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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 651
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week 45
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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
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Submitting material means you read this and approve of this.
* noted are in this week's podcast
KASPER VAN HOEK - A LIGHT YEAR OF SUNDAYS
(CD by Heilskabaal Records) *
RAFAEL TORAL - SPACE ELEMENTS VOL. 1 (CD by Staubgold) *
ART OF ORYX - FIRST BOOK OF SOUND - (CD by Berlin Moves)
BERNARD GAL - RELIVE (CD by Gromoga Records) *
DJ OLIVE - TRIAGE (CD by Room40) *
ROBBIE AVENAIM - RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT DISORDER (CD by Room40) *
DAMN - FRESTILL SAMPLERIN #1 (2CD compilation by Chmafu Nocords)
*
MZK #001 (CD by Moozak)
SOCCER COMMITTE & MACHINEFABRIEK - DRAWN (CD by Digitalis
Industries) *
MACHINEFABRIEK - RUSLAND (3"CDR by Machinefabriek)
MACHINEFABRIEK - HUISWERK (7" by Ketchup Cavern)
OCEANA COMPANY - FOR THE BOATMAN (CD by Spacejam Records)
ANNELIES MONSERE - SOMEWHERE SOMEONE (7" by Morc Records)
*
THE RETAIL SECTORS - MARCH OF INCURABLE WORKAHOLIC/SONG ABOUT
A GIRL WHO KILLED HERSELF YESTERDAY (8" lathe cut by Distraction
Records) *
A SPIRALE - GARIGA (CDR by Setola Di Matale) * *
FROM THE WHITE CHIMNEYS - NAUTILUS WITH WINGS (CDR by Mystery
Sea)
1000SCHOEN - AMISH GLAMOUR (MUSIC FOR THE SIXTH SENSE) (CDR by
Luciol Editions) *
HORCHATA VS SIL MUIR (3"CDR by Taalem)
CORDELL KLIER - PHONO 4 (3"CDR by Taalem)
VOX POPULI! - SOFT ENTRANCE TO NATURE'S CAMINO DE LUZ (3"CDR
by Taalem)
THE DEAR LISTENERS - APPROACH (3"CDR by Dear Listeners) *
NORMAL - STORM (MP3 by Just Not Normal)
DANADAX -DAXSCAPES II (MP3 by Just Not Normal)
DUST - SIX (MP3 by Just Not Normal)
KASPER VAN HOEK - A LIGHT YEAR OF SUNDAYS
(CD by Heilskabaal Records)
Recently I saw a performance by Kasper van Hoek in collaboration
with some video guy, whose name right now eludes me. Van Hoek
'played' an old stencil machine and some direct processing. Nice,
but a bit sketchy if he'd asked me, which he didn't. Not enough
'composition' and too much 'improvisation'. Whereas from his releases
so far we know he can do a real good thing. His 'Minerva' LP and
'Den Haag/Groningen/Froombosch' CDR were highlights so far. 'Minerva'
can be regarded as a best of LP from the period he spend in art-school
(2004-2006) and this new release, his first real full length CD
'A Light Year Of Sundays' is a best of from the period 2006-2008,
and it may not be a surprise that it includes two pieces from
the aforementioned CDR. I like that. Release CDRs as a more raw
edged work and then a real CD with the best material. A bit like
Machinefabriek did. Ok, so the music, what is it? The eight pieces
here are a far cry from his LP, which was based on crude electronics,
worn out tape-loops and other broken machinery. The computer has
taken over the role of the analogue equipment and this results
in music that is much 'softer' and more delicately constructed
than his early work. Perhaps micro-sound is an appropriate term
for his music. Van Hoek uses drones as the ground pattern of his
compositions to which he adds highly processed field recordings,
or sounds in action. The latter is a bit hard to trace back into
this music. This all culminates in a rather beautiful final piece,
which is a radical deconstruction of the rock band Sexton Creeps.
Here too the drone persists, but various 'band' elements are cleverly
mixed in. Van Hoek knows how to create a composition that is not
the culmination of loose sound events, but builds a strong, intense
collage of sound, which is very nice to hear. Points of reference
are Machinefabriek (but without the extensive use of guitar sounds)
and even more to Roel Meelkop. This is a great CD, very well be
a best of, from what I can judge. The only thing to complain about
is the total absence of track titles and information about the
pieces. Great print-work though! (FdW)
Address: http://www.heilskabaal.net
RAFAEL TORAL - SPACE ELEMENTS VOL. 1 (CD
by Staubgold)
Jazz, according to Rafael Toral, is 'a system of individual decision-making
from the standpoint of free-spectrum live electronics', and since
releasing 'Space' (see Vital Weekly 542), Total plays his own,
and I must add, his own radical version of electronic jazz. On
custom built electronic devices that is. So not a merge of electronics
and jazz, but jazz on electronic devices. As announced back then,
it was part of 'space elements', in which he would play with others,
but 'Space' was a solo record. Here however we get the first volume
of 'Space Elements', which also sees players as Rute Praca (cello),
Margarita Garcia (electric double bass), David Toop (flute) and
Sei Miguel (pocket trumpet). They don't all appear together, but
in various combinations, always along Toral's 'glove controlled
computer sinewaves, ribbon-controlled sinewave bursts, modified
MT-10 amplifier, analog modular synthesizer, delayed and filtered
feedback empty circuit and amplified coil spring' - quite a mouthful.
I am still not a lover of jazz, and prefer to make individual
decisions on perhaps a totally different level, but the musical
ground that is covered here is quite nice. The electronics sound
utterly 'dry', i.e. without sound effects, computer plug ins or
such like, while the other instruments restrict themselves to
play also dry, clean and short sounds. This is indeed 'free' music,
where each player makes his own decision, and as such its perhaps
'jazz', and again perhaps Toral's own term 'post-free jazz electronic
music' covers the entire ground. Its music that goes without much
precedent of the past, and surely marks something new. That by
itself is a great effort, but the results are nice also! (FdW)
Address: http://www.staubgold.com
ART OF ORYX - FIRST BOOK OF SOUND - (CD
by Berlin Moves)
Art of Oryx is a Berlin-based quintet of Christoph Titz (trumpet,
flugelhorn), Frank Sackenheim (saxophones), Thomas Büchel
(guitar, electronics), Willem van Dijk (vocals, acoustic bass,
electronics) and Jonas Burgwinkel (drums). It is mainly a project
of Büchel and Van Dijk, who both also founded Berlin Moves,
a new recordlabel and distribution channel.
The group was founded in 2000 by Dutch musician Willem van Dijk
who met in Germany the musicians with whom he could realize his
musical ideas. A first and second CD were released in 2001 and
2003. They played jazz music in these days. Their newest CD needed
more time in finding its definite shape. Again it is jazzmusic
but also a lot more. First recordings for this cd were done in
2006. These recordings were however treated in the studio by Büchel
and van Dijk. New recordings, environmental sounds, etc. were
added and shaped endlessly until a fluid whole came into being,
an intriguing mix of jazz and popmusic. They surely did a tasteful
and delicate job, resulting in a mature and full-grown piece of
work.
Van Dijk wrote all the music and also the texts. Most of them
are sung by him. For the lyrics he was inspired by the dutch riverlandscape
intermingled with childhood memories. Guest vocalist Iris Romen
does a great job in some of the songs on this album, like in 'Harbour'.
A song that refused to leave my ears and is still echoing in my
mind. A conventional song in fact and very catchy, but dressed
in lots of unusual and uncomfortable sounds. In the way they treat
their material it moves at times towards a radioplay with a strong
evocating power. In this respect their work has some resemblance
with the work of Heiner Goebbels and Alfred Harth. Also their
music is sometimes close to Robert Wyatt (listen to 'The Village
and the Sea') and the musical universe we know from Chris Cutlers'
Recommended Records family. Themselves they describe their music
as alternative, electro-acoustic jazz.
Although they experiment a lot on this cd, and a lot is happening,
like in 'Jannowitzbrücke' where groupplaying is followed
by passages of pure sound, the overall feeling is that of a warm,
harmonic and melodic music of international allure. (DM)
Address: http://www.berlin-moves.com
BERNARD GAL - RELIVE (CD by Gromoga Records)
For whatever reason I am not sure of, the work of Bernard Gal
was never much reviewed in these pages, despite his past seven
releases, a book and a DVD. Its perhaps a name you see more in
the announcement section. Since 2002, he has played over 150 concerts
on four continents, armed with his laptop and devices, and through
a mixture of on the spot improvisation and through the use of
pre-recorded sounds from his previous work (audio, installations),
he plays almost every night something new, it seems. So its perhaps
a more than wise decision to release an album of various piece,
as recorded in concert. The press texts gives a detailed description
of each of the eight pieces, and its a pity that this is not on
the cover, as it is a pretty interest read. The sounds he uses,
the spaces he played in, and, in some cases, the people has played
with (pianist Xenia Hu, Guzhengplayer Yeh Jiuan-Reng and the voices
of Many, Marianthi and Vivian). Gal's selection of his concert
recordings is a great one - at least as far as I can judge, as
I never saw him play live. Its almost possible to say that these
are hardly 'live' pieces at all. They make a coherent whole. Gal
shows himself an excellent player on the microsound scene, taking
bits of his work and presenting new contexts for them. The spaces
play a role in his work in as far that when the audience is super
quiet, he is super quiet too, such as in the near silent 'Schulterblatt'.
Things buzz, hum, crack in a highly intelligent way and never
leaps into boredom, despite the ominous length of this release.
A very fine release altogether. (FdW)
Address: http://www.gromoga.com
DJ OLIVE - TRIAGE (CD by Room40)
ROBBIE AVENAIM - RHYTHMIC MOVEMENT DISORDER (CD by Room40)
'Triage' is the third CD by DJ Olive for Room40, and its also
the third 'sleeping pill', which are 'designed to create a deeply
enveloping environment in which the listener becomes engulfed
in an audio tint'. I missed out on the first one, 'Buoy' from
2004, but 'Sleep' was reviewed in Vital Weekly 527. Again we are
presented with an hour of high quality ambient music, and much
what I wrote last week about Steinbruchel's 'Home' applies here
too: I think music in general should be listened to when fully
awake, or perhaps even in a state of being under the influence,
but when it's nightie night, its silent. I for one would have
a hard time falling asleep. So for me, I can only judge this music
of DJ Olive in terms of being awake. It seems that throughout
this new one is a bit darker than the previous record, but when
you play it 'soft', as recommended by DJ Olive himself, you wouldn't
notice these darker undercurrents as such very much. Built from
field recordings, instruments and lots of computer editing which
make things occasional quite dense, this is quite a nice release.
Something entirely different is the release by Robbie Avenaim.
He's been active in improvised music as a percussion player since
the late 80s, and has played with Otomo Yoshihide, Keith Rowe
and Oren Ambarchi, but oddly enough, this 'Rhythmic Movement Disorder'
is his first solo release. Other than with his 'usual' work, which
all finds its roots in improvised music, this new release is highly
composed. Maybe at its origins lie the improvised playing, but
its then edited on the computer to create something that is no
doubt more linked to electro-acoustic composition than to improvisation.
'Headbanging', the opening piece, sounds occasionally like gamelan,
like early computer music, and like Ikeda's sinewaves, but has
a great vibrancy to it. Things bounce, shift and phase to all
four corners of the world. In 'Headrolling' the rhythmic playing
has become very dense and its almost like a piece of ambient music
- but in a very direct manner. 'Bodyrocking' is a more introspective
piece of music and perhaps a bit more traditional percussion music.
The longest piece is the final 'Bodyrolling', which is the culmination
of all of these things. At just under twenty-nine minutes this
is quite a short CD, and I have the feeling there would have been
easily room for another piece, or even two. This is an excellent
release! (FdW)
Address: http://www.room40.org
DARKROOM - SOME OF THESE NUMBERS MEAN SOMETHING
(CD by Burning Shed)
Micheal Bearpark (electric guitars, pedals, loops, feedback, acoustic
guitar, bass) just returned from touring with No-man (a side project
of Bass Communion and Porcupine Tree) is together with Andrew
Ostler (synthesizers, programming) and Andrew Booker on drum Darkroom,
a project in which the guitar plays the all dominant role. Burning
Shed calls this 'ambient stadium rock', which I though was very
funny, but once I played the album, I thought it was also an appropriate
term. Crazy as it may sound. Darkroom seem to combine all things
guitar from all decades of popular music. Shoegazing, cosmic music,
The Shadows, and post rock. Just to name a few. The guitar swells
and swells, held together by crazy electronics and pounding drums.
I can picture them in a stadium and 'The Valley Of Ten Thousand
Smokes', the start of the CD, could be a great opening tune for
the show. A 4/4 rhythm and lots of sustaining guitar sounds. Lengthy
krauty exercusions in music, that sound by all means 'retro'.
Music to be played loud, which seems also a bit odd for an ambient
production, but this can have it. Its all a bit much this one,
no matter how much I like it, its simply a bit too much. Perhaps
in that stadium I would think otherwise, but here at home I thought
half of this would have been great. Think F/i or Vocokesh on a
more ambient trip. (FdW)
Address: http://www.burningshed.com
DAMN - FRESTILL SAMPLERIN #1 (2CD compilation
by Chmafu Nocords)
In the early, very early years of Vital, when it was written on
paper, we wanted to have a survey on why women were not involved
in experimental music to the same extent as men. Without much
luck. These days the situation is improved - see Olivia Block,
Andrea Neuman, Annette Krebs, to mention a few - but it is still
not a 50-50 situation (and then we could start a discussion about
racial backgrounds of composers, of course). One Hannes Schweiger,
percussion player and journalist, started searching for female
composers and asked them for a composition. Eleven of these are
collected on this double CD, and, hurrah, they are all new names
to be added to the small list. I have no idea how he did his research,
but he found them. Angelica Castello, Cordula Bosze, Manon Liu
Winter, Katharina Klement, Petra Stump, Elisabeth Flunger, Maria
Frodl, Carla Kihlstedt, Susanna Gartmayer, Judith Unterpertinger
and Ilse Riedler. From what I gather, purely based on listening
to this double CD, is that they all studied at the conservatorium
and they all present pieces of 'serious' avant-garde music, and
some ties to the world of jazz. Ilse Riedler's piece is to be
found there, but its traditional jazz for me and Gartmayer and
Stump too freaky. However most of the other pieces are quite nice,
such as the broken plates piece by Manon Liu Winter, the solo
violin cello piece by Frodl, Klement's modern classical piano
piece, or the flute and electronic piece by Cordula Bosze. Best
pieces were an entirely electronic piece by Castello and the voices
of Kihlstedt, which could easily be edited into a horror movie
about monks going mad. A great release this one, exciting and
great music, a true adventure to explore new names. (FdW)
Address: http://nocords.net
MZK #001 (CD by Moozak)
New from Vienna, where things always remain busy it seems, comes
a new label Moozak, which is an extension from the Klub Moozak,
held each month at Fluc since september 2007. All of the twelve
participants played there, and no less then eleven are new, which
once again proofs the electronic and experimental is so much bigger
than one can possibly imagine. The majority of the artists featured
here operate at the more noise based ends of music. Not necessarily
the over the top end of noise, but things here are pretty loud
and present. it moves between tape manipulations of Rinus van
Alebeek (the only name I recognized) and Gedi, to the more digital
surroundings of fAbia and Griefer and the darker side of ambient
of Taos Hum. Griefer also brings rhythm to the outburst, just
like Lamanidayz. At the beginning and the end there are two more
quieter counterpoints, and me thinks the best tracks: Strangelets
microsound ambient glitch and the harmonic textured, almost orchestral
ambient of Dirac. Not every moment is great, such as the luckily
short CD skippings by Analogset, and some are quite long (basically
all four pieces that last nine minutes), but this compilation
offers a nice view of live experimental music - if you run a stage
and if your looking for new acts to book, then this is surely
a good guide. (FdW)
Address: http://www.moozak.org
SOCCER COMMITTE & MACHINEFABRIEK - DRAWN
(CD by Digitalis Industries)
MACHINEFABRIEK - RUSLAND (3"CDR by Machinefabriek)
MACHINEFABRIEK - HUISWERK (7" by Ketchup Cavern)
It seems to be a bit more quiet on the Machinefabriek front, but
once you think so, three releases appear. The first one I thought
was disappointing when it turned out to be so short (twenty-four
minutes), but then I learned it is also released on LP (by Morc
Records from Belgium), which then makes more sense I guess. 'Drawn'
is a collaboration between Rutger Zuydervelt and Mariska Baars,
who is better known as Soccer Committee. I saw Mariska playing
once (although she's going to be around this week here locally!)
and it blew me away. Imagine Oren Ambarchi, the same sparseness
but then with, likewise sparse vocals. This is what the two do
here too: Mariska's songs are the fundament of the music. Slow,
very slow guitar notes, a few words, lots of silence. Zuydervelt
adds his own fine blend of delicate sound processing to the dinner
table, adding some sparse extra sounds on 'instruments' and computer,
all in his trademark style of cracks, pops and subtle drones.
Very quiet music, but quite intense at the same time. Lullabies
for the new dark ages - had that not be already used by someone
else.
Recently Machinefabriek played in Russia four concerts as part
of the Dutch Punch festival. Everything was duly recorded, but
not released as such. The 3"CDR 'Rusland' is an extensive
re-edit of all the concerts plus some additional home recording.
The guitar plays the all important role here, like in more of
Machinefabriek's recent work Soft tinkling, with slowly enveloping
pedal work. On top there is a bit of cracks and pops and with
sparsely orchestrated field recordings. A thoroughly relaxing
piece of music, but one in which there is more sound than in 'Drawn'.
Nice release and on the website there is another twenty-five minute
piece waiting for you.
The final new release is a 7" on Ketchup Cavern, which is
also limited available as a 3"CDR by Machinefabriek himself.
Two, four minute pieces of music. Its nice to see Rutger doing
something that is limited through time and making things a bit
more songlike. It adds a nice freshness to his known sound palette,
a bit more open than the more closed 'Rusland' (for example) and
has a playful character. Guitars tinkle, a drone comes in, the
guitar tinkles further. Maybe he should work on an album with
more of these shorter pieces. Knowing Zuydervelt a bit, I'm sure
its already made. (FdW)
Address: http://www.digitalisindustries.com
Address: http://www.machinefabriek.nu
Address: http://www.ketchupcavern.com
OCEANA COMPANY - FOR THE BOATMAN (CD by
Spacejam Records)
"You know, it might be a wise thing to send a copy of your
CD to a guy close by, in Nijmegen. He does something that is called
Vital Weekly. I have no clue what it is, other than he reviews
music and I believe of some alternative sort, so why not send
a copy of 'For The Boatman' by your band Oceana Company to him.
You know, sounding like Motorpsycho, Porcupine Tree, Q.O.T.S.A.
and Anathema, is surely alternative enough to be part of such
a publication? If you write him that psychedelic, stoner rock,
prog rock and indie music have never been before connected so
well, in The Netherlands of course, then you are bound to get
a review. Just do."
"Thanks mate, CD on its way."
Address: http://www.spacejamrecords.com
ANNELIES MONSERE - SOMEWHERE SOMEONE (7"
by Morc Records)
In Vital Weekly 622 I reviewed a CD-EP by Jessica Bailif and Annelies
Monsere, of high quality minimal songwriting. Monsere returns
here with no less than six songs which she recently recorded,
using a hammond organ, a bit of percussion and her own voice.
Short songs - the title track, just under three minutes being
the longest. Its perhaps very easy to think of poor old Nico when
you hear these songs. Not with the same intense voice, but of
equal minimalist beauty. Monsere plays folk like songs, short
and sweet. Intense but in a different way. Not a note too many,
just the right amount, in every aspect. Great stuff. (FdW)
Address: http://www.morctapes.com
THE RETAIL SECTORS - MARCH OF INCURABLE
WORKAHOLIC/SONG ABOUT A GIRL WHO KILLED HERSELF YESTERDAY (8"
lathe cut by Distraction Records)
Kentaro Togawa is a busy man: responsible for the nice Symbolic
Interaction label and a musician himself under the banner of The
Retail Sectors. The guitar is his main instruments, along with
some pedals and sampled drums. He has had a couple of releases
on his own label, and here comes with two pieces on plastic, erm,
lathe cut. The a-side starts with heavy guitars and heavy drums,
whereas the b-side has a slightly longer quiet intro, before drums
burst in. Togawa calls his music post post post rock and that
is clearly shown in these two pieces. An interest in minimal music
- the repeated quick guitar loops - and in rock music - the heavy
pounding drums. It may seem a curious marriage of two outer limits
of music, but it works well. In the past I have not been always
too enthusiastic about The Retail Sectors, but when it comes served
in such a small dose, its more than welcome. (FdW)
Address: http://www.distractionrecords.com
A SPIRALE - GARIGA (CDR by Setola Di Matale)
Sometimes a press text presents an endless stream of names of
which one has never heard, which hardly makes much sense. Therefore
I can hardly reproduce what I read about A Spirale, but it seems
to be a trio from Italy with Maurizio Argenziano on 'corde ed
elettricita', Mario Gabola on 'sax alto' and Massimo Spezzaferro
on 'batteria' - drums, guitar and saxophone. Sometimes they play
with other people, hence the big list. Here however its just a
trio. Six pieces of improvised music, carefully played, lots of
silence, lots of instrument treatments, other than regular playing.
Quite nice, but also quite regular in their approach to the 'new
silent improvisation'. Electro-acoustic improvisation, with an
occasional traditional approach in playing their instruments.
Index points, or rather separate track titles seem only to be
there for the comfort of the listener, but it might very well
be one session. Nice, but not great, but well executed altogether.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.a-spirale.blogspot.com
FROM THE WHITE CHIMNEYS - NAUTILUS WITH
WINGS (CDR by Mystery Sea)
The name From The White Chimneys appear to be a new one, but the
names behind are well-known, as its the collaboration between
Danny Kretutzfeldt and Ben Fleury-Steiner, both of whom are active
as hell, releasing lots and lots of material on CDRs around the
world. I believe this is their first work together and the three
pieces are all what they are about in their (recent) solo work,
as well what the label stands for. The mighty deeper and darker
atmospherics in life. I have no idea what they use here (field
recordings? electronics? software synthesizers? pure effects?
or perhaps a combination of all of this?), but the three heavy
weight pieces are quite nice. Trademark stuff of this kind of
music. Nothing new or spectacular, but executed with great care
and style. Shimmering melodies, the sinking of a ship, the sea
waves rolling. Great late night music. Unnerving and relaxing
at the same time. (FdW)
Address: http://www.mysterysea.net
1000SCHOEN - AMISH GLAMOUR (MUSIC FOR THE
SIXTH SENSE) (CDR by Luciol Editions)
HORCHATA VS SIL MUIR (3"CDR by Taalem)
CORDELL KLIER - PHONO 4 (3"CDR by Taalem)
VOX POPULI! - SOFT ENTRANCE TO NATURE'S CAMINO DE LUZ (3"CDR
by Taalem)
Another new division from the house of Taalem, next to Kokeshidisk
and Taalem, is Luciol Editions, and I am not sure why this is.
1000schoen is the project of Helge Siehl, who went solo after
the split of Maeror Tri, when the other members became Troum.
He has released already a couple of works, and hearing 'Amish
Glamour (Music For The Sixth Sense)', one could have some interesting
thoughts about the split of Maeror Tri, and the music of Troum
and 1000schoen. After all these years, its still strongly connected,
soundwise. The differences between the three are to be spotted
with a magnifying glass. Lengthy dark ambient pieces, built from
lots and lots sound effects applied to a few instruments, to an
extent in which we no longer recognize what instrument it is.
Loops are used to great length also and 1000schoen walks the path
of ambient, industrial with a touch of magical. Nothing new under
the burning dark ambient sun, but executed with great. Perhaps
his best release so far.
Taalem is the imprint for 3"CDR releases of a more droney
nature. Like Drone Records 7" series, this is a long running
enterprise, now up to number 54. They are usually released in
series of three. The first is a collaboration between Michael
Palace, also known as Horchata and Sil Muir being Andrea Ferraris
(all guitars) and Andrea Marutti (all treatments). It seems that
Horchata delivered the raw material, Ferraris added some more
guitar and that Marutti did the overall sound design. Two great
pieces of dark atmospheric drone music. Nothing new, but very
very dark and elegant.
Cordell Klier has already had a bunch of releases on labels as
Ad Noiseam, Mystery Sea, Afe Records, Gears Of Sand and his own
Doctsect label. Its not easy to hear what is going on 'Phono 4'.
This hoovers very much on the edge of near silence. Soft crackles,
even more soft drone like sounds, some field recording. And all
of this in the middle of the storm of silence. Turn up the volume
really high or use the best headphones. Its great minimalist beauty,
in the best microsound tradition.
Its quite a surprise to see Vox Populi! to be part of Taalem.
Axel Kyrou has been active since the early 80s in the field of
experimental music, but sometimes with a more pop like direction
(in the early stages), ethnical (later on). I wasn't always a
big fan of his work, but what he does here is very nice. There
is a long list of instruments used and places that were recorded,
which are finely woven into a three piece suite of all these various
sound sources, making a very nice sound scape of animal sounds,
chimes, bells and other field recordings. If this is his recent
direction, then I am all ears. (FdW)
Address: http://www.taaleem.com
THE DEAR LISTENERS - APPROACH (3"CDR
by Dear Listeners)
The second release for The Dear Listeners, the new and ongoing
project of former Vance Orchestra member Robert Deters and Martin
Luiten (Uw Hypotheekadvies and Pick-up member) and again on a
3"CDR. 'Approach' has two pieces of Luiten's guitar work
and Deters' electronics. In 'Part 1' they operate on a more drone
related base, as 'Vallen' did before this. There is a distinctive
live feel to it again, of sounds popping in and out the mix. Sustained
frequencies from the electronics, the guitar fed through a ring
modulator, while being played with an e-bow. The second piece
starts out and has throughout the sound of humming voices. A more
angular sound is used here and even at some point there is a bit
of rhythm coming through the louder, densities of the piece. Two
quite different pieces working from a similar ground. A very nice
follow-up to 'Vallen'. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/thedearlisteners
NORMAL - STORM (MP3 by Just Not Normal)
DANADAX -DAXSCAPES II (MP3 by Just Not Normal)
DUST - SIX (MP3 by Just Not Normal)
A new MP3 label from The Netherlands, using the advantages of
blog pages. A great and even more simple way of starting a label,
and great to by pass Myspace and such commercial nonsense. Just
Not Normal is connected to a radio program called Not The Normal
Shit Radio. I received a data CDR with three current releases.
Mark, label boss (ho-hum), says he knows the artist Normal for
about five years, but that the artist doesn't want to say much
about himself. He's from the USA, and not, as I expected, Mark
himself. Three pieces dealing with the issue of 'storm', all exactly
twenty minutes in length. Perhaps its built from field recordings
of a storm, I don't know. But they are fed through a bunch of
computer plug ins which seem to work at random, but in a slow
manner. Things never really unfold but move rather linear. It
moves between certain parameters and then bounces back. Its quite
nice music to work by. Not too demanding, but also not too ambient.
Owing a bit to the work of Roland Kayn I thought. A fine break
from the world of pure field recording, moving into a more musical
area.
Also from Daxscapes nothing is known, not even where he's from.
'Daxscapes II' is the follow up to a release on the Amduscias
label. Here too its not easy to tell what is going on. Again it
might be field recordings, but then from all sorts of electrical
sources, being fed through the computer to make things more noisy
than their origins. Corroded circuits, ambient hum, electric discharges:
this is a rather unpleasant piece of ambient industrial music
- the post nuclear landscape, or the sci-fi soundtrack to a film
that has no peaceful end.
The last one is by an artist from the UK, called Dust and 'Six'
is, you might have guessed, his sixth album. I am least enthusiastic
about this one. The pieces use an amount of rhythm, which sometimes
is borrowed from the world of techno, but also from glitch. The
first three pieces fade easy into eachother, and so do the final
three. The final three are a bit more 'drone' based with rhythms,
and the first three just rhythm based. Nothing much happens that
made things really worthwhile, though as a piece of background
music things aren't totally bad either. One assumes there is more
into than just this, I guess. (FdW)
Address: http://justnotnormal.wordpress.com