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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 690
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week 32
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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. We finally have a feed again. 1000x times to Maximillian for his endless patience & help. Its here: http://www.vitalweekly.net/podcast.xml
BURKHARD BEINS - STRUCTURAL DRIFT (CD by
Kunstlerhauser Worpswede) *
NOVELLER - RED RAINBOWS (CD by No Fun Productions) *
SLARAFFENLAND - WE'RE ON YOUR SIDE (CD by Rumraket) *
THE MOUNT FUJI DOOMJAZZ CORPORATION - SUCCUBUS (CD by Ad Noiseam)
ANGINA P - SENSITIVE FILES (CD by Hands Productions)
SAVERIO EVANGELISTA & FREDERICO SPINI - WORKS II (CD by Hands
Productions)
INCITE - MINDPIERCING (CD by Hands Productions)
XABEC - JUST A GRAIN OF SAND (DVD by Hands Productions)
SOMATIC RESPONSES - REFORMATION (CD by Ad Noiseam)
DELICATE NOISE - FILMEZZA (CD by Lens Records)
WILLIAM GARDINER - ONLIVING (CD, private) *
EDWARD KASPEL - THE PAINTED RIVERS OF REGRET (LP by Beta-lactam
Ring Records)
MELEE WITH JOE MORRIS-CLOUD ATLAS QUARTET (LP by Broken Research)
GRAVEYARDS - SCREWED AND CHOPPED (LP by Broken Research)
CHRIS RIGGS - ACHIEVEMENT IS ITS OWN REWARD (CDR by Broken Research)
CHRIS DADGE - I'D DRIVE YOUR ASS ACROSS THE WORLD, IF I HAD TO
(CDR by Broken Research)
PSALM ALARM - LIKE MACHINE, LIKE VOICE (CDR by Broken Research)
*
VANESSA ROSSETTO - DOGS IN ENGLISH PORCELAIN (CDR by Music Appreciation)
*
HATI - KA (CDR by Beast Of Prey)
SYPHILIS SAUNA - SUGAR CRASH DAMAGE (CDR by Backward Records)
*
DE HAAN/SPRUIT - SCHOONHOVEN (CDR by Soul Shine Trough)
DE HAAN/SPRUIT - HOLLANDS LICHT (CDR by Soul Shine Trough) *
HANDS TO - ARTIMENT (2CDR by Impulsy Stetoskopu) *
P.B.K./C. REIDER - DISCORPORATE (CDR by Impulsy Stetoskopu) *
WALTER GROSS - THE DEATH OF A SAMPLESMAN (CDR, private) *
TOY BIZARRE - KDI DCTB 216 [DATA #2] (3"CDR by Ingeos) *
MP3 releases
Announcements
BURKHARD BEINS - STRUCTURAL DRIFT (CD by
Kunstlerhauser Worpswede)
Music by improviser Burkhard Beins has been reviewed before, mostly
of course when it dealt with improvising with others, but there
have been a small number of solo releases too. 'Structural Drift'
is a three piece suite which he recorded at the Kunstlerhauser
Worpswede, where he did an arts residency in April and June of
2009. He brought along with e-bowed and propelled zither, analogue
synthesizer, E.T., looper, igniters, chimes, wood block, steel
band, fire and stones. Apparently no drum kit, or perhaps he considers
that too much of commonplace that he chooses not to mention it.
Well, perhaps he just didn't have it with him, if I listen to
these three pieces. Beins, the trained percussion player, uses
in his work on the kit a lot of sustaining and resonating materials,
and they appear here too. The drones that arrive from the zither,
in combination with the analogue synthesizer waves form long tone
sounds and on top Beins adds charming little bells, chimes and
wood blocks. Perhaps just as he would do when playing the drumkit
in a combo of improvisers. He does this with much elegance here,
especially in 'drift 2', this works out very well. A very well
made CD, that has nothing, or not much at least, to do with improvised
music, but all with composed music of a highly meditative nature.
If you like Jason Kahn sonic explorations in this area, then this
'Structural Drift' is no doubt one to have as well. (FdW)
Address: http://www.burkhardbeins.de
NOVELLER - RED RAINBOWS (CD by No Fun Productions)
There was a time when a parcel by No Fun could be redirected to
Jliat, unopened. It would be harsh noise. Not that I did: I would
always open it and look what it was (thus finding the Dan Burke/Thomas
Dimuzio release) out of sheer curiosity. But things have changed,
perhaps since the arrival of Emeralds and their take on 'cosmic
music'. Behind Noveller we find one Sarah Lipstate, who starts
out with 'Rainbows' and 'Brilliant Colors' in quite a heavy mood,
but even here the noise is well controlled. I think Noveller uses
some kind of organ and electronics, rather then a bunch of analogue
synthesizers. Its in the other three tracks that her talent comes
out in producing some excellent drone music, that partly owes
to the world of noise, and partly to the world of ambient. It
ends with 'Bends', a somewhat more violent tone poem, but 'St.
Powers' and 'Tunnels' are soft yet outspoken. The organ and the
effects are pushed to the background, and get company from guitar,
effects and maybe a horn. This is the most ambient piece piece,
'St. Powers' in the middle of the album and the somewhat more
creepy 'Tunnels' right after that. A highly varied CD of five
great pieces and as an added extra also a short film 'Interior
Variations' which seems like based on x-ray scans with a powerful
soundtrack of loud drones. Captivating stuff, all around. (FdW)
Address: http://www.nofunproductions.com
SLARAFFENLAND - WE'RE ON YOUR SIDE (CD by
Rumraket)
This week I had a youngster over who wanted to hear some of 'that
weird music' I always hear, which I did play for him, but in return
I asked him to play some of the current popmusic youngsters hear.
I wasn't disappointed but perhaps also not pleased that much.
The electronic music sounded alright, but the current state of
rock music, well, some of it, is not great. All the little brothers
of Franz Ferdinand, and whose grandchildren were they? Quite right.
Old hat. Later in the day I received the latest CD, the third
full length by Slaraffenland, no doubt the most pop thing in Vital
this week, and perhaps even a band that could be hip at quasi
alternative out door pop events, who knows? Back in Vital Weekly
595 I reviewed their 'Private Cinema', although reading it now,
it didn't say much. Slaraffenland is a five piece band of many
drums and guitars, some electronica. Nothing special one might
say? What sets Slaraffenland apart from the rest is the fact that
all five members do vocals, which gives the music a nice natural
double tracking in that department, and that four of the five
play brass and woodwind instruments. That adds a sixties summer
feel to the music with a great positive force. Very nice. However
the two things that set this album from the rest of pop music,
the harmonious vocals and brass instruments, work after a while
against the music a bit. One starts to think 'oh, one of those
multi vocal with lots of brass' again. It would have been nice
if there would have been, as a sort of counterpoint in the album,
two or three pieces with just vocals and no brass, to form some
sort of counterpoint, which would have brought some necessary
variation into this album. Now its still a good album, but some
fatigue tends to leap in. (FdW)
Address: http://www.rumraket.com
THE MOUNT FUJI DOOMJAZZ CORPORATION - SUCCUBUS
(CD by Ad Noiseam)
New album from the band with the two strange aliases, The Mount
Fuji Doom Jazz Corporation and The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble.
Previous album from the project was released under the alias The
Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble (TKDE) in January 2009. It was the
excellent Ep titled "Mutations Ep" headed by Giedon
Kiers and Jason Kohnen, the latter known for his furious breakcore-project
Bong Ra. The Mount Fuji Doomjazz Corporation (TMFDC) is the live
improvisation alter ego of the TKDE-orchestra consisting of Charlotte
Cegarra, Eelco Bosman, Hilary Jeffery, Nina Hitz plus the two
aforementioned main men of the project. On this second release
as TMFDC the sextet improvises while watching Jess Franco 's bizarre
sexploitation flick "Succubus" (a.k.a. "Necronomicon")
(1969). The mesmerity and depth of the legendary Eutotrash movie
are well transformed in a sonic version that oozes of mystery
and sensuality. The music operates in ultra dark, heavy and slowly
moving textures. Rhythms are non-existing in the universe and
the many sound layers floats very slowly in-between each other
in an extremely doom-like manner. Musically the album is a mixture
of avant-garde jazz and dark drone ambience resulting in a superb
otherworldly atmosphere. Thanks to the dark sounds of the trombone
in the compositions adding some superb otherworldly atmospheres,
the album momentarily draws associations towards the ambient-composer
Tom Heasley's Tuba-dominated dark ambient-masterwork "Where
the earth meets the sky" (Hypnos, 2001). Compared to earlier
works from the sextet, "Succubus" is even more jazz-oriented
meanwhile the atmospheric vocals of Charlotte Cegarra beautifully
fits into the dark sonic expressions. A very interesting new work
that should appeal to listeners of experimental jazz or dark ambient
no matter whether you like or dislike the bizarre visual artworks
of "Succubus"-director Jess Franco. Hear tracks from
the latest ilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble's "Mutations Ep"
in the issue #20 of the podcast-series Ultra FM : Transmissions
of Exploratory Music: <http://www.musikbibliotek.dk/hoerbar/podcast?podcastId=63>http://www.musikbibliotek.dk/hoerbar/podcast?podcastId=63.
(NM)
Address: http://www.adnoiseam.net/
ANGINA P - SENSITIVE FILES (CD by Hands
Productions)
SAVERIO EVANGELISTA & FREDERICO SPINI - WORKS II (CD by Hands
Productions)
INCITE - MINDPIERCING (CD by Hands Productions)
XABEC - JUST A GRAIN OF SAND (DVD by Hands Productions)
If you had to mention some of the most important Industrial-related
electronic music-labels of Germany, Dortmund-based label Hands
Productions should be among them. Parallel to Ant-Zen Recordings,
the Hands Productions-label has a strong focus on the harsher
territories of electronic music counting styles such as power
noise, industrial, experimental ambient, breakbeats and so forth.
Four new releases from the label has seen the light of the day.
Expressively it is four quite different styles represented on
each of them. First album comes from the Vienna-based artist Angina
P. Originally established in 2001, present album titled "Sensitive
files" is the second full length from the composer, who already
impressed with her previous releases. As the title suggests, the
expression on the album is emotional with excellent atmospheric
soundscapes waving upon drum'n'bass / IDM-based rhythm-textures.
The strength of the composer is her ability to combine clubbish
e-textures with reflectional moments of vocals and ambient-like
spheres. A strong mixture of melodic IDM and hypnotic rhythm textures
on this one. Next album comes from legendary composer Saverio
Evangelista (a.k.a. Esplendor Geometrico) in joint venture with
Frederico Spini. In comparison to the more upfront and clubbish
style of aforementioned "Sensitive files" by Angina
P, present album titled "Works II" is a more sound art-inspired
and abstract album that circulates in-between spheres of experimental
ambient and noise-related buzz-drones. As is the case with most
albums from Esplendor Geometrico, "Works II" is an album
that demands some listenings to capture but certainly rewards!
Next album is titled "Mindpiercing" and comes from a
project known as Incite. Behind the project you find Kera Nagel
and André Aspelmeier who is well-known for their audio
visual performances on a number of festivals throughout the last
decade. Despite their live activity present album is the first
from the duo. As was the case with Angina P, Incite has a foot
in the breakbeat-related sound expression, but compared to the
more listen-friendly textures of Angina, Incite concentrates in
more noise-related and drone-based territories. Expressively the
album lies somewhere in-between the abstract artistic work of
Saverio Evangelista (a.k.a. Esplendor Geometrico) & Frederico
Spini and the danceable grooves of Angina P. Last release reviewed
here is a dvd release from the ambient-based Industrial artist
calling himself Xabec. The title "Just a grain of sand"
probably refers to the German sound artist's interest in applying
field recordings for his electronic compositions. The dvd contains
an english subtitled 25-minutes portrait of the artist, and live
footage of Xabec shot during 2008's edition of German electronic
music festival Maschinenfest. Finally there are music videos of
the artist plus one music video to a remix of Xabex as executed
by aforementioned project Incite. Four excellent and quite different
releases from the Hands Productions, all of them presented in
beautiful cardboard cover-packages. Very nice! (NM)
Address: http://handsproductions.com/
SOMATIC RESPONSES - REFORMATION (CD by Ad
Noiseam)
One of my favorite albums of the mid-90's was a compilation titled
"Origin unknown" (Ram Records, 1996). It was released
at a time when drum'n'bass had its peak in popularity. The compiled
tracks of "Origin Unknown", didn't follow the path of
the melody-focused part of the jungle/drum'n'bass-scene. More
likely the compilation had a strong emphasis on heavy bass thus
producing a very dark edge to the popular drum'n'bass style of
that time, and was stylishly termed as darkside or techstep. Present
album from the two Welsh brothers, John and Paul Healy, behind
the well-respected project Somatic Responses reminds me of the
aforementioned "Origin unknown"-compilation: It takes
its starting point in a popular style of the present, dubstep,
and brings it into more confrontative and experimental territories.
By definition "dubstep" is a dark take on the famous
UK garage scene of the early 2000s, but John and Paul Healy push
the boundaries even further on the album titled "Reformation".
As the title of the album suggest there is stylish change on "Reformation"
in comparison to the earlier releases of Somatic Responses. The
heavy and synthetic sound that has been the trademark of Somatic
Responses is intact, but the rhythms has been slowed very much
down from the technoid and upbeat approach. Where earlier releases
of Somatic Responses was generally fast moving, "Reformation"
is the opposite with strong emphasis on slow and heavy dub-like
rhythmic textures drawing associations back to the dub-style of
Jamaican pioneer King Tubby, but not surprisingly in a far more
aggressive style. Similar to the aforementioned "Origin uknown"-compilation,
Somatic Responses utilizes otherworldly and sci-fi-oriented sounds
giving the listener an impression of being trapped somewhere on
a distant planet. Momentarily, soundscapes of grandiose yet subtle
ambient penetrate, adding some warmth to the otherwise icy electronic
sound world that characterizes the style of Somatic Responses.
A very addictive new effort from the Irish brothers of synthetic
brutality! (NM)
Address: http://www.adnoiseam.net/
DELICATE NOISE - FILMEZZA (CD by Lens Records)
Lens Records is a Chicago-based label established around the end
of previous millennium. The label concentrates on ambient, modern
classical and electroacoustic sounds. Present album from the label
comes from US-artist Mark Andrushko composing under the name Delicate
Noise. As the name might suggest, the expression from the artist
stand as a sharp contrast to harsh noise: The album contains a
gentle and dreamlike quality. The album titled "Filmezza"
is the follow-up to the debut of Delicate Noise titled "Diversion"
released on Lens Records in 2006, and as referred to, by the title
there is a nice cinematic feeling on the album. If it had to be
used in a movie it would probably be best suited for an art house
flick of some kind. The music is tranquillized downbeat-based
IDM. Distant spoken words makes the listener feel like being in
the state of unconsciousness. This feeling together with the spacey
sounds and gentle electronic sounds draws associations towards
Warp-legends Boards Of Canada. Very interesting indeed! (NM)
Address: http://www.lensrecords.com/
WILLIAM GARDINER - ONLIVING (CD, private)
Only twenty-one years old is our William Gardiner, who hails from
Australia. He grew up with the music of Bach 'and others' and
later on discovered the music of Astor Piazzolla, Peteris Vasks,
George Crumb and Alfred Schnittke and now tries his hand in composing
his own modern classical music. 'Onliving' is a four track CDEP
with works for a small ensemble of clarinet, piano, cello, violin,
flute and electronics, the latter being the department of Gardiner
himself. I am not sure if I am the right man to discuss contemporary
classical music, since its not my speciality. Having said that
its absolutely a beautiful work, this release. It seems to be
involving partly composed music, and partly improvised parts.
Softly gliding and bending violin tones, mild flutes and piano
accompanying this and the electronics sparse and effective. In
'Reverie' I thought of some light, joyous Arvo Part, in 'The Loving
Bells' the minimalism of Steve Reich or Wim Mertens. This is music
that we sometimes find on a label like Fat Cat. Very delicate
and way too short. (FdW)
Address: http://www.williamgardiner.com
EDWARD KASPEL - THE PAINTED RIVERS OF REGRET
(LP by Beta-lactam Ring Records)
This was first released in 2008 on CDR (on the LPD label Trademark
of Quantity - a wordplay on the famous 70's bootleg label Trademark
of Quality) and was sold via mailorder. However, the recordings
were considered to be so good that they needed a wider audience.
And this is true; when I first heard the original CDR I was very
moved by the music. A far, far cry from Ka-Spel's earlier more
lyrical/song-cycle that was the China Doll series (Eyes! China
Doll, Dance China Doll, Laugh China Doll, Chyekk China Doll, Aazhyd
China Doll and Khataclimichi China Doll) and even the later more
song/experimental mixed albums (say Blue Room, Red Letters or
A Long Red Ladder To The Moon), this new album is purely instrumental
and doesn't contain even a hint of a song. And all for the better
because with basically simple means (synthesizer and environmental
recordings) Ka-Spel creates a utterly beautiful soundscape that
is intimate yet dynamic and which sounds like one coherent piece.
Never falling back on the old trick that is noise, never dull,
always intriguing and soothing, this is his best album in years.
It feels like Ka-Spel is in total control of his craft, putting
his emotions in the music. He does not need clichés to
make his point. Even though I am the first to admit I have a very
weak spot for his song-based records of the 80's (like Eyes! China
Doll), this is amazing music and comes with the highest recommendation.
Packed in a strong carton sleeve with colorful art by label-boss
Chris McBeth 500 copies of this beauty are available. (FK)
Address: http://www.blrrecords.com
MELEE WITH JOE MORRIS-CLOUD ATLAS QUARTET
(LP by Broken Research)
GRAVEYARDS - SCREWED AND CHOPPED (LP by Broken Research)
CHRIS RIGGS - ACHIEVEMENT IS ITS OWN REWARD (CDR by Broken Research)
CHRIS DADGE - I'D DRIVE YOUR ASS ACROSS THE WORLD, IF I HAD TO
(CDR by Broken Research)
PSALM ALARM - LIKE MACHINE, LIKE VOICE (CDR by Broken Research)
Five releases on a label I never heard of is of course a bit much.
But there is also no website mentioned and none of the five releases
do have a lot of information. That is a pity. The overkill works
somewhat against the releases and the lack of information isn't
helpful either. First there is Melee with Joe Morris-Cloud Atlas
Quartet, with Joe Morris on electric guitar, Hans Buetow (cello),
Ben Hall (percussion) and Nate Wooley (trumpet), with a LP in
printed cover (still just 200 were made). This is however the
least interesting release of this lot. Totally free improvised,
but somewhat remotely recorded. Maybe this is called private session?
Maybe Wooley's trumpet is too much responsible for making this
sound like an old free jazz record, and the band follows him in
this journey? I do like free improvised music, but perhaps not
when things get too jazzy, and that's the case here.
Like for example Graveyards, a quartet with John Olson (tapes,
electronics, reeds), Ben Hall (percussion, electronics, tapes),
Chris Riggs (electric guitar) and Hans Buetow (cello). Here too
things are highly improvised, but less in a jazz context. Maybe
things float a bit (too) much within the delay pedals, but this
quartet offers some tension in the material through their free
play movements. Both sides seem to contain one long jam session
of scraping sounds, wandering tones, those delay pedals, but throughout
make a nice intense sound. Nice silkscreened cover, and also an
edition of 200 copies.
The first of the two solo releases is by Chris Riggs, who plays
solo guitar on his 'Achievement Is Its Own Reward'. Maybe there
is a bit of electronics in the first untitled piece to, but maybe
not. His approach to the guitar is that we can hardly recognize
it as a guitar, that there is rhythmic aspect and with a strong
sense of minimalism I think its all recorded live, with a strong
love for the minimalist approach. Riggs explores one or two sounds
per piece, and plays them with one rattle in one hand and one
stick in the other. In some ways this is quite ritual sounding
music, but its somehow a bit crudely recorded. That's about the
only negative aspect of this release.
Percussion is the main tool by Chris Dadge. He proofs to be a
good student of the modern improvisers. He plays his kit with
regular sticks, with violin bow and with objects. Quite free in
the first piece and some of the other pieces, but also quiet and
more contemplative in some of the others. Although I thought this
was quite alright, it didn't seem to stand out much from whatever
else I heard in the field of free improvisation, which perhaps
is enough to justify a CDR release, but perhaps not for me.
The final CDR release is by Psalm Alarm, which is Zach Wallace
(contrabass), Ben Hall (tapes, percussion), Chris Riggs (electric
guitar) and Hans Buetow (cello). Again no information whatsoever
available (not even the line up, which I quote from a separate
letter). This is quite a long release of mostly drone related
music. The cello and contrabass provide long sustaining sounds
and on top the guitar and percussion play more sustaining sounds,
but this quartet certainly knows how to create tension in quite
a rough way. The release is a bit long, but I could imagine the
best parts being released as a limited LP. All five releases could
benefit from some better presentation and information. (FdW)
Address: <brokenresearch@gmail.com>
VANESSA ROSSETTO - DOGS IN ENGLISH PORCELAIN
(CDR by Music Appreciation)
The first encounter, I think, with Vanessa Rossetto, who is a
composer, improviser and painter. She plays viola, violin, cello,
acoustic turntable, electronics and field recordings. In the past
she collaborated with Bright Duplex, Pulga, Wondrous Horse and
'Dogs In English Porcelain' is her fourth solo album. Its one
piece, of about forty some minutes, and its probably exactly what
you expect if you would combine the words 'improvisation' and
'composition', together with the list of instruments mentioned
earlier. Music gathered from layers of improvised violin playing,
careful, never to clear or too obvious, but scraping the strings
most of the times, in combination with a set of a composed collage
of field recordings and electronics, in which we hear bird calls,
feedback and obscured contact microphone sound. In a strange I
couldn't help thinking of Steve Roden's music, even when Rossetto's
music is less 'loop based', but it shares that seem feeling of
intimacy. Almost like its played for me, for me alone, and very
close by. A strong sense of acoustic sounds flows through this
piece, which makes it quite delicate and 'small', 'intimate'.
Quite a nice release this one. (FdW)
Address: http://www.pervertedlogic.com/niwi
HATI - KA (CDR by Beast Of Prey)
Hati is a Polish trio consisting of Rafal X-Navi Iwanski, Dariusz
Brzostek and Rafal Sabon Kolacki. First release from them was
the CDR-album "Music for metal idiophones" released
in 2003. Last year the band released the follow-up to the debut,
this time in a proper CD-format "Die mechanik, die!".
Now the trio have released its third effort carrying the title
"Ka". The expression of Hati is extremely minimalist
and monotonous in its form. Primary sound source on the album
is acoustic metal-percussions counting among others gongs of various
kinds, steel barrels, metal discs and aluminum plates just to
mention a few of the applied tools. The band itself terms their
style as Trance-Gong - a quite hitting stylish term since the
trio use the metallic percussive sounds to create this trance-inducing
atmosphere that first of all draws associations towards the Gamelan-style
of the Javanese territories. Apart from the sound pallets of metal
percussion other important sound sources count bells of various
kinds. Stylistic the music of the band are best termed as something
in-between gamelan, ambient and ethnic minimalism. A quite fascinating
and unusual album that probably won't find its fans on the dancefloor,
but more likely demands for some horizontal listening. (NM)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/hatitah
SYPHILIS SAUNA - SUGAR CRASH DAMAGE (CDR
by Backward Records)
This is one of those things were I wonder what to write, or perhaps
I should send it to someone else, maybe Niels Mark? The name sounds
like a noise band, but Syphilis Sauna is perhaps a noise band,
but not on the strict Jliat land. Rhythm plays an all important
role, even when it comes as fucked up as here. I have no idea
who is behind this, but no doubt its someone who travels, through
places and states as mentioned on the cover: in various times,
places and mental states'. Maybe someone armed with a laptop or
a sampler and various boxes to alter whatever is scanned from
records, CDs, radio or the internet. This is all thrown in this
musical blender, and mashed together in a crazy act of dance music.
Oops, dance music? These fucked beats may find their origin in
dance music, but are too complicated to move those sweaty bodies
on the dance floor. It takes all the notions from popular (dance-)
music and makes this totally weird collage of plunderphonica,
dance, noise and general craziness. The big question is of course:
do I like this? Well, perhaps I do, in a way. It's not something
that would be a daily play - not this, not this kind of music,
but then I was thinking: which music would you want to hear on
a daily basis, all day? Right, perhaps none. So, in a small dose
like this, things are actually quite alright. (FdW)
Address: http://www.backwardrecords.net
DE HAAN/SPRUIT - SCHOONHOVEN (CDR by Soul
Shine Trough)
DE HAAN/SPRUIT - HOLLANDS LICHT (CDR by Soul Shine Trough)
Back in Vital Weekly 603 we reviewed 'Radical Improvisations'
by Marc Spruit an Michiel de Haan, which was quite nice, although
perhaps not as radical as the title suggested. It was the first
and last encounter with Michiel de Haan, whereas Marc Spruit released
a couple of ultra short releases, spanning a few minutes only.
Since 2007 they have developed their style more and more and taken
their guitar and turntable to the road and have played various
experimental stages in the Netherlands. Information is a bit low
on these, but perhaps they are the works of those concerts, perhaps
edited to form. The music is still as radical as before. Cut short
sound snippets of fast moving sounds, highly improvised. Think
Yoshihide. Think Tetreault. Think noise. Think Marclay. Or all
those improvisers on the turntable an guitars. 'Schoonhoven' found
its inspiration in Jan Schoonhoven, one of the artists from the
ZERO art movement, who used carton, paper and toilet rolls: similar
materials being used by De Haan and Spruit to create sounds from
their instruments. A pretty radical release indeed. Not easy to
access, but in all its experimentation quite a nice one.
'Hollands Licht' translates as 'Dutch Light', another reference
to the world of art, but more from the likes of Vermeer all the
way down to Mondriaan. This release is from the autumn and winter
of 2008 and of course its interesting to spot differences. They
are there indeed, small as they are. I think the improvisations
here are more concentrated, and less free form. It seems as if
these two work around a set of ideas, ongoing sounds, loops or
such like, which seem to form the basics of the music. On top
are the outbursts of sounds, like on the other. But as said, things
seem to be more condense, tighter or perhaps concentrated. Controlled
outbursts of noise and silence. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com.haanspruit
HANDS TO - ARTIMENT (2CDR by Impulsy Stetoskopu)
P.B.K./C. REIDER - DISCORPORATE (CDR by Impulsy Stetoskopu)
Polish label Impulsy Stetoskopu have carved out a niche of their
own by releasing works that were originally released on cassette
in the 80s, now presented on CDR, or, in the case of XX Comittee's
LP on CD. The harsh noise of Knurl and Odal were left with Jliat,
whereas these two noise boys (well three actually) are more spend
on me. Behind Hands To is Jeph Jerman, who operates these days
under his own name with some ultra soft music with natural objects
and no amplification. Hands To may have used similar sound material,
but back in the 80s when Jerman released an endless string of
cassettes on his own Big Body Parts label, the small casio sampler
was used to create crude loops of that. Also used were some sound
effects, shortwave radio and straight field recordings. Its been
a while since I last played any of the few Hands To cassettes
I have but this set brings back many good memories. Like then,
I am still quite pleased with this music. Its partly crude and
raw, with a good healthy doses of experiment, but the experiment
doesn't stand in the way of the end result. Its not noise for
the sake of noise, but Jerman tries to create small sound environments
using elements from the environment, treated electronically. Like
in a good 80s tradition, the listener is urged to play these separately
or in tandem, and create their own mix. Definitely one of the
more interesting re-issues lately (and sadly I missed out on the
re-issue of City Of Worms, a group that Jerman was involved in,
also on the same label). Nice handmade cover too.
By comparison the cover of PBK's collaboration with C. Reider
is a bit more dull, a slimline DVD case. This collaboration was
made over the course of ten years when PBK send sound material
to C. Reider, but it was until earlier this year when things were
finally completed, much to PBK's surprise. He calls this '21st
century psychedelic drone space music', which I may not agree
with, entirely. Yes, its sure psychedelic, drone based space music,
but its not music that was 'invented' in this century. This kind
of spacious, long form drone ambient with post industrial elements
existed as easily in the 80s when the likes of PBK (and Hands
To, although usually much shorter) released works on cassette,
the forerunner of the do it yourself medium that CDR and MP3 are
these days. Having said, there is nothing wrong with the actual
music. Some of the processes applied to the sounds of PBK operate
in the realms of digitalia, without being microsound. Everything
is placed together and it makes a thick, densely formed mass of
sound, perhaps what PBK calls psychedelic. Not entirely 'new'
music, but a fine, sturdy exercise in experimental sound. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/impulsystetoskopu
WALTER GROSS - THE DEATH OF A SAMPLESMAN
(CDR, private)
The problem I have with releases like this is that the ever so
vague 'design' of the 'cover' is not engaging to play it. Handwritten,
then xeroxed. I know there is a market for this sort of esthetic,
but it somehow eludes me. I guess it reflects a bit in the music
too. One Walter Gross armed himself with a sampler and a whole
bunch of vinyl, mainly the very old ones, and samples them and
creates some sort of fucked up plunderphonics with them. Actually
not bad at all, not really distorted or noise based, but a bit
jazzy, with some weirder beats glued to it. Perhaps not what the
noise like cover suggests. Seven pieces, total time around thirty
eight minutes and not bad at all. But the presentation is a real
downer on this, hardly engaging to play this. That is a real pity.
If you have some effort in creating the music then why not in
the overall presentation? (FdW)
Address: <waltergross84@gmail.com>
TOY BIZARRE - KDI DCTB 216 [DATA #2] (3"CDR
by Ingeos)
This is the second part in a series of twelve releases (see also
Vital Weekly 676), each with one piece of twelve minutes and all
the data is based on weather conditions, as observed as before
by Jude Anderson, about square 1 m of the Atherton Gardens, City
of Yarra (Melbourne, Australia)" which Cedric Peyronnet translates
into a piece of music. Here for the second volume, things built
up in the first six minutes with what seems to be a lot of wind
chimes being played simultaneously, which cut out quite abruptly.
Then things are quiet and soft, and the second built up starts,
but in a less dramatic manner. A good solid piece of microsound.
I must say I find it hard to find the weather connection in this
piece, as well as the previous release, but in itself this is
quite a fine piece. Still for those who love their Meelkop, Chartier
and Behrens and on the look out for something new. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ingeos.org
MP3 releases:
1. From: michaela <michaela.treffil@patpongrecords.com>
ALTERNATI-V- - TURNING POINTS (digital album
by patpong records)
'Turning Points', the debut album of the Romanian artist Victor
Mihailescu alias 'Alternati-v-', represents his work on electronica/
downtempo/ chillout sounds.
He's also known as the Techno-Dj and producer 'Victor M', (Suma
Records/ WhoBear Records).
'Turning Points' is really multifarious work. His particular nature
to jump between the genres chillout, downtempo, trip-hop, breakbeat
and pop is a really amazing mixture.
His collaboration with the Romanian female singer 'Danny Claire'
(Better), and 'Danni Ionesco' (Perfect Cure), a Romanian male
singer, reflecting more his interpretation of pop-music; the other
eight tracks are a mixture of genres I've mentioned before. Really
relaxed sounds, perfect for the summertime.
Address: http://www.patpongrecords.com