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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 666
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week 8
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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
SATORI - KANASHIBARI (CD by Cold Spring)
SATORI - CONTEMPTUS MUNDI (CD by Cold Spring)
ROZENHALL (CD by Fylkingen Records)
ROZENHALL - FORECUSST (CD by Kning Disk) *
FLORIAN BOGNER & SYLVIE LACROIX & ALEXANDER STANKOWSKI
- LANDSCHAFT MIT FLÖTE (CD by Loewenhertz) *
STROTTER INST - MINENHUND (CD by Hinterzimmer Records) *
GAGARIN - ADAPTOGEN (CD by Geo Records) *
KLUMPES AHMAD - IN BED WE TRUST (CD by Hello Square Recordings)
*
AUSTIN BENJAMIN TRIO - AMALGAMA (CD by Hello Square Recordings)
AUSTIN BENJAMIN TRIO - UNRAVELED, REWOVEN (CD by Hello Square
Recordings)
JIM MCAULEY - THE ULTIMATE FROG (2CD by Drip Audio)
SYMBIOSIS ORCHESTRA - LIVE JOURNEYS (CD by Baskaru)
JOHN WIESE & C. SPENCER YEH - CINCINNATI (CD by Dronedisco)
*
8ROLEK - FAT PIGS (CD by Warsztat8r) *
MARISKA BAARS & ROBERT DETERS & RUTGER ZUYDERVELT - GRIS
GRIS (CD by Low Point) *
FRANCK VIGROUX & MATTHEW BOURNE - ---ME MADAME (GOOD NEWS
FROM WONDERLAND) (CD by D'Autres Cordes) *
SPECTRA - GUITAR IN THE 21ST CENTURY (CD compilation by Quiet
Design)
M. TEMPLETON & AA. MUNSON - ACRE LOSS (CD/DVD by Anticipate)
*
COLORFIELD VARIATIONS (DVD by Line)
THEO TRAVIS/FEAR FALLS BURNING - THE TONEFLOAT SESSIONS (LP by
Tone Float)
SAND SNOWMAN - TWO WAY MIRROR (CD by Tone Float)
HAPTIC - THE MEDIUM (LP by FSS)
OUR LOVE WILL DESTROY THE WORLD - STILLBORN PLAGUE ANGELS (LP
by Dekorder)
XELA - THE ILLUMNINATED (LP by Dekorder)
STEPHAN MATHIEU - THE KEY TO THE KINGDOM (10" by Dekorder)
HITOSHI KOJO - EZO (10" by Alluvial Recordings)
WOLFGANG MÜLLER - SEANCE VOCIBUS AVIUM (7" and book
by Fang)
VOLCANO THE BEAR - THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THEY ARE MONSTERS/BOW
HEAVIER MY LORD (7" by Quasipop)
DOC WÖR MIRRAN - EDGES 3 & 4 (7" by Empty Records)
DOC WÖR MIRRAN - AMBIALL (10CDR by Empty Records) *
KATAPULTO - BODYHAMMER (CDR, private) *
MECHA/ORGA - 50:01 (CDR by Echo Music) *
MHFS - A HOUSE PAINTER'S MANUAL (CDR by Black Petal) *
MARK SADGROVE & ANTHONY GUERRA - IRON SAND (CD by Black Petal/A
Binary Datum) *
SIMON WHETHEM - UNDERSTORY (web release by Trente Oiseaux) *
SATORI - KANASHIBARI (CD by Cold Spring)
SATORI - CONTEMPTUS MUNDI (CD by Cold Spring)
Recently in this mag you could read a review of a three-in-one
noise compilation consisting of Merzbow, Sutcliffe Jugend and
the interesting project called Satori. The contribution of Satori
on the compilation was a so-called hypnopompic mix of a track
from present re-released album "Kanashibari", which
was originally released in 2007. "Kanashibari" is the
Japanese word for sleep paralysis. Sleep paralysis is the condition
that occurs when people are waking up from sleep. It is the short
period in the sleeping state where people are paralysed - unable
to move. That certain condition of the sleep state are depicted
in a quite threatening manner by Satori - a joint venture between
founder of Cold Spring, Justin Mitchell and Neil Chaney also known
for his industrial-project Pessary. The album is a 52 minutes
long journey into utterly dark ambience. The work is based on
deep and hypnotizing drones blowing into the listener like a stormy
wind. Imagine yourself lost in an endlessly dark forest of ghouls
and monstrous noises in the middle of a stormy night. The minimalist
sonic darkness creates an alluring trance-like effect making the
album the perfect companion for a trip into the deep layers of
human sub-consciousness. Another album from the Satori-camp has
seen the light of the day or rather the darkness of the night.
"Contemptus mundi" is another very dark effort from
the two british composers, this time in collaboration with the
high priest of the church of Satan, Magus Peter H. Gilmore. While
the joint venture behind Satori create dark ambient of low end
rumbles added processed choir, bells and ochestral brass, Magus
Peter H. Gilmore accompanies with spoken words focusing on the
weakness of modern world. Underneath the multilayered dark ambient
some slow and heavy rhythms creates a ritualistic atmosphere on
the album. After the lengthy track "Contemptus mundi"
running 26 minutes, comes a remix with an exclusive focus on the
instrumental side and with more concentration on noisy elements.
Where the opening track belongs to the dark ambient-style this
so-called "Nameless wrath mix" is more towards the ambient-noise-style.
Never the less two interesting ambient-based works from Satori
that will appeal to listeners of projects such as Inade, Brighter
Death Now and Lustmord. (NM)
Address: http://www.coldspring.co.uk
ROZENHALL (CD by Fylkingen Records)
ROZENHALL - FORECUSST (CD by Kning Disk)
Of these two release the self-titled CD by Rozenhall on Fylkingen
is a re-edition of two older LPs, both previously released by
Firework Edition Records, in 2001 and 2003. Only the first, 'Miasmasum'
was reviewed in Vital Weekly 317, of which I wasn't too pleased,
but much water has passed under the bridge, so now there is a
CD re-issue of both albums, as well as a new work. Rozenhall is
Daniel Rozenhall, a Swedish composer, visual artists and record
producer at Fylkingen, who primarily records his work at EMS Studios
in Stockholm.
The re-issue seems to be an incomplete, as far as 'Miasmasun'
is concerned, or perhaps they listened to my complaints and left
of the weakest tracks. Rozenhall uses the studio that holds all
the old analogue synthesizers at EMS - studio 4 that is, with
a bucla and a serge modular - to a great extend here. His prime
interest lies in producing dark electronic music which can be
going into a softer, textured mood, like on 'Eyeland', the second
LP from 2003, or into a more noisy area of 'Miasmasun', which
we might regard as the first embryonically stages of music making.
On the first part of 'Eyeland' things are also quite noise based,
but they seem to me to be worked out more than on the first record.
Still I must admit that both records didn't do much for me. The
compositions were quite long, and somewhat too minimal in approach,
with not enough differiation.
'Forecusst' is his most recent work and one that I think is much
more interest. Here his various interests blend together nicely:
there is a fine balance between ambient sounds and noise bits
into compositions that sound as compositions, and not a bunch
of sounds let loose in the computer, running around on end. Quite
cinematic music in approach, I could imagine this would work well
as a soundtrack to science fiction movies of spaceships in pitch
black skies and enemies firing laser guns, before landing on a
radio active waste dump - an empty planet was used for this -
and geiger counters running amok. Rozenhall's ambient industrial
sound has certainly matured over the years, and will no doubt
continue to grow. 'Forecusst' is the start of that growth. (FdW)
Address: http://www.fylkingen.se
Address: http://www.kningdisk.com
FLORIAN BOGNER & SYLVIE LACROIX &
ALEXANDER STANKOWSKI - LANDSCHAFT MIT FLÖTE (CD by Loewenhertz)
Somehow I don't think I heard of these musicians before: Florian
Bogner (electro-acoustics, composition), Sylvie Lacroix (flutes,
composition) and Alexander Stankowski (sampler, composition/concept).
Ok, concept? If I understood well, the concept is taking the flute
out into the field and recording it along with the ambience of
the location. What happens next I don't know. Of the nine pieces,
two (beginning and end) seem to be the pieces around which thing
evolve here. The seven short pieces in between those are perhaps
raw building blocks used in the title compositions, part one and
part two. I must admit I have some trouble with this. It all is
based on the ideas of improvisation, that's for sure, but it didn't
do much for me. It seemed to me all a bit too easy and non-commited.
The music remains stale and remote. "Look what we can with
our gear", seems to be the motto of this. The short pieces,
from a minute to two and half minutes are merely sketches and
interludes, working up to the second part of the title piece,
but both of these long pieces are simply a bit too long for my
taste. Perhaps this is just not for me. (FdW)
Address: http://www.loewenhertz.at
STROTTER INST - MINENHUND (CD by Hinterzimmer
Records)
Music by Christoph Hess, also known as Strotter Inst has been
reviewed before, solo or with his work. Hess uses modified old
Lenco turntables, playing with rubber bands, records with tape
affixed to it to create loops and rhythms and some effects are
also in place. Nothing new under the turntable sun? Well, yes,
actually there is. The music by Strotter Inst doesn't sound like
Philip Jeck or Christian Marclay, but is more rooted in the world
of industrial music on that very crossroad where it meets the
minimalism of say Pan Sonic and the early father of minimalist
music. Strotter Inst uses multi tracking for his pieces to create
a dense atmosphere for his music. Things bounce up and down and
make throughout a heavy, solid sound, but he also knows how to
pull back and make a more quieter song, like in '#9'. These are
fourteen very fine pieces, but its a bit too much. The good thing
about old LP releases was the limited time available and it made
musicians, I believe so at least, a bit more selective. 'Minehund'
could have benefitted from that too. Maybe at forty minutes this
would have been a great release, instead of a good one, with some
weaker moments. But otherwise a fine CD indeed. (FdW)
Address: http://www.hinterzimmer-records.com
GAGARIN - ADAPTOGEN (CD by Geo Records)
Graham Dowdall was, a long time, known as Dids and he played drums
in Ludus, one of those early youngster idols of me, but since
a couple of years he works as Gagarin as well as with a band named
Roshi. His 'Ard Nev' CD was reviewed in Vital Weekly 544 and since
then his sound developed more. More than on 'Ard Nev' it seems
that Dowdall has embraced the technology of today, synthesizers,
rhythm machines and such like, but then all of that in the world
of computers. Still his music is firmly rooted in the melodic
techno scene, the world of say Expanding Records, Highpoint Lowlife,
Boltfish and such like. Still highly melodic, highly moody and
melancholic as before, but also a bit more mechanical in approach.
And still for old Ludus fans a shock, but their work is well documented
on CD, so its time to move on. Gagarin stands firmly inside the
current wave of sound and beat creators, and as such produces
nothing new under the sun, but its a fine album altogether. (FdW)
Address: http://www.gagarin.org.uk
KLUMPES AHMAD - IN BED WE TRUST (CD by Hello
Square Recordings)
AUSTIN BENJAMIN TRIO - AMALGAMA (CD by Hello Square Recordings)
AUSTIN BENJAMIN TRIO - UNRAVELED, REWOVEN (CD by Hello Square
Recordings)
Jazz music? Jazz music it is. The Hello Square Recordings label
have developed from shoegazing laptop music into a jazz label.
Perhaps not as clear cut on the release by Klumpes Ahmad, which
a duo of Adrian Klumpes (piano, rhodes, contact microphone, FX
pedals) and labelboss Shoeb Ahmad (guitar, tapes, computer, pedals,
mixer). This is perhaps not the real jazz, as some may expect
from my intro here, but then I must admit I heard the other ones
first. Then, when playing Klumpes Ahmad, I noticed the piano especially
playing slow jazzy motifs here, whereas much of the rest of instruments
find their origins in laptop techniques. That may sound like an
odd mixture, but its one that works quite well, I must say. Highly
moody tunes, with a crackle base, loops of field recordings, heavily
treated guitars, but then also laidback piano sounds on top. Not
the real jazz thing of course, but I wish it was: I would certainly
want to hear more of it.
The real jazz comes from the Austin Benjamin Trio, named after
the pianist and bandleader of the three, also with Chris Pound
on double bass and Evan Dorrian on drums. They have been part
of the Andi & George Band and Spartak. This is unVital music,
but usually its used to denounce something rock like, but here
its jazz, acoustic jazz to be precise. I have no knowledge whatsoever
of jazz, but this seems to me not too regular. The drums play
patterns that we know from dub music, but never too long or too
ongoing, before going back to piano and bass sounds. Like jazz,
that much I know, each player gets his solo, per piece. Its a
crazy release, and although nothing I would play very often, I
must admit I had pleasure in hearing this, even if it was for
the sheer pleasure of hearing something else than field recordings,
laptops or noise. But perhaps my interest was also stirred by
the simultaneous release of it with 'Unraveled, Rewoven', a remix
CD with four remixes, by The Remote Viewer, Mapstation, Andrew
Pekler and C.S.K.A. In these remixes of course electronics do
play a part, since each of the four artists samples favorite bits
to construct a new piece, which however is still close to the
original. The Remote Viewer has a nice sparse track of low sounds,
while Mapstation adds a more electronic drum to it, and taking
the piano and bass also into an electric field, with a nice uplifting
track. Pekler stays close to the original, only to add, it seems,
some effects to the original, while new artist C.S.K.A. waves
together a more ambient piece with a strong focus on the piano
sounds. Nice pieces here, taking the original into a new land.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.hellosquarerecordings.com
JIM MCAULEY - THE ULTIMATE FROG (2CD by
Drip Audio)
A double-CD filled with duets by guitarist Jim McAuley on the
one hand and four guestmusicians on the other: Leroy Jenkins (violin),
Nels Cline (guitars), Alex Cline (drums, percussion) and Ken Filiano
(bass). McAuley himself plays classical, steel-string, 12-string,
prepared marquette parlor guitars, dobro and marxophone.
Jim McAuley was born in Kansas in 1946. His musical career started
at the end of the 60s. He played on records by Perry Como and
Frank Sinatra. But he soon left this musicbusiness and returned
in the mid 70s in Los Angeles as a guitarimprovisor playing with
clarinettist John Carter for example. Later he searched the company
of post-Harry Partch microtonalists like Erv Wilson, Ivor Darreg
and Kraig Grady. As a performing musician he kept a low profile
all these years, and his improvised music is hardly documented
on vinyl or CD. He has an album out with his Acoustic Guitar Trio
(with Nels Cline and Rod Poole) on Incus Records, and Nine Winds
released a solo-album by him called 'Gongfarmer'. So 'The Ultimate
Frog' is a welcome release. This project started as a collaboration
with Leroy Jenkins six years ago. Later it seemed worthwhile to
McAuley to complement these improvisations by duets with other
improvisors, and so this impressive double CD came into being.
The recordings with Leroy Jenkins were done in 2002. In 2006 and
2007 - the year that Jenkins passed away - the other recordings
were done. The avant garde improvising by McAuley on his acoustic
guitar, has its roots in jazz and even more in folk. In a very
personal style we meet him in open and free improvisations. But
in other duets blues, folk, flamenco and many other influences
are at work.
There is much to be enjoyed in the 24 pieces that found their
way to this release. The first CD opens with an intense confrontation
with Leroy Jenkins. To be continued by a ballad with Nels Cline
with touches of flamenco. Also the first piece with Alex Cline
is a laid back improvisation with beautiful colors and textures.
The very abstract improvisation 'Escape Tones' with Ken Filiano
is more close to the Derek Bailey-style. Many moods and tempers
pass by. Sometimes the improvisation goes along very adventurous
and wild, at other moments the music sounds composed to my ears.
But whether completely free or departing from prefixed ideas,
in all pieces all the influences are integrated into a music that
is very much of their own. The music breaths an atmosphere of
peace and harmony throughout. This is absolutely a beautiful and
highly enjoyable document. Improvised music with a deep soul.
(DM)
Address: http://www.dripaudio.com
SYMBIOSIS ORCHESTRA - LIVE JOURNEYS (CD
by Baskaru)
The Symbiosis Orchestra was created in 2005 by italian sound artist
Andrea Gabriele for a festival in Pescasa as a one-time multimedia
project. Gabiele plays since 1994 with electronic devices, electric
bass, double bass, guitars, piano, etc. as a member of Tu m,,
Mou Lips! and Pirandèlo. 'Live Journeys' is the first document
of this Orchestra. Because the visuals of Claudio Sinatta make
up an important part of the whole we have only half of the project
in our hands with this cd. The CD carries a selection of recordings
from various performances.
Gabriele plays keyboards, computer, guitar & bass. Also on
electronics Scanner and Mario Masullo. Prominent is the treated
voice of Iris Garrels. Stefano Tedesco plays vibes, Geoff Warren
flute, Diego Conti violin, Roberto di Egidio on trumpet and Michele
Scurti on piano. As the name of this group already indicates this
a project of crossing borders, blending and fusing electronic
and acoustic soundsources, sounds and images, etc. It results
in some very accessible atmospheric soundscapes. But as is often
the case with mixed media projects, it sounds all very loosely
put together. The music does not originate from a strong musical
concept. This implies that some interesting and nice moments pass
by, but most of it fails to make any impression. I have to add
however that we are missing the visual part of this project. Maybe
together it makes up a satisfying whole. (DM)
Address: http://www.baskaru.com
JOHN WIESE & C. SPENCER YEH - CINCINNATI
(CD by Dronedisco)
We may know both of them as noise makers and perhaps best to forward
to Jliat, but since meeting both artists, on different occasions
I think, the curious me thought it would be good to check 'what
they are doing now'. It was nice to keep and investigate further.
Wiese plays here 'electronics, objects, msp, voice, synthesizer'
and Yeh plays 'voice, synthesizer, electronics, tabletop bass
guitar, objects'. The first thing that can be noticed is that
there are fourteen tracks here, which range somewhere between
one and half minute and six minutes. That's perhaps I wouldn't
expect. Maybe I assumed three fifteen minutes of straight forward
noise. That also doesn't happen. Surely things are noisy around
'Cincinnati', but the two take their inspiration more from the
world of musique concrete than from the true noise world. They
cut the sounds to pieces, play around with acoustic objects, amplified
and recorded with contact microphones, take back in volume when
needed and push things up when necessary. Each of the fourteen
pieces has its own character, sounding different from the previous
or the next, making this a highly varied but also highly interesting
CD. This is the kind of the noise thing that gives me a great
smile on my face, certainly some of the more funnier pieces using
voices and the the nice cover art. (FdW)
Address: http://www.dronedisco.com
8ROLEK - FAT PIGS (CD by Warsztat8r)
Bartek Kujawski is the man behind 8rolek, and as such we reviewed
him before, with a trio of albums on Mik Musik. Last year, in
Vital Weekly 630, we reviewed an album under this one name, which
didn't entirely convince or satisfy me. Maybe it didn't also convince
him very much, since he returns now with a new 8rolek album on
the same label as last year and this one surely does the trick
again. 8rolek plays music that isn't part of any scene, except
for that wide range of scenes that could be called 'anything rhythmic'.
8rolek throws all sorts of rhythm into his computer, from disco,
techno, breakcore, drum 'n bass, samba, anything you want and
gets a bunch of crazy sounds as melodies and out comes a music
that some people could perhaps dance to. Not me, I never dance.
But I like tapping my foot to this. Nice take on popmusic here
in all its aspects. (FdW)
Address: http://www.warsztat8r.pl
MARISKA BAARS & ROBERT DETERS &
RUTGER ZUYDERVELT - GRIS GRIS (CD by Low Point)
This is not the first time that Mariska Baars (also known as Soccer
Committee), Robert Deters (previously of Vance Orchestra and also
of Deer Listeners) and Machinefabriek's Rutger Zuydervelt meet
up. They worked together in various incarnations and they also
performed live, and I saw this once, and I have good memories
about it. Now that I hear 'Gris Gris', it all comes back. Starting
point here is the voice of Mariska Baars. Unlike her own work
she doesn't sing songs but produces some unwordly sounds, which
is being picked up by the machines of Deters and Zuydervelt, who
process it on the spot, adding more electronics and field recordings.
Three pieces, spanning almost forty minutes of some pitched black
(or should that be pitch black?) sounds. In part one the voice
is the only guiding principle, whereas in part two there are also
other sounds to be detected and its more alike the current Machinefabriek
sound of slowly enveloping sounds in a slight rhythmic background.
Guitars may play some role in part three, but then perhaps not.
Here things are that their gloomiest, with deep bass sound and
high pitched one on top. Excellent work throughout. Lots of tension
and executed with great care. Great release. (FdW)
Address: http://www.low-point.com
FRANCK VIGROUX & MATTHEW BOURNE - ---ME
MADAME (GOOD NEWS FROM WONDERLAND) (CD by D'Autres Cordes)
Following the 'jazz' releases of Hello Square reviewed elsewhere,
here is also a release that has loose connections to the world
of jazz. Matthew Bourne plays acoustic and electric piano, analogue
synths and voice here, and brings in the element of jazz, while
Franck Vigroux plays analogue synths, electroacoustic, guitar
and turntables bring on the elements of strangeness in this release,
making this never a strict jazz release, but more a wild and weird
mixture of improvisation, noise, electro acoustic music and a
just a bit of jazz. There is a substantial amount of reverb to
be noted here on some of the pieces, which is a bit much, I think.
The ten tracks are loaded with sounds, leaving hardly any room
for the listener to breathe. That makes it not a very easy listening
release. There is not just always something going, but it seems
to be going on with much force. The noise lies here in the fact
that its loud, but never in the feedback/distortion sense of the
noise word. Great but much. A top heavy work, but when consumed
in a smaller dose its certainly well digestiable. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/dautrescordes
SPECTRA - GUITAR IN THE 21ST CENTURY (CD
compilation by Quiet Design)
Perhaps it is a surprise that in a world filled technology, people
still play the guitar. Sometimes solo, but more and more surrounded
by the world of computers, picking up the sound and making treatments
of the sound. On this compilation we find examples of both ends
- from the empty, sparse notes of Tetuzi Akiyama to the guitar
disappearance from Cory Allen, where the instrument seemingly
gets lost in the computer. And everything in between those parameters.
Eight pieces which are all around seven to ten minutes, so that
we get a clear picture of what these musicians do. There are some
names here of whom I never heard like Kim Myhr and Mike Vernusky,
but mostly its people with some reputation on the scene like Sebastian
Roux, Duane Pitre, Erdem Helvacioglu and two old masters of the
guitar, Keith Rowe and Jandek, the latter adding, in his true
outsider position, some voice to the strings. Its quite a strong
compilation, a fine showcase of what these people do, with outstanding
pieces by Duane Pitre and Keith Rowe - although from an entirely
different end of things. (FdW)
Address: http://www.quietdesign.us
M. TEMPLETON & AA. MUNSON - ACRE LOSS
(CD/DVD by Anticipate)
Sometimes I just fail to understand things, but perhaps I would
never release a CD and DVD, of which the DVD has the same music
as the CD. Its seems to be a bit of a waste I guess? Or perhaps
uneconomical? Munson is the man who produced the film part of
this: dreamy sequences of landscapes, setting sun, a man lonely
wondering around, images of the empty land, birds, and such images
alike, sometimes processed, which seem to fit very well with the
music produced by Mark Templeton. He plays guitar and banjo, along
with a whole bunch of field recordings under his belt, which are
all processed on the computer. In both senses, audio and video,
I must admit that what I heard and saw was great, but nothing
new under the sun. Nothing that struck me as odd, strange, new,
or something that would provide new insight. Music and film however
are well produced and work together quite well. Templeton's guitar,
unprocessed plays an important, admist the crackle, buzz and hiss,
which are kept into a polite corner of his soundworld, but its
nicely produced in ten short pieces, which are concise and to
the point and excellent produced. If micro ambient is your tea
and you like some dreamy visuals to it, then I guess this is your
cup of tea. (FdW)
Address: http://www.anticipaterecordings.com
COLORFIELD VARIATIONS (DVD by Line)
Richard Chartier is the curator of an exhibition of video and
sound works under the guise of 'Colorfield Variations', which
is perhaps best described as 'one color in many variations', and
which dates back to the 1950s when people started to worked with
stripes, washes and fields of one color. Excellent work to translate
to moving images and sound. This DVD is the result of that exhibition
and is, perhaps, best viewed on a big screen and when seated in
the dark. Both of which didn't occur when I watched it, simply
because I don't have a cinema at home. If you hope some narrative,
video clip type of stuff, then this is the wrong place. If you
want some abstract images, sometimes with a few colors and lines,
then this is the right place. Each of the artists fill in the
notion of colorfield in their own way. The flickering colors of
Stephan Mathieu is something entirely different than the strict
lines of Frank Bretschneider, whose music runs synchrony with
the images. And both of which has nothing to do with the photograph
and translucent materials of Sue Costabile. Some works are connected
through approach like Tina Frank/General Magic and Bas van Koolwijk's
bumping images and noise approach to music. They also break with
the usual music that Line presents, but that is well taken for
in other places here, such as Mathieu, Chris Carter & Cosey
or Steve Roden (these three alone are good for thirty minutes
of music). Chartier has done a great job in selecting these images
which show a wide range of approaches to the ideas of colorfield,
both in music and in sound. (FdW)
Address: http://www.12k.com
THEO TRAVIS/FEAR FALLS BURNING - THE TONEFLOAT
SESSIONS (LP by Tone Float)
SAND SNOWMAN - TWO WAY MIRROR (CD by Tone Float)
Our man Dirk Serries, guitarist these days as Fear Falls Burning,
former electronic specialist as Vidna Obmana, is a busy man. Playing
concerts everywhere, releasing an endless string of beautiful
records. Here he teams up with one Theo Travis, of whom I never
heard, and who gets credit for 'Trevor James Alto Flutes and uses
the travis system of ambitronics' - which, by just listening to
the sound of it, is much a like Fear Falls Burning, an effective
use all those things that make sound going into a loop, while
being able to play on top of them. Its a simply but highly effective
procedure to create ambient slash drone music. Somewhere in the
springtime of 2008 they recorded two side long pieces. Each of
the pieces start with one artist: Dirk's guitar opens 'The Lamentation
Returns' and Theo's flute on 'Melancholy Of The Masses', but both
quickly unfold in a majestic tapestry of sound, in which guitar
and flute seem to melt into eachother. Of course I could question
wether this sounds 'new', and perhaps I should, but I don't. Somehow
I don't think Serries cares very much about innovating the sound
and the methods he is using (I don't know for Travis of course),
but he rather cares for reaching out to just beautiful music.
Which in itself is not a bad thing either, of course. Perhaps
the only real guidance for good music. Innovation - so often the
guiding principle of Vital Weekly - is just one thing, but perhaps
only valid for those tired reviewer ears, craving to hear something
new - but in the end, even we realize, its beauty that counts.
And in the capable hands of Fear Falls Burning this is well taken
care of. These sessions proof this once again. Following his string
of solo releases, the time is just more than right I guess to
explore his guitar playing in collaboration with others. Following
his work with KPTMichigan (see Vital Weekly 653), which was good,
this one is a new step up. This is even better.
Because Tone Float says that Sand Snowman is a '21st Century continuation
of a tradition which began with artists like the Incredible String
Band and Nick Drake', I took their latest release 'Two Way Mirror'
to someone who loves Nick Drake and asked for his opinion, since
I thought it wouldn't be anything for Vital. Unfortunately my
friend didn't like it either. What to do? Thinking of all the
various writers for Vital Weekly, I couldn't picture who this
might review. Don't get me wrong: this is not a bad CD at all.
It just moves far away from the usual pack of sounds here. Sand
Snowman plays melodic guitar music, with vocals by guest vocalists
like Moonswift, Jason Ninnis and Steven Wilson, cello, xylophone,
flutes and is throughout folk like, ambient even, especially in
the long instrumental passages that are part of this music. Its
that particular thing I like about this CD, but the singing is
something I have a bit of trouble with, and which didn't do it
for me, but also makes it hard, if not impossible to say anything
decent about it. Great cover though, great instrumental parts.
Address: http://www.tonefloat.com
HAPTIC - THE MEDIUM (LP by FSS)
Along with this album, which can also be had in digital format,
comes a limited edition version which holds the music of the LP
as part of a DVD version by Lisa Slodki. Haptic is a trio of Steven
Hess, Joseph Clayton Mills and Adam Sonderberg, also on 'The Medium'
they get musical help from Boris Hauf, Olivia Block and Tony Buck.
My copy on DVDR doesn't have any info, so I don't know where they
fit in, but the music is great. A refined mixture of drone like
sounds coming from, perhaps, analogue synthesizers or laptop doodling,
along with the rolling thunder of cymbals on the first side and
percussive rumbling on the second side. Haptic builds their pieces
slowly, allowing much time to envelop, but they never take too
much time. Right on time they add something new, or develop what
is going on to the next level. The video part here is quite nice
too, and fits the music well. Primarily in black and white, we
see loops of faces and water like sounds, also slowly developing
along with the music. Usually these things don't seem to go along
with eachother, but Slodki uses the music as the matrix of the
film. One to heard and seen in a black room I think. Beautiful
stuff. (FdW)
Address: http://www.flingcosound.com
OUR LOVE WILL DESTROY THE WORLD - STILLBORN
PLAGUE ANGELS (LP by Dekorder)
XELA - THE ILLUMNINATED (LP by Dekorder)
STEPHAN MATHIEU - THE KEY TO THE KINGDOM (10" by Dekorder)
These three releases by Germany's Dekorder may be three sides
of the drone coin, each operating from a different perspective.
The first, the far end of noise drone land is inhabited by Campbell
Kneale. We used to know and love him for his work as Birchville
Cat Motel, but he has put that project to sleep and started Our
Love Will Destroy The World, of which this is the first release.
Four tracks, like a house, four walls of sound. The metallic ring
of strings being tortured. This is loud and dirty, dirty and loud
- heavy metal that those who like heavy metal would probably hate
(no drums, no long hair waving around). Minimal and psychedelic,
and buzzing on end. Heavy, screaming, vicious music - the long
howl. Not for the weak of hearth.
The name Xela first popped up in Vital Weekly 367, with a CD on
Neo Oujia, which I didn't hear and then a few times on compilations.
Based on what I now hear for the first time, this doesn't strike
me at all as music Neo Oujia would have once released, but perhaps
John Twells, for it is him behind Xela, has developed in another
direction. Originally 'The Illuminated' was released by Digitalis
Industries on cassette, and perhaps this may not be a drone based
as the previous LP or the next 10" reviewed, this is more
collage like in approach, but its through the lengthiness of these
collages and its ongoing character that we could easily identify
this as drone music too. Many layers of guitar sounds, bells tinkling
and slightly distorted sound that 'Gilted Rose' is the standout
track of the two. Dark and mysterious. A very fine and delicate
piece.
Of an entirely different nature than is the record by Stephan
Mathieu. He recently purchased a 1890s Phonosharp zither which
he plays here with five e-bows and some computer processing. This
all in tribute to the gospel preacher Washington Phillips and
the early 78rpm records, of which this seems, cover wise, an exact
replica. The music however doesn't sound like old 78rpm music,
but is classic Mathieu material: minimal, overtones flowing around,
akin to say Phill Niblock, a beautiful ringing sound, two pieces
of music that seem to have falling out of the heavenly spheres.
I played this immediately three times in a row, simply because
there is one sad objection to this record: its way too short.
That's very, very sad. I could easily done with an hour of this
music. If you like Alvin Lucier but want him to be more musical,
then this is the place to be. A classic, right next Niblock's
'Early Winter'. (FdW)
Address: http://www.dekorder.com
HITOSHI KOJO - EZO (10" by Alluvial
Recordings)
A few weeks ago I reviewed a record by Kodama, the collaboration
between Micheal Northam and Hitoshi Kojo. The latter we know also
as Spiracle, his solo outing which we reviewed before when discussing
releases on Taalem and Mystery Sea. I have no idea when Spiracle
is in place and when his own name applies. Especially his Taalem
release seem to come close to 'Ezo'. In both he uses metal sheets
or metal strings to play music that is not unlike the very early
Organum 'In Extremis' sound, but whereas Organum slowed down his
tapes to get his full sound, Kojo doesn't slow this tapes, but
opts for a multi-layered sound. He staples as it were his material
together. All sorts of possibilities to play the metal with bows
are used here, but the beauty lies in the mix of the multiple
sound sources. Two lovely pieces here pressed on vinyl, which
have exactly the right length to maintain full interest by the
listener. A fine little record, a great, daring piece of drone
music, and one that is created almost acoustically. That's how
these thing should be done. More I'd add. (FdW)
Address: http://www.alluvialrecordings.com
WOLFGANG MÜLLER - SEANCE VOCIBUS AVIUM
(7" and book by Fang)
The name might not ring immediate bells, but Wolfgang Müller's
claim to fame is that he is one of the founding members of Die
Tödliche Doris and a lover of birds - although no claim there
yet. He is also a visual artist and has drawn pictures of extinct
bird species. There are printed here in this beautiful art book,
which comes along with a 7" record of artistic reinterpretation
of these birds. Artists received documentation about these birds
and were asked to produce the sounds for them. This is definitely
art with the capital A. Some of these pieces sound like birds,
while others choose to create vocalizations of those sounds or
apply electronic methods. I like this a lot, simply because it
sounds so weird, and even has something musical to it. Play this
at your party and it will surely raise more than one eyebrow.
Music here is provided by Namosh, Max Müller, Frieder Butzmann,
Frederik Schikowski, Justus Köhncke, Annette Humpe, Francoise
Cactus & Bretzel Göring, Nicholas Bussmann, Hartmut Andryczuk,
Khan and Wolfgang Müller himself. One of the stranger things
recently. (FdW)
Address: http://www.fangbomb.com
VOLCANO THE BEAR - THAT PEOPLE DON'T KNOW
THEY ARE MONSTERS/BOW HEAVIER MY LORD (7" by Quasipop)
One of the stranger bands that I encounter is Volcano The Bear.
I never know what to think about them. Sometimes I seem to hate
them, and sometimes I just love them. Perhaps its the format here
that makes me love them, perhaps its also the fact that they are
a rock band in my book and that such a format just works out fine.
Two fine slabs of their mutated rock music, which ends up in a
sorrowful ballad on 'That People Don't Know They Are Monsters',
while on the other side the mutations work out in a more krautrock
version. Two strange pieces, but they work well here on this format.
No hit potential of course, but in an alternative set of music
would make a nice spin. (FdW)
Address: http://www.quasipop.org
DOC WÖR MIRRAN - EDGES 3 & 4 (7"
by Empty Records)
DOC WÖR MIRRAN - AMBIALL (10CDR by Empty Records)
Recently I saw announcements for a 10 CD set the Incapacitants
and a 10 CDR by Ashtray Navigations, and then there is this, a
10 CDR by Doc Wör Mirran, who have already produced a massive
discography and still (!) a bunch of releases under the belt to
release. 'Ambiall' is release number 101, and the 7" is release
number 102. There is never enough music it seems. Doc Wör
Mirran is the brainchild of Joseph B. Raimond, formerly US citizen
but already in Germany for such a long time that he may speak
that language better now. There is started his Empty Records,
who are all but empty, and the free membership band Doc Wör
Mirran. People stopping by in the studio to record bits or sometimes
simply send it by mail (e-mail these days I assume). On 'Ambiall'
the line up is, besides Raimond, Ralf Lexis (a long term member),
Adrian Gormly, Jeandra Raimond and Cedric Raimond - a family affair?
Musicwise Doc Wör Mirran has been all over the place: from
experimental music to punk rock, to ambient and musique concrete.
Here they go back to the seventies, and I had to think of Conrad
Schnitzler, both music wise and size wise of this bundle. Each
of the CDRs last an hour and is filled with highly cosmic music.
Outside the sky is grey and cold, inside its warm and I decided
to fill my entire sunday listening to just this box, sitting in
a comfortable chair, reading old music magazines - 'Flowmotion'
and 'Interchange' actually, among others, which have articles
on Conrad Schnitzler. Its of course not by sheer chance that I
picked these from the shelf, but it was inspired by hearing this
music. I was thinking that perhaps this music was recorded on
(many) sunday(s) - that day of the week where nothing much happens,
and a perfect time to set together behind a bunch of keyboards
and let things flow for an hour. Or perhaps it was all recorded
on one day, in one go, like Schnitzler could have done. No cosmic
arpeggio's here, but straight forward drone like music, but each
of the pieces have a great flow, and never stands still. It always
moves about, changing shapes and colors, and makes one damn easy
listening music. While drizzle reaches the window and the daylight
slowly disappears - I started at around noon - I keep light sparse.
I can still read, but not much more light is required. At around
22:00 I am done with this. Great. Beautiful. Massive. Will I be
able to hear it again? With the listening habits of a reviewer
that is hard to say, but yeah, why not? Perhaps a box to pack
up when going for a beach holiday. Different environment that
will surely make another fine round of lazy listening.
The next day, slowly recovering from the 10 CDR set, I play the
7", which is this time Joseph B. Raimond solo, and here he
shows what can be done in such a short time frame. Also entirely
electronic, Raimond plays around with loops of material and jams
around on another synth. Not as drone ambient as the ten previous
hours, but more experimental and haunting music. Improvised electronic
space jam, limited to the size of the 7", which works out
very nicely. (FdW)
Address: http://www.empty.de
KATAPULTO - BODYHAMMER (CDR, private)
Someone compared the music of Katapulto on 'Bodyhammer' with 'Poland's
answer to Senor Coconut combined with the demented invention of
Yello's Boris Blank', which is good: I like Senor Coconut and
I like Boris Blank. Wojtek Rusin is Katapulto, original from Poland,
now in Bristol and he plays popmusic of a modern kind. Armed with
a guitar, flute and synthesizers he sings his songs. Five in total
in twenty minutes. More Blank than Coconut, but even more someone
like Felix Kubin, which seems to be a more obvious point of reference.
Germanic influenced popmusic in full force here. Jumpy, all over
the place, both in rhythm and melody, but also using various styles,
voice cut ups, and singing. My Robot Friend is another point of
reference I thought of, but doesn't have yet his refinement. Katapulto
is still raw and untamed, which is also quite nice and works well
here. Five tracks, twenty minutes, which leave a solid impression.
I would hope his live shows are as good as this: if he's around
I would certainly check him out. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/katapulto
MECHA/ORGA - 50:01 (CDR by Echo Music)
Hot on the heels of '61:50', reviewed only two weeks ago, here
is a new release by Yiorgis Sakellariou, also known as Mecha/Orga,
probably more an incident than that Mecha/Orga joins the ranks
of Merzbow or Machinefabriek. Three pieces here, each around fourteen
to eighteen minutes. The music by Mecha/Orga is minimal - there
is not always much change in them. That doesn't mean its always
soft. The source material is perhaps something he found outside,
but in his computer treatments nothing as such can be traced back
to something you may have heard outside. In '17:02' this might
have been the sound of motorized vehicles, but maybe not. Its
quite a loud piece, and perhaps a bit too minimal. The pieces
before and after that sound like they have been recorded near
the sea, but then it could have been as easily hiss from cassettes
or TV static. Its not really important, but these two pieces are
great. Both are being built up in a slow manner, with small but
essential changes in the sound, adding new sounds of similar source
to the whole and building into an intense work. Two names that
sprang to mind here, with a similar approach to field recordings,
treatments and composition were Francisco Lopez and Kozo Inada
(whatever happened to him, I wonder). Two great pieces and one
that is nice but too long. (FdW)
Address: http://www.echomusic.gr
MHFS - A HOUSE PAINTER'S MANUAL (CDR by
Black Petal)
MARK SADGROVE & ANTHONY GUERRA - IRON SAND (CD by Black Petal/A
Binary Datum)
Both of these new Black Petal releases deal with the music of
Mark Sadgrove. Solo as MHFS and in duo with labelboss Anthony
Guerra. Although MHFS is mainly solo he gets help from various
people (Andrew Scott, Ben Spiers and Sam Hamilton) in seven of
the ten short pieces. Lyrics were written while driving a car
through rural New Zealand, and then record the songs on battery
powered electric guitar on a dictaphone. How lo(fi) can you go?
Sadgrove strums his guitar and sings songs which I don't really
understand, but there is an attractive low, outsider character
with these recordings that I like very much. At just under thirty
minutes this is very fine music. Was this released on a limited
LP twenty years ago, it would now go as a lost classic of weirdness.
On a real CD comes his duo with Anthony Guerra, who plays electric
and acoustic guitar, electronics and vocals and Sadgrove playing
electric guitar, aluminium harp, electronics and vocals. Here
more care has been used to make the recordings. Recorded in their
new homeland Japan, this is the point where improvised music meets
singer songwriting. This is 'easy' music, music that makes your
mind wander off, into the grey sky, into the desert, or into the
deep sea. Blues like emptiness, very empty. Drone like strumming,
slide guitar setting the tone. Vocals don't take a big place around
here and are more to underline the desolate character of the music.
A fine release of sparse sounds. Minimal indeed. Great covers
on both releases, as usual with Black Petal. (FdW)
Address: http://www.blackpetal.com
SIMON WHETHEM - UNDERSTORY (web release
by Trente Oiseaux)
The development of the Trente Oiseaux label went past by me. Only
when one of the artists cared to send me a promo copy I noticed
it still existed. Since I received a new release by Simon Whethem
on Trente Oiseaux, I looked at the website again, and noticed
that the label changed from releasing CDs to CDRs and now does
only web only releases, where for 10 euros you can choose between
AAC, FLAC, MP3 or OGG format. Perhaps it is indeed the tune of
the future. Whethem's 'Understory' was created as part of a 'two
week residency based in the Amazon rainforest region of Brazil
and run by Francisco Lopez'. The understory is 'the area between
the canopy and the forest floor, also known as the shrub layer'.
This work is however not about the scratching the rainforest floor
with a microphone, but a fine and delicate work with sounds from
rainforest. A place that I never visited, so perhaps a bit hard
to relate too, but the buzzing of insects, the crackling of leaves
and the processed sounds of a plane flying over, make this a work
that stretches out beyond the usual field recordings work. For
Whetham it seems to be the starting point of creating a composition,
rather than the pure joy of listening and both of course are fine.
Whetham's composition stretches out over thirty-four minutes,
with carefully processed sounds and original field recordings
mingled together. A tense piece of music telling us a great story.
Great music for an imaginary film. (FdW)
Address: http://klangstaub.com/trenteoiseaux/index.html