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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 691
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week 33
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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
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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
ANNE LAPLANTINE - A LITTLE MAY TIME BE (CD
by Ahornfelder) *
WANDER - WANDER (CD by Divine Frequency Records) *
SIL MUIR (CD by Diophantine Discs) *
HAPSBURG BRAGANZA - HATCHLING (CD by Idiosyncratics) *
RMSONCE - REFLECTIONS (CD by Medusa Music) *
GOH LEE KWANG - HANDS (CD by Herbal Records) *
WE INSIST! - THE BABEL INSIDE WAS TERRIBLE (CD by Exile On Mainstreet
Records)
ZACK KOUNS - MICHEAL JACKSON: I JUST CAN'T START LOVING YOU (LP
by Ownness)
COTTON MUSEUM - PUS PUSTULES (LP by Tasty Soil Records)
SASCHA MUHR - WANDERING:TRAPPED (CDR by Q-Tone) *
THE PAD - WELCOME TO MY WORLD (CD by Q-Tone) *
BICAMERAL MIND - QUINTET (CDR by Blondena Music)
BICAMERAL MIND - HALF MAST (CDR by Blondena Music) *
ZEN 2099 - THE DROWING (CDR by Backwards Records) *
BLACK 13 KREW - WANDERER OF THE WASTE (CDR by Backwards Records)
*
NORTH GAMBIER AMATEUR BOWERS SOCIETY - COME ALL YE (3"CDR
by Black Petal) *
NONNON - THE ENTITLEMENT GENERATION (cassette by Automation Records)
*
HOPEN - THE SHARK'S WIFE (cassette by Automation Records) *
announcements
ANNE LAPLANTINE - A LITTLE MAY TIME BE (CD
by Ahornfelder)
Much to my surprise it seemed that Anne Laplantine was reviewed
before in Vital Weekly, but somehow I don't think she was. Maybe
under her other aliases, like Michiko Kusaki, Angelika Kohlermann
or Anne Hamburg. Odd, but then perhaps I never heard her music
properly. This new one is an odd release. On one hand we find
Laplantine playing electronic popmusic in a baroque fashion, using
lo-fi samples of flute, guitar, drum machine and voice, but then
there are also pieces of 'silence', thirty-four to be precise,
ranging from four to twenty seconds. Not entirely silent, but
the seconds after a recording has been finished, or about to start.
A strange release: the popmusic in a baroque style sound fine,
not great but they have a strange captivating appeal. That can
not be said of the experimental sound pieces that pop up every
now and then. I do think that an album with just the baroqueness
would have been a bit much, but the overall experimental character
of the album is a bit naff. Quite lo-fi in approach, but also
a bit weak on the idea side. I mean, who would care about the
fact that this album has fifty-eight tracks? I didn't notice it,
until I read the press text (I don't make a habit out of glancing
at CD players). Unless you regard the whole CD as a long radio
play like work, maybe it works then... but now, for me, it doesn't
do much. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ahornfelder.de
WANDER - WANDER (CD by Divine Frequency
Records)
When Beequeen decided to stop making drones, Wander was born and
since the year 2000, this duo of Frans de Waard and Freek Kinkelaar
has been producing output on an annual basis. Originally with
the intent to release their music on every format only once, but
apparently the choice in formats is limited with regard to their
vast growing range of works (as this is a second time on CD, after
2005's release on Small Voices). But alas, words are just a temporary
explanation of reality and we are not picky!
As ever the release itself is simply titled Wander and organ drones
lay again at the foundation of this album. The CD is divided into
two tracks and that does not live up to what it might suggest.
It starts off with airy hiss and rumble, while a steady organ
drone slowly rises up along the way; getting stronger in force
and eventually slowly fading away into a more silent passage.
After that a new movement in the piece shows it face: a fieldrecording
of crickets guided by low end pulses that secretly take us into
that second track and it's not before a louder organ sequence
starts to play when you actually realize that you've reached yet
another movement. And that will happen again... and again. So
it's more like one long track instead of the earlier supposed
two. With lots of dynamics to keep it exciting and a very pleasant
listen at the same time. Oh yes, yet another fine example in that
ever growing line of Wander releases. (SDT)
Address: http://www.divinefrequency.com/
SIL MUIR (CD by Diophantine Discs)
There has been only one previous track by Sil Muir, the collaborative
effort between Andrea Marutti (otherwise known as Amon and Never
Known, also responsible for running Afe Records) and Andrea 'Ics'
Ferraris (also known as Ur, Airchamber3 and Ulna) on a compilation
CD which didn't make much sense to me (see Vital Weekly 672),
but it was a nice long ambient piece of synthesized guitar sounds.
Here they arrive with their first CD. It lists Ferraris for 'all
guitars' and Marutti for "all treatments". Perhaps that's
already an indication where to look for the music: the darker
corners of ambient music, what was once called Isolationist music.
Vidna Obmana meets Thomas Köner, I'd say. Mirror meets Monos,
perhaps. That sort of thing. Long stretched out dark clouds, shimmering
in the almost dark night. Nightfall music. 'We Don't Need Time,
We're Already In Eternity', the closing piece takes a while to
get going, but once started it hoovers along the dark walls of
almost inaudible sound. One might argue there is not much 'new'
going on here, and that is true. Sil Muir don't change the course
of musical history, but in stead they further deepen the sound
carves already there in this dark ambient field, and as such they
do a truly great job. A mighty fine disc of dark drones, ambient
and a totally isolated feel. (FdW)
Address: http://discs.diophantine.net
HAPSBURG BRAGANZA - HATCHLING (CD by Idiosyncratics)
Behind the strangely named Hapsburg Braganza we find one Phil
Begg from Newcastle, who ended up on Belgiums Idiosyncratics,
because 'he was playing in every corner of the country during
the summer of 2006', armed with effect pedals, loopers, microphones,
various objects and a mobile mono soundsystem'. I don't think
I came across his name before, but the forty minute piece 'Hatchling'
is indeed a very fine piece. The cover lists such instruments
as Indian Harmonium, cymbals, acoustic guitar, piano, acoustic/concrete
sounds and field recordings, which are specified on the cover).
Somewhere there is mighty rainfall to be spotted, but otherwise
the listed instruments aren't that easy to spot in this piece.
The piece falls apart in three separate parts, which all flow
into each other. The first part deals with electro-acoustic sounds,
the second with the aforementioned water sounds and then finally
a drone piece for overtones. The label calls this 'the heritage
of Francisco López and Charlemagne Palestine', which is
quite understandable, especially when it comes to the drone piece
that sounds like Palestine at his organs. The rain sounds are
perhaps too obvious to be Lopez like I think. Overall, Begg does
quite a fine job, and his piece, though not 'new', is one with
a remarkable beauty. Moving and morphing into various genres,
musique concrete, field recordings, minimalist music, this is
one solid sound experience. Very nice work! (FdW)
Address: http://www.idiosyncratics.net
RMSONCE - REFLECTIONS (CD by Medusa Music)
Quite some time ago I coined the term microwave for a specific
kind of music that involved analogue and digital processing of
sounds with a slightly rhythmic feel to it - well, or a lot. I
think it was in a review of music by Frank Bretschneider, so perhaps
you get my drift. The term never made it big, although I have
seen it used elsewhere, but I haven't used it myself in some time.
However it popped right up when I was listening to the album of
Francesc Marti from Barcelona. He is working as a mathematician,
pianist, composer and video artist. Its quite a nice album, a
bit raw, and perhaps that's why I was thinking of microwave, because
at that time, maybe ten years ago, things where also a bit more
'rough' (computers not being that sophisticated, analogue synths).
Marti uses with, I think at least, both ends, the analogue synth
sounds and the digital processing of sounds. The result is, as
said, quite raw and playful. In these nine tracks, rhythms can
originate from some synths, but also, as in 'Sky, Stars And A
Woman With A Battery' from sampled IDM. Marti moves into a variety
of musical interests - a bit of IDM, a bit of ambient, some glitch,
some Pan Sonic like rhythms - but oddly, or perhaps finely, he
knows how to keep things together. A diverse album for sure, but
not one that is too diverse. Moody, a with a touch of darkness
over all the tracks, this is absolutely a lovely CD. Not as new,
or as experimental, but maybe with elegance and pleasure. (FdW)
Address: http://www.medusamusic.net
GOH LEE KWANG - HANDS (CD by Herbal Records)
So far we have heard Goh Lee Kwang playing no input mixers in
a variety of releases, on CD, CDR and MP3, but somehow I think
this new release is something a bit different. It says composed,
performed, recorded between 2005-2008 on the cover, and it seems,
somehow, somewhere to me, that he uses instruments here. Synthesizers
perhaps, sound effects may be. I might however be totally wrong
about this. You never know for sure when its not told, right.
He plays these however in his usual style. Goh Lee Kwang is a
man who likes his things to be forceful, present but not necessarily
superloud. More direct, in your face. His approach in these nine
tracks is that of stutter, stop and play. It seems (again, it
seems, I know), he approaches one set of sounds and plays with
them. A bit like serious avant-garde electronic music but then
fully improvised. MEV solo, if that is something you can imagine
- well, I surely can. This is not music that you could play 'just
for fun' for a while, but something that requires you full awareness.
Otherwise I think one can easily be annoyed by it. But if you
set yourself to it, then it unfolds a pleasant sort of rawness.
The beauty of power, and the sadness of decay. A very fine work,
perhaps the best I heard from him so far. (FdW)
Address: http://www.herbalinternational.tk
WE INSIST! - THE BABEL INSIDE WAS TERRIBLE
(CD by Exile On Mainstreet Records)
Actually I am glad I got this, so I can get something of my chest.
There is so much stuff that I truly dislike. Exile on Mainstreet,
as well as the rest of The Rolling Stones works, isn't worth the
material it is pressed up on. So why would you want to call your
label after one of their records eludes me. We Insist! are called
'rock, noise, free jazz, avant-garde, psychedelic, math rock,
punk and metal' and are compared to Tool, Queens Of The Stone
Age, At The Drive-On, Primus, King Crimson, and that's the only
band I seem to have heard of it. Or perhaps even liked when I
was 13, and impressed with musicians 'who could actually play
their instruments well'. Actually I do admit having 'In The Court
Of The Crimson King'. On CD. I do hear noise, rock and all the
other genres in We Insist!, but perhaps I am too old for this
children's version of anything 'alternative' - probably its well
liked at 3voor12 (if you don't know what that is, that's fine),
that alternative market for mass youth culture here in The Netherlands.
Call me old (oh, no, I promised not to say that again), call me
an elitist, but music is not a commodity to be sold en masse to
the 'kids'. I, underground bastard, hope never to hear from either
band or label.
Address: http://www.weinsist.com
ZACK KOUNS - MICHEAL JACKSON: I JUST CAN'T
START LOVING YOU (LP by Ownness)
Last month Zack Kouns was almost around my corner, playing an
outdoor show, which missed. Not because of the heavy rain fall
but I wasn't in town that night. Extrapool's description was rather
vague, but looking at the press text Ownness send along with the
LP, I can short of grasp where they found such vagueness: in the
description of this record. Kouns made this album for the king
of pop, for the master to perform, which obviously never happened
and never will happen. I have no idea what Kouns' music normally
sounds like, well, and that of Jackson for that matter, as I cleverly
managed to miss out on the many news shows. But apparently Kouns
set out to create something that was 'at least something distasteful'.
Its probably about the lyrics, which are about Jackson's life
and personality. Vocals with synthesizer and drum machines. Hardly
a Quincy Jones production, it says it was recorded on a twenty-four
track, but to me that eight or twelve tracks would have been enough
also. In a way I am reminded of some early 80s naive electronic
composer (say John Bender, say Andre De Koning), with some heavily,
moody pop tunes that won't ever make it as pop tunes anyway. Probably
its trying to make a point about the wacky life of a wacky man,
but that is for me just not enough. It's all brought very serious,
but I wouldn't be surprised if Kouns has a big laugh out of this.
I was not that convinced about the idea, nor about the songs and
the execution of this. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ownness.org
COTTON MUSEUM - PUS PUSTULES (LP by Tasty
Soil Records)
Its been a while since we last heard from Tasty Soil Records (see
Vital Weekly 614), but here they return with Cotton Museum's 'Pus
Pustules', an one-sided LP. The cover reminds me of the artwork
of Ultra Eczama records, and the music... well, also a bit, to
some extent. Cotton Museum is Chris Pottinger, who plays solo,
using theremin, synthesizer and whatever things electronic he
can find. Things start out pretty mildly - a nice of drone like
sounds, chirping in and out of the mix, but over the course of
the twenty some minutes this piece lasts, things get nastier and
nastier. Its like Pottinger is using chemicals which he inserts
in his machines, which make the interior rot or melt and things
become intenser and intenser. Yet it always manages to stay on
the nice side of noise. This giant beast remains a friendly one.
A nice, friendly beast. The other side is not left blank, but
has a nice etching. The cover shows more beasts and makes a thoroughly
fine, arty record. (FdW)
Address: http://www.tastysoil.com
SASCHA MUHR - WANDERING:TRAPPED (CDR by
Q-Tone)
THE PAD - WELCOME TO MY WORLD (CD by Q-Tone)
For different reasons, I got quite a headache over this. The first
headache I got with Sascha Muhr's release 'Wandering:trapped',
'composed, edited and performed on guitar'. There wasn't a single
moment I was enjoying myself, in this musings with much delay.
Its like listening to an endless solo, but then not played right.
Some e-bow, some of it is multitracked, or perhaps not. Not a
single second of this gave me any pleasure. I don't know why I
should want to hear this. Very boring.
The Pad gave me a headache for an entirely different reason. Not
because I disliked it, or liked it for that matter, but more I
was scratching the back of my head, thinking: what is this about.
Apparently The Pad has allies all over the world, who send sound
files to California where, one Gene Bryan Johnson collects them,
and puts them into songs. Himself, he is responsible for guitar,
piano, synthesizer, percussion and voice. What is this? Singer-songwriter
surely, but there is enough to grasp to the world of ambient music,
a bit of experiment, a bit of improvisation. Everything seems
to be in there. Also some retro sounding, seventies guitars, which
make this not always a most enjoyable thing to hear, but it surely
has something that kept my attention, but I'm afraid its very
hard to tell what it is. Maybe it is that whole varied approach
that makes the listener wanting to continue hearing it? As said,
this might not be my thing and that, perhaps, lies in the fact
that singer-songwriter, which makes up quite a bit on this release
is not my cup of tea that much. But surely I thought this was
quite a nice release, certainly after the infinite boredom of
Sascha Muhr. (FdW)
Address: http://www.q-tone.com
BICAMERAL MIND - QUINTET (CDR by Blondena
Music)
BICAMERAL MIND - HALF MAST (CDR by Blondena Music)
A new label to me, and some new musicians. Shaun Sandor and Bryce
Clayton Eiman are, together, Bicameral Mind, but around their
home town, based in North Carolina, they also meet up with other
musicians. Results of that can be found on the 'Quintet' release.
It lists six people, so why it isn't called 'Sextet', I don't
know. Eiman and Sandor aren't getting any credit for instruments,
but otherwise there is Jenks Miller on drums, Mark Lever on tuba,
Christopher Thurston on bass and Ted Johnson on tracking (whatever
that might be). This seems to me a live recordings of some kind,
with or without audience. But no editing I think. This improvised
music is quite nice, with some nice placing of sound objects (perhaps
by Eiman/Sandor) and the instruments. When this lots leans towards
(free-) jazz, mainly the bass and drums are responsible, it walks
too much in common ground I think, which is a pity. They are best
in a somewhat more abstract sound territory, but maybe it has
to do with my dislike of jazz.
The duo disc that is "Half Mast" is therefore perhaps
more interesting. 'All tracks live & improvised to 2 track
digital media' it says on the cover, again without dealing us
what it is that they use. My best guess is a bunch of objects,
microphones (contact or otherwise), maybe a guitar and/or organ
and sound effects. It starts with 'Rivva', which is quite a rhythm
and noise affair, but as it happens this is a pretty varied release.
Rhythm plays an important role in these pieces, one that hints
towards the use of loop devices. Here too the material seems to
me pretty much the result of improvisation as some of the pieces
are a bit 'thin', idea wise. The sound is fun it seems to be their
way of thinking, but they let the funny sounds go on for a bit
too long. That is a bit of my problem with this release. Essentially
its quite o.k. music, but its all a bit too long. Both of these
releases show an interesting amount of ideas, but the execution
has lots of room for improvement and re-thinking. (FdW)
Address: none given
ZEN 2099 - THE DROWING (CDR by Backwards
Records)
BLACK 13 KREW - WANDERER OF THE WASTE (CDR by Backwards Records)
Releases on Backwards Records have arrived here before and I must
say they look quite nice. Professional yet hand made. Despite
the fact that the labels dabbles into various musical territories,
the presentation is always a bit dark - lots of black, which may
not always fit the music, I'd say. It does fit however the music
of Zen 2099. Another problem is information about these bands:
they hide behind their myspace pages, filled with images and all
things flickering, but hardly producing any concrete information.
So who or what Zen 2099 is or want, but they definitely do fit
the darkness that the label created cover-wise. Everything seems
to (r-)evolve around samples. Samples of an unspecified nature
- and I run a complete blank here: this could be from anything
really - which are looped around, treated with sound effects and
the outcome is an amorphous, yet captivating mass of sound. Tracks
are not that long, just long enough to be interesting. I was reminded
here of some of the early albums by Lilith on Sub Rosa. That similar
musique concrete feel but captured in a more ambient-industrial
surrounding. Very nice, if perhaps not entirely 'new'.
Perhaps the name Black 13 Krew fits the black cover, but their
music doesn't always. Krew, is that a hip hop phrase (I'm afraid
I don't know)? Somehow it seems that this band (?) wants to play
some music that is both dark and rhythmic. Perhaps not the kinds
of rhythm that implies hip hop, but the driving beats may at least
hint at that direction. They cover it however with lots of dark
sound collages and also sorts of sound effects. I must admit I
don't know what to make of this. I actually liked the rhythm parts
of this, but the sound collage parts I didn't think much of. Not
bad, not good, and it sort of seems to be passing by without being
noted very much. There seems to be a lot more possible with this
music, but somehow this potential doesn't seemed to be fulfilled.
That's pity. This band should try and make up their mind and choose
one route it seems to me. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/backwardsnw
NORTH GAMBIER AMATEUR BOWERS SOCIETY - COME
ALL YE (3"CDR by Black Petal)
This is the third release by North Gambier Amateur Bowers Society,
who hail from the South East of South Australia and its the project
of Cameron Wood, along with others. Mount Gambier is a nearby
dormant volcano and none of the members are trained musicians,
hence being called amateur here. That sort of explains the name.
The previous two releases were on Cameron's own Winter Records,
and not heard here by me. They play rock music with bows, on guitars,
on violins and on cello. Perhaps the drums is the only instrument
which are not bowed. A strong twenty minute session, recorded
live in the studio of psychedelic free rock. Think Velvet Underground
meeting No-neck Blues Band and Vibracathedral Orchestra, and you
are close, but North Gambier Amateur Bowers Society are a bit
more violent in their approach, a bit more distorted than their
UK and USA peers, a slight more drift into noise land is approached
here. Which is fine, since it sets them apart, while still having
their feet in the current free rock scene. Quite a fine piece,
top heavy bowing material. (FdW)
Address: http://www.blackpetal.com
NONNON - THE ENTITLEMENT GENERATION (cassette
by Automation Records)
HOPEN - THE SHARK'S WIFE (cassette by Automation Records)
You might think, and perhaps quite rightly, that world of cassette
releases is inhabited by drone meisters or mentally instable noise
creators, but then Automation Records may proof you wrong. They
release their cassettes also as downloads, which I guess is a
nice thing to do. Also musicwise this label offers something else
than the usual noise. First we have Nonnon, which is one David
Madden from Salt Lake City, who released 'The Death Of Convience'
on Ad Noiseam (see Vital Weekly 606), which was a true glitch
hop work. Here, on his new album, recorded all alone, save for
one track, he continues to explore the big time rhythms of hip
hop in combination with some experimental based sounds, the glitch
part of this. Its difficult to see some black kids wandering and
bouncing on this stuff, but surely for these pair of untrained
hip hop ears, this is actually way out of Vital Weekly's daily
digest (or even a private musical digest for that matter). I thought
this material was actually quite fun to hear. It didn't win me
over to play some more of this, or seek out others in this field,
but while sweeping the floor and doing the laundry, this was quite
an entertaining album.
Hopen is Childe Grangier (which is how he is called here, Bruno
Gillet in Vital Weekly 647), who is still influenced by Zappa,
Autechre and Luc Ferrari, and its once again a crazy mixture of
sounds. Everything is thrown into the computer and served in a
hectic manner. More hip hop here, but this music is less suitable
for dancing around doing the household. I must admit of the two
releases, I thought this was the lesser one. In all this chaos,
mayhem and madness it was a bit hard to find what Hopen was actually
trying to say or create, except for a maniac ride on the musical
waves of the last 100 years. But perhaps its like food: you can't
throw it all together and have a great meal afterwards. Not bad
I guess, but perhaps not my cup of tea. Nice professional covers
on both releases. (FdW)
Address: http://www.automationrecords.com