the work of a
Greek guy that goes by the name Thanasis Kaproulias, I believe
his debut. It's not a recent release, but due to some mix up it
finally landed on my desk. Three long pieces of what can be best
(well, easily) be described as computer drone music, made with
field recordings. Thickly layered drones open up in 'Everything
Looks Better Beside Water', that also carries some sampled percussive
sound. Somewhere towards the end a violin like sound is added
with irregular intervals. This is continued in the other two tracks,
although in the final piece there is also a female voice telling
a story. Perhaps some of the pieces are a bit too long and a bit
more roughly shaped than say Roel Meelkop or Marc Behrens, this
is a missing link between the current microsound trend and some
of the 80s ambient industrial music. A very promising start! (FdW)
Address: http://www.novi-sad.net/
DEDO 3 - RESUMEN DE MOVIMIENTOS (CD by Hronir)
VICTOR NUBLA - CATALEG D'USOS SIMBOLICS (CD by Hronir)
Music by Victor Nubla has been around for a long time, in my case
ever since I bought 'El Secreto Metro' cassette in the mid 80s
and which I no longer have. With long irregular intervals, Nubla
still releases his music, sometimes alone or with bands. One of
them is Dedo, of whom 'Avatar' was reviewed in Vital Weekly 483.
The line up of Dedo has changed from Nubla and Pau Torres to Nubla
(sampler, electric clarinet), Angelica Sanchez (vocals), Ignacio
Lois (keyboards) and Txema Gonzales (ancient flutes and percussion).
More than on 'Avatar' there is now a unified sound for Dedo, incorporating
what seems to me (no expert here) ancient spanish music (mostly
through the singing, wind instruments and percussion) with electronic
music, but unlike Zavoloka and Akkord-I-On, the electronics is
not updated to the world of glitch and microsound, but stayed
close to the world of dark electronic music of the 80s - say Lustmord,
Rapoon, Zoviet France. That's a bit of a pity I think, since it
could have sounded a lot fresher if they would have looked for
more new means to create the music. Also the mix could have been
more surprising: it stays too much on one dynamic level now. A
pity since there is more in here than what is explored now.
On Nubla's latest solo offering, 'Cataleg D'Usos Simbolics', Nubla
just plays the clarinets (four different ones, not all at the
same time) and various multi-effects machinery (the ART multiverb
EXT and Zoom 1204 and 7010, if you insist on knowing). Fifteen
pieces, divided in five groups with each three pieces. The sound
of clarinet is an acquired taste, I think. It's not always easy
to tell what the effects do to change the sound, which at times
give the clarinet a rather dry effect. I must admit that I liked
those tracks best which had a lot of transformations to the sound,
and less the 'dry' tracks (perhaps it's because a former neighbor
of mine practiced this instrument too much and I sort of a natural
resentment against the instrument), but when transformed Nubla
plays quite interesting, abstract pieces of clarinet and electronics
- almost in a modern classical vein. (FdW)
Address: http://www.hronir.org
DOT TAPE DOT - TOMAVISTAS (CD by Other Electricities)
BAJA - WOLFHOUR (CD by Other Electricities)
FESSENDEN - V1.1 (CD by Other Electricities)
My first encounter with the label Other Electricities is a most
pleasant one. It's the welcome of the first CD by Fessenden and
the first encounter with Baja and Dot Tape Dot. The latter to
start with is a project of Daniel Romero from Asturias Spain (and
not to be confused with Damien Romero) who wanted to create music
and found he didn't have much money, so he decided to use toy
instruments and field recordings, which are all recorded in a
lo-fi manner. I am quoting the press text here, since I find this
hard to believe, as the CD doesn't sound at all lo-fi. "Tomavistas"
collects pieces from the years 2002 to 2007 and is a very nice
release of naive, childlike electronic music, much along the lines
of Sack & Blumm or other German counterparts. It has a great
sense of popmusic, glitch and sounds lovely. Some of the pieces
could have been a shorter, but the somewhat crude composing methods
give this release quite a nice edge, that makes it a little bit
different the others in lullaby land.
Baja is also an one-man project by one Daniel Vujanic and Wolfhour
is his third album. In some ways there is a link to Dot Tape Dot,
but Baja is more tighter, less naive, less abstract/chaotic and
more straight forward in composing. His music is held together
by drums that are partly broken jazz rhythms, poppy and techno.
On top he layers the cake with guitar, organs and electronics.
Eclectic music this is, swinging - literally - all over the place.
Jazz, pop, rock, free improv even it all passes with great ease
by the listener. My reference book is a bit low here - although
I don't see This Heat and Faust fitting in, like the label tells
us - but Sea And Cake or Kammerflimmer Kollecktief: why not? Fun,
feel good music in which a lot of small surprises are hidden,
but if listened to superficially, this can make the listener quite
happy.
Fessenden is last. This trio of Joshua Convey (bass, electronics),
Stephen Fiehn (guitar, electronics) and Steven Hess (drums, percussion,
vibraphone, electronics) do something different than Baja and
Dot Tape Dot. Improvisation is at the core of their music, but
not at the end of the road. They record everything they do and
play around with the recordings before we hear them. Composed
from improvisation. So far they had a couple of releases on Entr'acte,
Chat Blanc (which they recorded with Keith Berry) and Stasisfield,
but 'v1.1' is their first full length CD release. Overall, their
music is highly atmospheric, even when there are outbursts in
sound, such as in 'Peak V/Z*sin', the final track of the CD, but
that is a rarity. Usually their sound is more like a continuos
stream, in which things rise up, take shape and move away, like
watching the sea. On the whole it looks the same, but close by
it has all sorts of different looks. In a piece like 'Mid-Swing'
they give new meaning to the world minimal techno, in a slow but
moving shaker of a piece. Fessenden has succeeded in making a
great debut album with their original blend of improvisation,
composition, musique concrete and rock music. Very nice one. (FdW)
Address: http://www.other-electricities.com
HIJOKAIDAN - POLAR NIGHTS LIVE (CD by Pica
Disk)
INCAPACITANTS - BURNING ORANGE (CD by Pica Disk)
(Lasse Marhaug's new label released the above recorded live at
All Ears festival in Oslo - both have a mixed line ups - Jojo
and Junko performed as a Hijokaidan for track one (No Oslo No
Harm ) of their disk - the subsequent two being Jojo with guitarist
Per Gisle Galåen (Book Of Changes) and Junko with Sten Ove
Toft (Le Rayon Verte), whereas the other disk has Incapacitants
- Fumio Kosakai and T.Mikawa on track one (Orange Smoke), followed
by (Out Of Schnaps ) by "Fumio Tommiakawa" who are-
Kosakai and T.Mikawa with Tommi Keränen.) Coherance (what
I mean here is all at onceness) cannot communicate, only difference
can, whatever communication is, if it exists at all - noise does
not communicate - it is the problematics of any communication
system (Nyquist-Shannon law), it is immanent - not delayed - not
teleological, neither signifier or signified ergo common to both
these disks is a remarkable demonstration, both opening tracks
of Hijokaidan and Incapacitants are noise, and the others in their
interplay *are not* - do communicate, they are the arch human
tendency to represent (by interplay, recognition, pulse, improvisation,
desire, becoming, binaryism ) and so differentiate from the "throwness"
(a bad word) of noise. Remarkably both CDs demonstrate this gulf
and they are worth listening to for this apart from the excellence
of the performances - though excellence is of course a singling
out -we can predicate the non-noise works - even anticipate- as
an audience member obviously does! on Le Rayon Verte (almost classically
silly!) - and can not of course hope to represent the - un-representational
of the totalising presence of the noise works of Hijokaidan and
Incapacitants - again - ambiplasma - organs without bodies the
Meer der Brustwarzen of the Ephesian Artemis. (jliat)
Address: http://www.picadisk.com
TOMASZ KRAKOWIAK - LA CIUTAT ETS TU (CD
by Etude Records)
JOSE LUIS REDONDO - LA RESPONSE EST AUX PIEDS (CD by Etude Records)
ALFREDO COSTA MONTEIRO - EPICYCLE (CD by Etude Records)
Three new releases on Etude Records from Barcelona, home of 'experimental
and obscure sound archives'. The first is by Tomasz Krakowiak
who was born in Poland but currently lives in Toronto, Canada.
He is a percussion player and composer/improviser, in the latter
capacity he played with all the usual suspects such as Kaffe Matthews,
Gert-Jan Prins, Phil Minton and many more. I am not sure, but
it seems that this is a work of multi-tracking music. Krakowiak
doesn't limit himself to the percussion kit, but uses any sound
that can be applied in a rhythmical manner. At times it seems
like Krakowiak is scratching the surface and I mean this literally:
rubbing the microphone over the carpet in a rhythmical fashion
along with playing percussion. Krakowiak makes strong compositions,
combining the kit with electro-acoustic sounds and very few, it
seems, electronic processes. He also manages to get in a great
amount of variation: from loud and noisy bits to almost melancholic
drone like in 'o_vbrdub'. An exciting work of resonating sounds,
rhythmical explosions and fine interaction.
Jose Luis Redondo is also a new name for me, and he plays string
instruments, like Dobro, banjo, electric guitar, piccolo bass
etc. He is from Barcelona and worked with local groups ranging
from jazz/space/cabaret to irish/funk music and 'La Response Est
Aux Pieds' is his first CD. I must say I found his CD less surprising.
It reminded me of myself. Whenever I see a guitar, an instrument
which I have never ever mastered in any way, I must pick it up,
and pretend to be a guitarist, strumming whatever nonsense accord
I can think, plucking the strings what is not making a melody.
I am not saying that Redondo is the same, I'm sure he's an accomplished
guitarist, but his pieces aren't great. Especially in those places
where plays blues like schematics, in 'Devine A Qui Je Pense?',
we hear the amateur improviser, wanting to create sound, but doesn't
know what makes a fine improvisation. Some parts, which were more
abstract were better, but there is also seems he has picked up
the technique of improvisation, but not yet the imagination.
Sometimes entirely and completely different is the release by
Alfredo Costa Monteiro, who is more a composer than an improviser
like the other two. Perhaps composer is also not the right word,
sound artist would be more appropriate. His work sometimes deals
with installations and take a concept as a starting point. 'Epicycle'
is 'for voice processing' - we read on the cover as it's hard
to imagine voices in the mass of sound. Deep bass, sudden changes,
high pitched sounds - nothing here that sounds like a voice. Although
divided in larger blocks of sound, the rapid changes that happen
every now and then, make this a surprising work. If you like Ilios,
Francisco Lopez or Carl-Micheal von Hauswolff then Monteiro's
austere sound collage of the voice being transformed into an electrical
power plant should be up your alley too. (FdW)
Address: http://www.etuderecords.com
YUI ONODERA - SUISEI (CD by And/oar)
YUI ONODERA - RHIZOME (CDR by Gears Of Sand)
In general terms there are two ways of approaching a new product
when starting to review. First is to take it face value: is the
music good? And take nothing else in account. The other is to
take the rest of what the musician in account and/or place it
in a larger reference. Is it good what he does now, and in what
way fits this his work, and how does it relate to what else is
done in similar direction. If you paid attention over the last
twenty-two years (Vital started in 1986 as a magazine), then you
know I am very much a reviewer that searches for the second approach:
is it new, how does it relate to the rest of the work and the
scene where we can find the artist in. This is a long introduction,
which could no doubt be longer, about these two new works by Yui
Onodera. We have reviewed him before and we learned to know him
as someone who treats field recordings on his computer in minimal,
sketch like soundscapes with little movements per piece. On 'Suisei'
he has only one, forty minute piece, 'composed from environmental
sound and pump organ' and it fits what he know of him. Despite
being one piece, it has various parts through he moves. Whatever
environmental sound is in there is hard to tell, save perhaps
for some rain sounds and also the pump organ is heavily treated.
In the world of Onodera nothing new under the sun, and something
can be said of his role in the endless amount of 'field recording
computer/microsound artists'. When we look from it the first approach
of reviewing, then this is a great work. Calm, quiet, moving,
atmospheric: non harsh ambient/drone music of a refined nature.
About 'Rhizome' we can pretty much say the same thing when it
comes to the first approach of reviewing, except that it's divided
here into seven different pieces, like some of his previous releases.
Shorter pieces, a bit more loop based than 'Suisei', but throughout
- again - no news. No big deal, since it's beautiful too - the
kind of music I play a lot. Onodera here uses, besides the field
recordings, piano, electronics, guitar and voice - and some of
these are clearly recognizable, unlike the pumporgan on 'Suisei'.
A very fine work also this one, but for thrill seekers finding
out new movements in microsound, this is all perhaps a bit too
much of commonplace. (FdW)
Address: http://www.and-oar.org
Address: http://www.gearsofsand.net
PETER NEWMAN - PAPERHOUSE (DVD by Demux)
WADE MARYNOWSKY - INTERPRETATIVE DANCE (DVD by Demux)
Demux is a new DVD-label from Australia, devoted to "promoting
live audio-visual performance events, documentation and experimental
works for screen." The first two entries in their catalogue
are from Australian filmmakers Peter Newman and Wade Marynowsky,
respectively.
Newman's "Paperhouse" presents highly atmospheric images,
usually on the brink of being non-representational, however with
enough suggestive potential to produce ever changing sets of haunting
visual associations. From the nerve wrecking flicker of "Rosebud"
to "The Waking Instant's" minimalist impressions of
a tropical thunderstorm and the exploration of minimal textures
in "Mesh - P.I.V. 7", "Paperhouse" blends
an interest in abstraction and the material aspects of film with
a romantic sensibility. In some aspects Newman's aesthetic brings
to mind the visual experiments of the 1960s and in particular
the work of artists such as Stan Brakhage, but he manages to add
a digital characteristic to it, while maintaining the organic
qualities that are so typical of many classics of experimental
cinema. The soundtrack matches the visual part pretty well throughout.
Mostly drone-based and minimal, with a dark grounding and occasional
held back rhythms or noisy outbursts, it reflects both the images'
psychedelic character and their digital quality. Maybe it wouldn't
be that exciting on its own, but the images wouldn't be either,
and that's how it should be, after all. In "The Waking Instant"
the music gets somewhat pathetic in conjunction with the images,
but that is still all right with me. The only real dropout is
"The 5.19", which is based on found-footage from television.
It doesn't go along well with the other films on a formal level,
and above all it relies too much on the visual attractions generated
by loads of plug-ins.
Marynowsky's "Interpretative Dance" collects mostly
recordings from live AV-performances. The first clip I saw was
"Geek from the swamp" a parody on people sitting behind
their laptops and pretending to do something interesting while
they actually just rearrange preset sounds and images. Aesthetically
the other films continue in this vein, however it soon becomes
apparent, that they are not at all as ironic as the aforementioned.
The problem is that Marynowsky actually loves processing his images
with lots of plug-ins, without being too critical about the results.
This sounds like a hard verdict and maybe things aren't that bad
if you aren't as prejudiced against the bulk of digital arts as
I am, but seeing the flashy colors, 1990s-like animations and
digitally blurred footage in these films didn't really convince
me to watch them more than once. I did watch some of these films
more than once nevertheless, just to make sure that my first impression
was not all wrong. It turned out I shouldn't have been so rude
in my initial judgment, but still I either don't get the point
here, or showing a koala with multicolored rotating spirals in
his eyes is really not funny, just as presenting highly abstracted
images of quiet outdoor scenes, accompanied by soft ambient sounds
is really not engaging. (MSS)
Address: http://www.demux.org
ST.RIDE - ANTOLOGIA DEL MEDIO MONGOHOLI
NASI (CDR by Setola Di Maiale)
It seems that St.Ride gets more and more active through releases.
Also it seems that there is now a third member: Mongoholi Nasi
on guitar, vocals and reeds, next to Maurizio Gusmerini on rhythms
and effects and Edo Grandi on rhythms and effects. This expansion
has certain repercusions for their music. Tracks are, here at
least, very short, just somewhere between one and two minutes,
and are clearly improvised - perhaps so far nothing new, but there
is a stronger emphasis on using vocals and trying to play some
sort of crazy, almost pop tune but all in the strict boundary
of improvised music, which makes an odd combination, but actually
one that also works. The vocals are without words, producing sounds
along the lines of say Jaap Blonk or Phil Minton, but the chopped
rhythms and effects make this less strict improvised and more
pop-like. At only seventeen minutes this is a most curious little
item. Quite a strong leap forward. (FdW)
Address: http://www.setoladimaiale.net
KASSEL JAEGER - EE[ND] (CDR by Mystery Sea)
Ah, a new kid on the block! I never heard of Kassel Jaeger, of
whom I only know he works as a sound engineer for GRM in Paris.
I don't know if this work was realized over there using the elaborate
tools at hand, or perhaps worked on it privately. I am no expert
when it comes to software and such like, but it seems to me that
there is a fair use of what is developed over there. I must keep
on guessing, as to the sound input, which seems to me field recordings,
which are heavily processed. None of the sounds in any of the
five tracks can be easily traced back to it's original form. The
end result is what counts of course and the endresult may be heard!
In trying to change the underworld of deep sea life, Jaeger has
something new on offer that sets him apart from his peers. His
music is somewhat louder and grittier than others. A bit more
noise based, although this is still far away from Merzbow. At
the same time it's not ambient industrial, but rather more academic
in approach, even when the compositions themselves are not like
serious computer avant-garde. You get my drift? Jaeger's music
moves between the lines, off side microsound (too loud), off side
noise (too soft) and off side musique concrete (the pieces are
too minimal). This all makes this a highly interesting release.
Rough and not entirely refined, this is certainly also an odd
ball for this label! (FdW)
Address: http://www.mysterysea.net
ROBE - TREPANATION (CDR by Outfall Channel)
CAPITAL HEMORRHAGE - ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION (CDR by Outfall Channel)
Both of these releases don't have that much information. Nothing
on Robe actually, except the tracktitles and the fact that is
was recorded in 2006. Whatever it is that Robe uses is hard to
tell. My best guess is that he uses radio waves fed through analogue
synthesizers which are all tuned down to the lowest bass possible,
perhaps with the addition of some sound effects. There isn't much
difference in the six tracks on offer here. A slow sound that
rattles, seems to break and rumbles along the depth of the earth.
Ground sounds. Quite nice, but because of the lack of variety
and the length of it all, perhaps a bit too much of a repetition.
The lengthy 'After Three Weeks, Shiny Black 1' could have been
skipped and saved the release. Nice cover actually.
Capital Hemmorrhage is a guitar and percussion player, Jonathan
Prunty and Ryan Faris. It was recorded live to four track it says
and it lists eight tracks but there is one on the CDR. Twenty
four minutes in total of improvised music, crude, loud, quiet,
soft. Capital Hemmorrhage move all over the place. Hard to see
it as eight separate tracks but as one whole it is a concentrated
outburst of energy. The guitar is scraped, goes out to feedback
and explored for tonal qualities. The drums support that and seem
to be less explored than the drums. It plays wild, free tunes.
For those who loved wild free and sheer improvisation, this is
a fine stop. (FdW)
Address: http://www.outfallchannel.com
TWISTED FAERIE TALES - A [WALNUT + LOCUST]
COMPILATION (3"CDR by Walnut + Locust)
Following 'Delicatessen: A Taste Of [Walnut + Locust]' (see Vital
Weekly 598, the label now produces another compilation 3"CDR
from an altogether different angle. The seven pieces here are
more from a 'serious' electro-acoustic music. Each of the seven
artists takes a certain amount of sounds and then transform them
inside the bits and bytes of the computer. The opening by Aidan
Baker is quite strong, and also the piece by Alexandre St-onge.
After that it's all a bit less great I think, ending the almost
gothic approach of Seven Morgues, which reminded me of Ain Soph.
Other artists are .cut & Friends, Famecia, Pine Tree State
Mind Control and Whilst. Perhaps it's the brief character of the
songs that makes it hard for the listener to get into. But it
could always serve as an introduction for those on the lookout
for new music. (FdW)
Address: http://www.walnutlocust.com
GIANCARLO BRACCHI - UNIVERSAL SOUL ADAPTER
(3"CDR, private)
The name sounds Italian, but he's from New York and we came across
him before when reviewing his duo Thick Wisps. This release is
too old to be reviewed for Vital Weekly, so I'll keep it brief.
There is just one piece of guitar sounds, layered to drone nicely.
Some parts are played in reverse. There may be the addition of
a loop of a synth. Once the train is going there is not much change
anymore, until the sixteenth minute break when the guitar plays
starts to play solo's. That was a bit of a pity. The whole thing
is about half too long. It could have a stronger impact when kept
around ten minutes. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/giancarlobracchi