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VITAL WEEKLY
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number 720
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week 9
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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
MATHIEU RUHLMANN - GRAVITY CONTROLS OUR
MYTHS (CD by Semper Florens) *
CHICAGO UNDERGROUND - BOCA NEGRA (CD by Thrill Jockey)
GUY FRANK PELLERIN - PERIPLO (CD by Cosmic Pride)
TAKUMI SEINO - MOOD FOR RED (CD by Vos)
SCRATOA! - LIVE EN SAN ANTON (CD by Killer Pimp) *
SIMULACRA - THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED WITH BLOOD (CD by ConSouling
Sounds & No Angels Productions) *
MAURIZIO BIANCHI - GENE P (CD by Menstrual Recordings)
MAURIZIO BIANCHI - THE BOWELS OF ANGER (CD by Menstrual Recordings)
*
MAURIZIO BIANCHI & PATRIZIA OLIVA - INVOCALIZATIONS (CDR
by Menstrual Recordings)
LA FIN DU MONDE - VOL. 2: THE BOX (CDR/DVDR by Menstrual Recordings)
*
GARETH DAVIES & STEVEN R. SMITH - THE LINE ACROSS (LP by
Alt.Vinyl)
HIS DIVINE GRACE/DE GRACE - REVELATION (LP by Just Another Winter)
NOTRE DESSEIN - COMME UNE MER DE VERRE (LP by Just Another Winter)
PROCER VENEFICUS - HOW THE HEATHER MOONLT SHIVERS (2LP by Just
Another Winter)
INCH-TIME - AURORA (LP by Static Caravan)
TULA - NO NAME/REMINDED ME (7" by Static Caravan)
IRIS TO HYPNOS/FIELDHEAD (CDR by Static Caravan)
GOVERNMENT ALPHA EVIL MOISTURE - SPLIT (7" by Le Petit Migion)
GERRITT WITTMER - PORTIONS OF HELL (CDR-EP by Misanthropic Agenda)
*
ERIC LUNDE - REDUCPLICATIVE STRATEGIES (CDR/DVDR by Trait) *
AUTISTICI- DETACHED METAL VOICE - EARLY WORKS VOL. 1 (CDR by
Audiobulb Records) *
LASSE-MARC RIEK - HABITATS (CDR by 3Leaves) *
ANDREW WEATHERS - A GREAT SOUTHERN CITY (CDR by Full Spectrum
Records) *
PNDC & HOUSEWORK - MOMENTS OF GREY FORGETTABLENESS (CDR by
Listen Loudest! Records) *
DAVE BARNES & RICHARD KAMERMAN & GRAHAM STEPHENSON -
THREE DUOS (CDR by Copy For Your Records) *
DELICATE SEN (CDR by Copy For Your Records) *
RICHARD KAMERMAN - AND SHE SAT UP IN THE STREET IN THE SUN (CDR
by Copy For Your Records) *
GIANCARLO TONIUTTI - IGILAGIILAL AGLALGAL (3"CDR by Kaon)
*
TOY BIZARRE - KDI DCTB 216 [DATA #9] (3"CDR by Kaon) *
LASSE MARHAUG - THE SKY ABOVE THE BUD BELOW (cassette by Prest!?
Records)
DORO BENGALA (cassette by Prest!? Records)
MATHIEU RUHLMANN - GRAVITY CONTROLS OUR
MYTHS (CD by Semper Florens)
Usually in the musical world of Mathieu Ruhlmann and people like
him, a release means releasing one or more long tracks on a carrier
of sounds. Usually not more than three. But much to my surprise
this one has thirteen tracks, in some forty minutes, which one
could think that this is Ruhlmann's popalbum. Of course its not.
Its just an album of shorter pieces, maybe sketch like, but to
use the term 'sketch' is not something I'd like to do for this
music. You may all too easily think, the pieces on this album
are not fully worked out, which is not the case. They are well
rounded, shorter pieces of electronic and electro-acoustic music.
Ruhlmann uses "bowed metal, pine cone, dried plants, mouse
skulls, crickets, piano, bells, bullets, boiling water, children's
toy, vinyl, bowed zither, glass bottle, water tank, spring, fly,
insects, shells, xylophone, hydrophone and field recordings",
which is indeed a long list of sounds and perhaps not always
as such to be recognized here, but Ruhlmann finds a great balance
between sounds we do recognize (water, piano) and those we don't
- which I assume to be slightly processed versions of the other
mentioned sounds. Its probably more difficult for people like
Ruhlmann to do a shorter pieces than a longer one (odd as that
may sound), but he does he a great job here. His music didn't
change, it just became a bit more tighter here. Its good to see
someone like him change the structure behind his music, trying
out to get the same results but then within a shorter time frame.
Ruhlmann succeeds wonderfully well at that. His highly atmospheric
music still stands firm, with a great, intelligent use of environmental
sounds and objects into a great varied bunch of tracks. Very
nice. (FdW)
Addresss: http://www.semperflorens.net
CHICAGO UNDERGROUND - BOCA NEGRA (CD by
Thrill Jockey)
Chicago Underground is Rob Mazurek (cornet, electronics) and
Chad Taylor (drums, vibraphone, mbira, computer, electronics).
Chicago Underground operates from time to time in quartet and
orchestral formats, but in the end it is a duo. With "Boca
Negra" they present their fifth CD since they started in
1998. First it is the unconventional instrumentation that attracts
all attention. Traditional instruments are combined with electronics.
It is far more then a record by a drummer and a cornet player.
Sometimes it is as if we are listening to a complete band. I
think they gained this effect without much multi-tracking. They
create strange soundscapes like in the first part of "Left
Hand of Darkness". In these and other pieces they create
experimental surroundings, making room this way for traditional
sounding melodic motives that refer to traditions of jazz and
world music. Especially brazilian moods are often very near by.
In a piece like "Quantum Eye" the music remains from
start to finish in ambient atmospheres. With "Broken Hands"
they make a tribute to Ornette Coleman. We hear an overactive
drummer who seems to play vibraphone at the same time, slashed
with short runs on cornet by Mazurek. Also they made use of mixing
in this piece, in order to create a piece of music that constantly
escapes from itself. In "Confliction" the keyboards
strongly reminded me of a piece by Magma that I,m unable to identify.
With "Spy on The Floor" they enter the dance floor.
At last a regular beat. In general they explore and mix rhythmic
irregularities within very unconventional textures. Constantly
seeking for musical combinations of traditional motives and melodies
with ambient and sometimes noisy textures. Each piece proves
that these guys have ideas. Yes, there is a lot to discover and
enjoy here. Personally it would make a stronger appeal to me
when it was performed by a complete band. More souls, more soul.
(DM)
Address: http://www.thrilljockey.com/
GUY FRANK PELLERIN - PERIPLO (CD by Cosmic
Pride)
I could not trace much on the french artist Guy Frank Pellerin.
Consequently within the context of this review he remains an
artist without a history. On "Periplo" he collected
12 pieces, a kaleidoscope of instrumental miniatures. All of
them are played by Pellerin on a diversity of percussive and
wind instruments. "Stella" is the only written piece
by Pellerin. All other pieces are spontaneously improvised or
improvisations on preconceived ideas. With his music, Pellerin
makes the impression of some one who is out of step with what
is going on. An album by a loner who creates his own musical
universe. His music is anything but far out. On the contrary
Pellerin seeks to create 'small' and unpretentious music, that
attracts attention through being modest but deep. In his sax
playing Pellerin expresses himself from his most jazziest side,
as a capable improvisor who can tell his story without big gestures.
Pellerin does not seek complexity, but simplicity. This results
in a bunch of timeless instrumentals that are beyond categorization,
beyond musical trends and fashions. Simply beautiful. (DM)
Address: <cosmic-ride@sfr.fr>
TAKUMI SEINO - MOOD FOR RED (CD by Vos)
Here we have Seino with his Drops Trio caught live at Big Apple,
Kobe (Japan). On drums we have Hiroshi Matsuda and Osamu Mihara
plays acoustic bass. Seino himself on acoustic and electric guitars.
About half of the titles are compositions by Seino. The other
half are groupimprovisations. Seino is a talented guitarist who
did his studies at the Berklee College of Music in the US. He
plays a prominent role in several groups. Recently we reviewed
the CD "Life-Refined" by Next Order, earlier "Tree"
by the Blue Willows Trio that have both Seino on guitars. He
is comparable with the canadian guitarist Antoine Berthiaume
who also changes from avant garde to very accessible jazz music.
Seino is back now with a jazz trio, specialized in a very comforting
easy-listening kind of jazz, with some distorted electric outbursts
from time to time. I wished there were more of them. For my tastes
it remains mostly much within the boundaries of a genre that
is too well-known. So I was never surprised by what things trio
brings about. Although they are fine musicians who make up a
well-balanced trio and who understand their craft. And they deliver
you some very sophisticated jazz leaving you in a mood of pleasant
calmness. That's for sure! (DM)
Address: http://www.takumniseino.com/
SCRATOA! - LIVE EN SAN ANTON (CD by Killer
Pimp)
Liner notes (?) in English and Spanish, credits in German and
Spanish. A duo of one Marc Nguyen (guitar, keyboard and electronic)
and Guillaume Ollendorff (laptop and electronic), who recorded
this in the nights of 14, 15 and 16 of April 2008 in Studio San
Anton in Alicante. Its a bit unclear why it took almost two years
to release this, maybe they had problems finding a label. Ten
pieces, all relatively short of improvised music through mainly
electronic means. Nervous playing on the guitar, with scratchy
inserts from the keyboard and whatever soundfiles running on
the computer. Its improvised for sure, but nothing onkyo or silent.
It also side steps the regular improvised music since its all
more electric and electronic and quite heavy without being true
noise. Not unpleasant to hear, but not great either. One of those
things were one thinks: well, yeah, so? Maybe I miss out on the
bigger goal of this music, which seems rather a nice thing to
do for the musicians themselves. (FdW)
Address: http://www.killerpimp.com
SIMULACRA - THERE IS A FOUNTAIN FILLED
WITH BLOOD (CD by ConSouling Sounds & No Angels Productions)
Somehow I thought Simulacra was an older name, or perhaps I am
(mildly) confused with something else, but its the name used
by Miguel Boriau from Belgium, who is working as such since 2006.
He is also working as Mannus and Beyond Infinity, as well as
Nihilum with someone named Mu. Simulacra is however his main
project, having a release on Triple Bath and No Angels Productions.
The title may suggest some bloodstained musical horror, but actually
its not. Its perhaps not entirely pleasant either, but this darker
than dark ambient music is actually great. If you ignore any
darker undercurrent coming through titles or the blood red cover,
then you'll discover this really nice dark ambient, both spelled
in capitals. Its hard to say wether this was made with instruments,
field recordings or extensive computer manipulation, but the
music rolls majestically like slow motion pictures of the sea.
Think Paul Bradley, but then a bit less abstract and moving a
bit more towards the musical side of things, with long sustaining
chords ebbing and flowing about. Great music, but don't play
this scary nightmare in a pitch black environment - ghosts may
crawl upon you. Including a remix by Mystified, who simply extends
the proceedings - still not much more light - but a slight variation.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.consouling.be
MAURIZIO BIANCHI - GENE P (CD by Menstrual
Recordings)
MAURIZIO BIANCHI - THE BOWELS OF ANGER (CD by Menstrual Recordings)
MAURIZIO BIANCHI & PATRIZIA OLIVA - INVOCALIZATIONS (CDR
by Menstrual Recordings)
LA FIN DU MONDE - VOL. 2: THE BOX (CDR/DVDR by Menstrual Recordings)
Wether or not the recent rumor is true or not, I have no idea
about Maurizio Bianchi giving up on music again. It seems that
he is more actively involved in releasing music than before.
Here is a bunch of new releases, with old and new music. 'Gene
P' was released as a cassette in 1980, and among the true Bianchi
devotees old = best. On the first track (both tracks are untitled)
Bianchi uses tape-loops of what could vaguely sound like gamelan
music, or wind chimes. Its music with not many changes, music
that is not loud and actually quite pleasing. The other side
is more experimental. It uses vinyl, scratchy vinyl that is,
with the needle jumping all over the place. Its a bit much experiment
for the sake of experiment for me here. A most typical work from
the years of cassette releases. Had it not been by Maurizio Bianchi,
would it see a re-issue on CD in 2010? Most likely not. That
first track? Yes, absolutely.
An entirely new work, from 2009, is 'The Bowls of Anger', based
on the book of Revelation, chapter 16, verses 1-21. The cover
says it uses 'ruinous electronics, a degenerate piano and waves
in decay, with the deteriorated participation of Siegmar Fricke'
(like so many of the recent M.B. works). In thirty years lots
of things happen and this sounds like something else indeed,
although there is that Maurizio Bianchi sound that is always
present. Still based around loops, perhaps from an acoustic nature,
feeding through electronics and that has somewhat chilly ambient
sound. A bit distortion in the high-end range of the sound. Tracks
are pretty long here, each around eight to ten minutes, and I
must say that not every one needs that length. There is, at times,
not happening enough variations to keep things interesting through
these tracks. Some of them also sound too similar. Some are however
quite interesting, such as 'Upon The Throne Of The Wild Beast'
or 'Upon The Air'. Not Bianchi's best releases from recent years.
Patrizia Oliva is better known as Madame P, where she signs,
uses loop devices and field recordings. I saw her a couple of
times in concert, and though nice, I wasn't blown away. When
there is a move towards playing a 'song', I thought it was quite
nice, but when it wanders out into the world of free form improvisation.
Sadly that is something that she does here with her collaboration
with Bianchi. Oliva's voice is fed through a bunch of delay lines,
while Bianchi drones his way in the background. Maybe one track
would be alright, but four of them is simply too much.
The sons of Bianchi (well, not literally of course) could be
Disruptor (images) and Dedali (sounds), who work as La Fin Du
Monde. "La Fin Du Monde is the realistic vision of a modern
society on the brink of extinction" is their mission statement.
On the DVDR three films in black and white, which show a grim
world. Fires burning, people running, machines, the street at
night and such like. Nice enough, with the chilling music of
Dedali. He is the true son of Bianchi with his set of nightmare
ambient electronics. Extended fields of largely, synthetic masses
of synthesizer sounds. He's doing a better job than Bianchi on
'The Bowels Of Anger' I think. Post nuclear music, Armageddon
music, the way M.B. thought of in his best days. Being not much
of a film fan, I think this music stands well by itself. One
hell of a beautiful nightmare. (FdW)
Address: http://www.menstrualrecordings.org
GARETH DAVIES & STEVEN R. SMITH - THE
LINE ACROSS (LP by Alt.Vinyl)
Work by Gareth Davis has been reviewed before, either solo or
in collaboration with others, such as Machinefabriek. Here he
teams up again with Steven R. Smith, with whom he already recorded
'Westering', a LP for Important Records (see Vital Weekly 683).
Smith (also a member of Hala Strana, Mirza, Thuja) plays electric
guitar, spike fiddle and nail violin, and Davis is on bass clarinet
and contrabass clarinet. This time recorded in two studios, in
Amsterdam and in Los Angeles. Two side long improvised pieces,
which continue the mood of the previous record. Mood music that
it is. Music that depicts the endless road through the desert.
The guitar is played with an open end, sometimes with a slide
and always with lots of echo. The clarinets cook up a background
drone for it. Sometimes things get even a bit rhythmic on the
guitar. A desolate atmospheric piece, this 'Other Forms Of Consecrated
Life'. On the other side we find 'The Natural History Of Devastation',
which starts out low humming. From there things evolve in a rather
natural way. Guitars are layered through the looping device and
gradually built up over the course of the piece. The clarinet
goes into a much more abstract territory here and perform some
great drone like background. An excellent piece, the best duo
piece from these two. A totally great record. (FdW)
Address: http://www.altvinyl.com
HIS DIVINE GRACE/DE GRACE - REVELATION
(LP by Just Another Winter)
NOTRE DESSEIN - COMME UNE MER DE VERRE (LP by Just Another Winter)
PROCER VENEFICUS - HOW THE HEATHER MOONLT SHIVERS (2LP by Just
Another Winter)
A subdivision from (T)reue Um (T)reue which is dedicated to ambient
and experimental black metal is the new Just Another Winter label,
whom kick off with three releases, all in colorful covers. One
is even a double album. I never heard of any of these bands/projects
but they seem to share a common love in dark icons, latin names
and other pseudo religious outings. Its a world I don't feel
connected with. 'Gothic' we sometimes call this smilingly. The
first one I played is a split by His Divine Grace and De Grace.
It seems that both have the same members, Moonchild Erik (keyboards)
and Lamort (guitar and vocals), but it is said in past tense
for the first moniker. Under the banner they have a side long
track with is a long ambient piece of slow moving electronics
and a piano like sound (no doubt a guitar), and maybe heavily
processed vocals. Actually quite a nice piece. They developed
into De Grace, in which the sound is richer. There are three
tracks here, in which we clearly distinguish a guitar, some field
recordings and more electronics. Quiet music, hardly complex
and highly based in the world of drone music, but with a more
open ended guitar sound, and wordless singing/chanting;. Hardly
black metal - experimental or not. But a record I like, despite
the black undercurrents.
Its hardly a surprise that the 'Comme Une Mer De Verre' by Notre
Dessein is much like De Grace. Its the solo project of Lamort
- black metal with no drums, as said by the label. Here the inspiration
comes from the book of revelations (see also the title of the
De Grace album, and, coincidentally the CD by M.B. elsewhere).
Much alike but not the same. With Notre Dessein the emphasis
lies more on the use of guitar and the vocals here are screaming
somewhere in the background - or maybe even in a room next door.
I guess this counts as black metal (maybe I should know about
this kind of music?), but the musical part doesn't strike me
as metal at all - or did someone already think of the term ambient
metal? What is similar is the slow playing, the likewise slow
evolution of the composition and its ambient character - despite
the surpressed vocals. Not as good as De Grace, but certainly
enjoyable.
Also a new name (obviously) for me is Procer Veneficus, who have
more material out, since the label says this is their 'bleakest'
release to date. The cover shows old chairs in red light on the
outside, two naked women on the inside in the same red light;
two pieces of vinyl pressed in red - so maybe there is a sexual
theme? All the material was recorded by one Derek, and one song
is by Amber Asylum. This Derek sings and has an acoustic guitar,
and loads of reverb behind his back. The music sinks away in
this pool of reverb. This is slow music also, but I think its
the least interesting of this trio. The sound is drowned out
too much, which made me suspicious: why is that? Is there something
to hide in the music? Maybe the fact that Procer Veneficus doesn't
have that many ideas (but why make a double LP then)? Maybe this
counts in some areas as folk noir, but then perhaps its also
the kind of music I never really liked and never did much trouble
for in understanding. So not my cup of tea, this collection that
would not find a place in any brothel. (FdW)
Address: http://www.turtur.com/jaw
INCH-TIME - AURORA (LP by Static Caravan)
TULA - NO NAME/REMINDED ME (7" by Static Caravan)
IRIS TO HYPNOS/FIELDHEAD (CDR by Static Caravan)
Three new releases on Static Caravan, three different formats
and three different kinds of music. Stefan Panczak from London
(originally from Australia) is the man behind Inch-time, and
its twelve inch-time here. Five pieces of some great laidback
dub jazz rhythms. Soft, not too outspoken pieces of music. Clicky
deep rhythms, a guitar, maybe a harp and nice moody tunes. Gorgeous
tunes at work here. Vaguely exotic, mildly dark, this is nocturnal
music. Delicate music, foot tapping rather than dancing music.
Excellent stuff.
On 7" two pieces by Tula, as it says on the cover, but on
the backside its says by Tula and Cameron Miller. Two simple
folk tunes of guitars (acoustic I should hope) and female vocals
and towards the end an accordion. The b-side is probably even
stranger: it almost sounds like country & western, but its
probably not. How would I know? I never liked that kind of George
Bush music, but this piece... well, this piece is actually quite
nice. What a lovely 7"!
The final release is by Iris To Hypnos and Fieldhead. Two tracks
by each, and each using sound material from the other. Moody,
melancholic music here. Soft piano's, multiple soft violins,
playing soft tunes and in 'Stele 31' a bit of rhythm carefully
brought into the proceedings. Thoughtful music, from the borders
of popmusic and modern classical music. Four pieces that clock
in at some fifteen minutes of sad music. And sad it made me.
Not the music as such, but such sweet music could have lasted
a bit longer as far as I'm concerned. Much longer. This simply
sounded like more! How sad. How great. (FdW)
Address: http://www.staticcaravan.org
GOVERNMENT ALPHA EVIL MOISTURE - SPLIT
(7" by Le Petit Migion)
I reviewed a previous L.P.M. release in VW689 where if anything
my praise was not up to the mark in terms of just what can be
produced as a release of a certain kind of "music"
or art. The crucifix gatefold sleeve is once again an excellent
piece of craft, of image and color by crippaXXXalmqvist and Anna
Lili Konishchev printed by La Commissure. However the printing
is by a superb set of layered silk-screens which work wonderfully
with the graphic, the record itself (Mastering by Rashad Becker
at Dubplates, Berlin) is a beautiful bright pink- a Barbie pink!
Has two sides (sic) a Bomb! Side which is Government Alpha (Yasutoshi
Yoshida) and a Skull Side, Evil Moisture (Andy Bolus). I'm more
familiar with the work of GA than Andy Bolus - a multifaceted
"artist" who is here I guess working with home made
electronics and modified electronic toys, which appear to function
in his sonic activities, as well as modifying/moderating these?
With meat, and in one case the meat is in the form of a girl
"live girl meat"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lg--xqM9bc . A series of noises,
squeaks and
crashes, like some monstrous Acme machine which rampages rather
than revolves around the disk. As this could be described as
Baroque noise or rococo the Government Alpha in its solidity
is more Michelangeloesque, of sharp feedback across the spectrum,
yet even here an intrepid space invader occasionally falls into
GA's meat grinder. Both on there own would form an interesting
comment on the development of noise and its themes, thankfully
away from the dreaded earnestness of some (no names) to the more
relevant in its critique of the present in its playful irony.
A work of splendid and beautiful irreverence, an aesthetic heresy
at its finest. The sound art and printed art fit together beautifully
in an a Escher like way, neither illustration of the other and
both illustrating the other. A perfect pink paradox. Everyone
involved in this production should be commended for their work,
its very rare that the various talents, intentions and forces
of artists, producers, distributor come together as an organic
whole, and when they do as here, a genuine art object, a jewel,
in brought forth. (jliat)
Address: http://www.staalplaat.com
GERRITT WITTMER - PORTIONS OF HELL (CDR-EP
by Misanthropic Agenda)
This was shipped off almost unheard to Jliat, our man of all
things noise, but I decided to have a quick listen myself. Gerrit
Wittmer was until now best known as Gerritt and a man of harsh
noise attacks. This new, short release, sees him working under
his own full name and moving away from the strict noise genre.
That is something that I of course most welcome. There is only
as much noise as you can make, I guess, before leaping into repetition.
The second piece here reflects something of the old noise spirit
- a sort of sound poetry gone brutal. However the third piece
(all untitled of course) is something that is has no sound at
all, or rather: not one we can hear. One is short etude for a
contact microphone, while four has very soft rattle of a synth
that gradually builds up and so on. This music is much more extreme
in my opinion than the average noise release, since it cleverly
bounces back and forth between very loud and vicious material,
and very soft material, with a strong emphasis on dynamics. Excellent
material. Concise, to the point, full of surprises. (FdW)
Address: http://www.misanthropicagenda.com
ERIC LUNDE - REDUCPLICATIVE STRATEGIES
(CDR/DVDR by Trait)
This is how these things sometimes work. I hadn't heard the name
Eric Lunde in years. Many years actually. But last week I reviewed
a split of his together with Kommisar Hjuler, and on the same
day that review went out, this new release arrived. Lunde writes
me that 'recent events brought me kicking and screaming into
the digital world'. His latest, newest work is what all his work
is about: erosion. Both in audio and in visual. Lunde again takes
the work 'I Am Sitting In A Room' from Alvin Lucier as a starting
point. You have a recording, you play it back, record that. Then
play that recording, record that, and so on. You can apply that
to xeroxes and to video. To start with the latter. There are
two video's called 'Lucid'. Lunde says that the first is long
and perhaps boring - and yes, I agree. Home video's, from the
car, from the TV - re-recorded but the narration as such eludes
me. There is hardly any music. In the second, shorter version
of 'Lucid', Lunde takes an old porn movie and reworks that into
a great visual piece. Its green visuals, stretched out, blurry,
a bit flickering and with a great low end sound of mumbling like
insect sounds. A great piece of film, and as far I'm concerned
it would have been enough to release just that on the DVD. The
CD takes sounds from the 'Lucid 1' movie and reworks that into
eight separate pieces. The ninth piece is a 'reduplicative processing'
of the voice over from trailer by Jeph Jerman (also known as
Hands To, and back in the days an early collaborator of Lunde).
The eight Lunde pieces are best to be heard as one continuos
piece of music of the same 'slurping' sound, with sometimes a
bit of voice or rhythm. Interesting enough but for forty minutes
this is actually a bit too long. The Jerman piece takes a the
voice from trailer, and uses the lowest of equipment, the memo-recorder
for recording and playback. This is the closest things get here
to Lucier original - almost like a cover version. Its a great
piece however, which, together with a somewhat slimmed version
of Lunde's audio works make up a fine release. A highly limited
edition, and I recommend getting the full version: it includes
a book which explains the ideas quite in-depth, with some illuminating
graphics. (FdW)
Address: http://www.trait/vox.com
AUTISTICI - DETACHED METAL VOICE - EARLY
WORKS VOL. 1 (CDR by Audiobulb Records)
So far we known Autistici as a band with some fine microsound
like music for labels such as 12K. Maybe its a bit early for
a retrospective of early work for such a young band, but you
never know where expectations come from for things like this.
This is quite different from the music we already heard from
them. Here Autistici work with the human voice which the feed
through a synthesizer called ASY, as developed at Bell Laboratories
in the 60s and 70s. The music is definitely different than the
later work. More based, of course, within synthesizer sounds,
through which the voices (not as in 'vocals') are fed, bouncing
off into the world of ambient but also at times rhythmic like
IDM or breakbeat/jazz like ('Clononic People'). Its actually
quite a nice release, I think. Hardly like anything I heard from
them before, but a pretty varied bunch of music, in which the
voices are hardly to be recognized. In that respect its great
to have these early works now, rather than in twenty-five years.
Maybe Autistici should try and find some synthesis between these
old music interest and their recent work. That would be interesting.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.audiobulb.com
LASSE-MARC RIEK - HABITATS (CDR by 3Leaves)
The name Lasse-Marc Riek showed up before in Vital Weekly, but
he's mostly known as the man who runs the Gruenrekorder label.
On that label you find many people working with pure field recordings,
and that line of interest is also to be found in his own work.
His 'Habitats' release for the Hungarian label 3Leaves opens
with a spoken word by him and he explains what we are hearing:
field recordings made in Finland. That introduction is not really
necessary. Print it on the cover - which he actually did: there
is a list of places mentioned and the variety of birds he recorded
(including their latin name - the man knows his birds). The recording
of birds is great - even when they don't make the same sense
as they do to him. Its hard to say wether these recordings were
combined into one, or wether they actually reflect a real time
recording, which was then spliced together. The whole piece is
separated into eigth parts, cut into one track on the release.
A wonderful release of some great recordings, which make my longing
for springtime even greater. Pure, poetic field recordings. (FdW
Address: http://www.3leaves-label.com
ANDREW WEATHERS - A GREAT SOUTHERN CITY
(CDR by Full Spectrum Records)
Quite an obscure release, this one. The cover lists Andrew Weathers
as the creator of the music. He plays 'stringed instruments,
percussion, organ, voice, electronics', with some help from others
on clarinet, violin, piano, saxophone and cello. No website for
the label is mentioned (and why should there? You can always
find it). There I read that this is the first release under his
real name, and that apparently he has worked as Pacific Before
Tiger, and that his music is not unlike that of Greg Davis and
Peter Broderick. I might add also the name of Machinefabriek
to that small list. Weathers compositions are minimal in their
approach. A bow on the snare, a few plucking sounds, a strum
here and there. Mostly along gentle paths in a forest at dawn.
But there is also the short hectic improvisation of 'Left Arm
Sunburnt' as well as, right after that, the orchestral piece
'Sails', with gentle gestures. Its great mixture between ambient
like textured music and folk like strumming, and should indeed
please those fans of the aforementioned others alike. (FdW)
Address: http://www.fullspectrumrecords.com
PNDC & HOUSEWORK - MOMENTS OF GREY
FORGETTABLENESS (CDR by Listen Loudest! Records)
The work of Greek producer PNDC is always welcome here at the
Vital headquarters, but its hardly music that fits these pages
(I think). PNDC, who always works through mail exchange with
Housework (Belgrade) play music that is best described as a mixture
of classic new wave, dark wave and electronica. Rhythms arrive
via the machine, to which they add guitars, keyboards and vocals.
So far they release a couple of great albums, and this album
fills in the blanks from previous years: a bunch of tracks that
weren't released (for whatever reasons), or remixes of previously
released tracks. This is another fine collection of uptempo beats,
harsh guitars, piercing electronics, and tormented vocals. Indeed:
not the world of Vital Weekly per se, but it makes a perfect
antidote for the all serious music that floats around the 'office'.
Think Depeche Mode meeting New Order on the darker hours of the
night. Excellent outsider in this underground. (FdW)
Address: http://www.myspace.com/pndc
DAVE BARNES & RICHARD KAMERMAN &
GRAHAM STEPHENSON - THREE DUOS (CDR by Copy For Your Records)
DELICATE SEN (CDR by Copy For Your Records)
RICHARD KAMERMAN - AND SHE SAT UP IN THE STREET IN THE SUN (CDR
by Copy For Your Records)
Copy For Your Records is a new label run by Frederick Butler
(operations, motivation) and Richard Kamerman (curator, shipping
department) with 'the inapplicable thanks to Dan Reynolds (brilliant
ideas, hi-concept/lo-brow). Kamerman is also present on the first
release with a laptop, motors and objects, along with Graham
Stephenson (trumpet, microphone) and Dave Barnes (electronics).
I have no idea why this is called 'Three Duos', since in each
of the four pieces, only two people play? Oh, I see, Dave/Graham,
Graham/Richard and twice Dave/Richard. Ok, gottit. The music
is all improvised, low on the threshold of hearing with the rattling
of small objects, air into the trumpet and the crackle of contact
microphones. Silent improvisation, with a great emphasis on space.
Only in the four piece things are a bit louder with the sound
of a bell spinning on a table, evolving slowly into feedback.
Nice one, even without many surprises in this particular musical
genre.
Delicate Sen is a group existing since 2006, but this is their
first release. Recorded as a rehearsal for a concert in Albany,
New york. Kamerman plays motors and objects here, while Billy
Gomberg plays synthesizer and Anne Guthrie french horn. Apparently
they sometimes use additional electronics and selected percussion,
but not on this recording. Here its (apparently again) more acoustic.
Alike the previous disc, this is another disc of many silence
with occasional sound. Its a great disc, again without too many
surprises, but one hears the love of playing their instruments.
Great exploration of the diverse qualities of the various instruments,
interacting with eachother. The synthesizer is used very sparsely,
the objects rattle modestly around and the horn is used as an
object as well as an instrument. Music that demands quite a lot
from the listener, but its a most rewarding release. Great improvise
music.
And the finally release is by Kamerman solo. Here he gets credit
for 'mechanical parts, found objects and amplification devices.
Here we read he is also a member of Tandem Electrics, a laptop
duo, but that this work is less obtuse. His solo work is very
dynamic: it can be very soft and quiet, with scratchy sounds
at the threshold of hearing, but then he is also using at other
times loud feedback and computer malfunctions, which scream you
of your contemplation. Microsound meets noise. From minus 80db
to plus 12db. I must say I am not blown away by this work. It
comes across as a bit too thought out. "Let's do some really
soft bits and some really loud", but somehow I fail to see
the connection (or rather, I guess, the composition) behind it.
A bit too much haphazard put together with perhaps too limited
means of sound. Certainly one with room for improvement. (FdW)
Address: http://cfyrecords.com
GIANCARLO TONIUTTI - IGILAGIILAL AGLALGAL
(3"CDR by Kaon)
TOY BIZARRE - KDI DCTB 216 [DATA #9] (3"CDR by Kaon)
Kaon never fully established itself to be a real label. It mainly
releases the work of Cedric Peyronnet (also known as Toy Bizarre),
but he writes that this is about to change. First there is a
bimonthly project based on recordings of the Taurion River. Peyronnet
made these recordings in the river valley, capturing aircraft,
crickets, cicadas, grasshoppers, snow and ice. He handed these
to various artists to compose a piece of music with it. The first
is Giancarlo Toniutti, whose work is greatly appreciated here,
but which is sadly quite sparse. The title means 'was brought
together in baidars' from the language Atkan Aleut, an Eskimo-Aleut
language spoken on Atka Island in the Aleutian archipelago, North
Pacific (no google here: its mentioned on the cover). Its hard
to say what kind of process he applied to the material, but it
seems to me an analogue treatment of radical equalization. All
the lower end sounds are pushed up, leaving a bit of the mid
end, and nothing for the high end. The result is a very dark
textured piece of music of around fifteen minutes in which we
recognize nothing of the original, save maybe for the final bit.
Its very much a Toniutti piece of music of radical treatments
of disturbing beauty.
It seems we missed out on the 8th volume of Toy Bizarre's series
of weather treatments, since here is installment number 9. After
a few surprise volumes, it seems like Toy Bizarre goes back here
to his original sound: that of crackling sound and mild processing.
It deals with the weather conditions in Australia in November
(the 19th to be precise) and of course its getting summer time
over there. Maybe that's what I hear, or rather I believe to
hear. In the first ten minutes things die out quite slowly, but
then in the last two minutes (all these pieces last twelve minutes)
Toy Bizarre picks up on the drone again of the more recent works.
Its not the best work in the series, but along a pretty fine
standard. (FdW)
Address: http://www.kaon.org
LASSE MARHAUG - THE SKY ABOVE THE BUD BELOW
(cassette by Prest!? Records)
DORO BENGALA (cassette by Prest!? Records)
Italy's Presto!? slowly builds an interesting catalogue of music,
in which they use all sorts of formats. Here two cassette releases.
The first is by the well-known Lasse Marhaug, who is best known
as one half of Jazkamer, but also for his many collaborations
with like minded noise artists around the globe. Two pieces here,
both just under ten minutes of improvised noise music. Its hard
to say what he uses equipment wise, but my best guess would be
that he has loaded his computer with a bunch of sound files and
plays them through some sort of computer program that slices
the material up into smaller particles, which then go into an
analogue mixer with some outboards sound effects, mainly a delay
device. This is all generates a rather loosely organized sound
- let's say improvised music. Not as loud as some of the material
he also releases, but definitely loud and clear. Short and sweet.
Even shorter is the release by Doro Bengala. "We practice
the art of sense stimulation through the use of colored flames,
of shrieks and low frequencies. Our group carry out a practice
from Bengal founded by Mrs Subhash Candra Doro in the late 1895".
To that end they use explosions of fireworks and electronics.
two pieces, one of three minutes and one of four minutes. Its
not easy to judge this, since its all so brief. But a-side is
more present with explosive sound - although not easy to be recognized
as fireworks - whereas the b-side is a very low end sound, with
events a bit buried. A small mysterious release, but quite nice.
(FdW)
Address: http://www.prestorecords.com
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