THIRDORGAN – JINZONINGEN (LP by Harbinger)
This is the first time I hear Thirdorgan on record, and it was a bit of
what I was expecting from the rumours I’d heard. Two sides of full noise
blast, that come off as a live session. Sometimes the sound level drops
dramatically, with distortion at irregular intervals. More a punk version
then taking good care about the structure in the sound. There is definitely
a market out there for this kind of noise, but I am sure I won’t play this
too often. It’s not bad – but maybe ‘industrial noise’ like this is worn
out now… even if you’re from Japan. (FdW)
Address: 55 Crossman Street – Nottingham – NG5 2HL – UK
IF, BWANA – TRIPPING INDIA (CD by Pogus)
The annual CD from one of the more sympathetic composers has arrived. Just
like Al Margolis’ previous CD ‘Breathing’, this contains three long
compositions that involve both composition and improvisation. The
conceptual inclinations of ‘3 Out Of 4 Ain’t Bad’ are interesting: 3
pianists play 3 piano’s at 3 different times on the same tape. The final
version is for 3 piano’s only (although I am not sure if that’s the version
here). The recognizable piano sounds are set against a mixture of sampled
sounds derived from sounds of the piano (hitting the strings, banging on
the lid), and is more a serial work of composition then usual to be found
here. ‘PR-DR’ uses just percussion sounds, but these are treated into a
dense layered piece with a strong ambient character. The long epic title
piece is an audio travelogue through India. Many of the sounds used are
loose ends, which combined in a total piece don’t convince. Many
recognizable elements from daily eastern life are to be spotted, but never
reach a real exotic level. But even in it’s full 26 minutes some nice
trajectories can be detected. Altogether If, Bwana deliver another fine CD
of well crafted music. (FdW)
Address: <pogal@ix.netcom.com>
TWILIGHT CIRCUS – DUB PLATE SELECTION (CD by M Records)
In his own unique style of playing classical dub and reggae Ryan Moore
(also member of Legendary Pink Dots and Download) presents mixes of
supposedly dub plates that he plays at his sound system (usually as an
opening act for the other bands he’s in). With this fourth CD his sound has
matured. Taking the first two CD’s, which were more ‘standard’ reggae tunes
and his third, more daring and wicked dub sounds, he comes to a heavy bass
tune, inflicting the weird back drop sounds. Lots of spacy synths and the
usual echoing dub sounds. This, and the fact that it lasts over 70 minutes,
make this into a most enjoyable album. Forthcoming, and for sure, another
yummy item, is a remix album. Can’t wait for that! (FdW)
Address: P.O.Box 469 – 6500 AL Nijmegen – The Netherlands
CONTAGIOUS ORGASM – IMPREGNATE MANNEQUIN (LP by Harbinger)
More noise from Japan, but different then the above mentioned Thirdorgan.
Contagious Orgasm take some of their old releases (dating back 1986-1988)
and rework them. Since I am not familiar with the original, I can’t really
comment on the stage of recycling/process and will stick to this as the
original.
The A-side is entirely consumed by the ‘Impregnate Wave Body’. It shifts
from metallic sounds, into looped choirs and synths. Gradually this side
builds up to a Laibachian fury at the end. Quite intense stuff, which is
very creepy at times.
‘Under The Wire Head’ is a strange, soft piece. Even though I have cranked
up the volume here, it remains quiet and subtle. It staggers around in the
depths, waiting for violence to break out. Yet it does not happen. Not at
least until the second track on side two. More looped voices and orchestra,
yet drowned in bursts of noise, again like the very old Laibach. There is
creeping tone, one that arouses suspicion. The perfect soundtrack to a
horror film probably.
Contagious Orgasm prove that noise music doesn’t per se have to deal with
just feedback and distortion. That it can be something different. (FdW)
Address: as above
TORTOISE – TNT (CD by City Slang)
It was only after they had sold zillions of copies, that somebody
acquainted me with their ‘Millions Now Living’, and I too was sold right
away. I was taken by both their approach, the rock format band playing
around with studio techniques and their instrumental approach. So their
third album TNT, which comes out in a month, was inspected with much
eagerness. The first hearing was disappointing, short tracks, again all
instrumental, but too fragmentary. But after repeated playing, I got more
and more excited. I don’t think it should be regarded at as 12 separate
tracks, but as one long suite in 12 parts. Tortoise again cleverly combines
apparently easy played guitar music (like in the opening title track), with
lounge rock (I assume this term refers to easy played rock music with
organs and marimba’s), to more electronic music and even some kind of drum
& bass (as in ‘Jetty’). The main instrument of Tortoise is by all means not
the rock format, but the studio and the tricks it can do. The rock format
is just the vehicle to produce the sound to iniate it all. Tortoise created
this out of it all, and probably the tons of remixers waiting can it take
from there and travel off in so many different directions. So if City Slang
is doing another remix CD, then here is a humble request: make a worldwide
edition of the 4 previous remix 12″ on CD (and not an overpriced Japanese
import) and do the same with any forthcoming set of 12″s. Thank you! (FdW)
Address: any recordstore in a month I hope
LIONEL MARCHETTI – LA GRANDE VALLEE (miniCD by Metamkine)
Slowly the cinema for the ears series is growing into the most valuable
library of contemporary classics. Lionel Marchetti’s new CD is his second
in the series. It’s quite a romantic event this one – the big valley were
man can be alone, surrounded by trees and small furry animals. He wanders
around, guided with a microphone and records, unconsciously taking note of,
as well as literally putting this enviroment to tape. A travelogue in a
set space – a space we don’t know the location of. This is one to cherish.
(FdW)
Address: <metamkine@compuserve.com>
EM – DJINN (CD by The Foundry)
The recently established Foundry just sent us three releases, two of which
are diposables – I’m sorry. I started with Em as the last one, so my mind
was set for another disappointment, but luckily I was surprised. Em, being
one M. Bentley, takes his or her inspiration from Sahko to anything on Ash
International, and has a vast array of weird electronic sounds at hand to
use. The result being 14 tracks which last around 6 minutes on average.
Well crafted miniatures noise pieces, less beaty than you would expect with
Panasonic being a focal point of interest. Plus it is really a varied
mixture of noisy tracks and more calm passages. If you come across these
CD’s released by The Foundry, then take a good look – they look the same
but you’re after this one. (FdW)
Address: <www.foundrysite.com>
ICHTISALOFAMILY – INTERPLAY (CD by Ektro)
Just today as I was planning to say something nice about this band from
Finland, somebody came by, and said that Tortoise sound like Neu! 25 years
ago. I was reminded of this phrase once when I heard: “everything is
already done, but not yet by me”. Packed with some horrible gothic (as in
the mediaval sense of the word) type-face, the Ichtisalofamily present a CD
that is just way too long. That is a pity, because it has some pretty
strong tracks on it, especially “Dialogue”. An utterly dry rhythm track
with a theremin howling underneath. I would like to describe this band as a
more raw version of Tortoise, but maybe I should say Neu!…? They combine
the same tricks as their more well-known US counterparts of studio (read:
electronica) works with guitars, drums and, here and there, weird things
such as a saxophone. Clocking in at 72 minutes there are occasionally too
much improv pieces, which is a real pity. A pair of scissors (oh sorry, I
was thinking of old tapes here) would be handy. So if they would manage to
get a re-issue out somewhere, they could make a shorter, classic record.
(FdW)
Address: fax: + 358-050-8534794
THERMAL + FREEZER +CUE – TIME OUT OF MIND (CD by Boxman)
Three tracks composed by three blokes mostly on their own or with one
another. The first is called ‘Tone Ref’ and is by Joshua Maremont. It
(hardly) struck me as an infantile excursion into the valley of Cy K.
Delica. Skinny drum patterns circa Durutti Column Year (micro)Dot try to
provide a palpable backbone for the layered, delayed, swirling,
Oh-so-spacey guitars. A Big Explosion ! (Ooh ! I nearly came just then !)
More reverb and another drum roll. My blood drains from one head to
another, Exhausted, I sink back onto the cartons of Ben ‘n Jerry’s Guarana
Flavoured Yoghurt.
Track 2 is by Josh and a chum of his called Peter Becker. It starts with
what could be Fiorella Terenzi’s recordings of distant stellar emissions
smothered by some hysterical Tomita sauce. An analogue synthesiser bubbles
like squeak. Finely sliced guitars float in. And the drum machine glides on
brittle wings, closely followed by a biomechanical helimoth. Metal drops
like rain.
And finally Track 3, by Charles Uzell Edwards, hisself. The hippy hippy
shake. Raindrops like metal. Rusty guitars and a hedging bass trickle.
Space gets big now. And then there’s a long, gracious, gradual descent into
the land of pixillation and a final spooky chuckle. One of the finer
moments on this release. (MP)
SHIFTS – GROND/SHORE (7″ by Korm Plastics)
Fourth 7″ from this one-man group (multi-group man). All sounds sourced
from guitar then pronged through some rackgear to add extra colour. One
side glad, the other side glum. One side plucked, the other a hum.
Altogether too short to be taut. (Too much vinyl and not enough sound). One
part of a perfect pair of four or five more of the same. Or a mixtool ? (MP)
ROEL MEELKOP – 3(STUCKE IM ALTEN STIL) (10″ by Korm Plastics)
The other side has one long track called ‘Direkt’. It sounded to me like
the conversations little kitchen machineries have with each other when they
think no humans are listening. Eavesdrop while the crafty toaster makes the
fridge purr. How the empty kettle turns itself on and then off, just in
time before the main fuses blow, causing currents (waves of waves of waves)
of nervousness amongst all the other appliances. The hoover hovers, looming
large. The food disposal unit sinks one.
This side has two pieces…Mr Meelkop tries to find the groove on
‘Indirekt’ while breathing heavily on the stylus. The record skips then
skips again. Tight wires are spun into cable. Something bigger than all
three of us (Meelkop, me and the turntable) enters the space. It too,
modulates the air with it’s breath, but it only seems to exhale. Bells
ring. The clear coast.
‘Wiedergabe’ starts with a digital avalaunche ! (I hide in the bathroom.)
Sub-terra neon pulses and flickers. Indeterminate shapes struggle through
these swirling clouds of data. Nothing stops itself for very long. Then
it’s gong. Gone…
All sounds generated by Mr Meelkop on analog synthesisers. Lovely knob
twiddling ! (MP)
KAPOTTE MUZIEK BY ILLUSION OF SAFETY (7″ by Korm Plastics)
Short, geriatric toads strain to make their throats yurp, and crutchful
crickets, rasps long worn, drag themselves about in overgrown undergrowth
on this second release in a series of reworked recordings of the sonic
terrains mapped out by Dutch gaggle Kapotte Muziek. This time, Ban Durke of
IOS gets a go at remashing original live recordings made by Kapotte Muziek
and IOS during their collaborative concerts in Den Haag, Holland in May
1997. (Thees ees not my style). Really liked the way the music played off
the record at the end tho’. (MP)
ROEL MEELKOP – 2 (BLAUW PLAATJE) (7″ by Meeuw Music)
More Meeuwkop… cinematic tension. A sound curtain slides aside. Then cut
to the rough before entering a digital desert. Everything seems distant,
regardless of it’s volume and proximity. Sounds collected by drifting
winds, which are then left to repose briefly on sandy skin. The mutterings
of memory. Too short, far too short, goddamit. Bring on a full-length CD
now. (Can I keep this one please ?) (MP)
JIM O’ROURKE – PLEASE NOTE OUR FAILURE (10″ on Some Records)
Naughty person and occasional Reg Dwight look-a-like, James O’Rourke has
cut ‘n pasted a collage record of fun from the Phonic Land of Plunder.
Other people’s sounds are mixed together in such cunning ways that it
sounds as if the original composers may well have meant their music to be
heard this way.
There’s a quieter side, which is more orchestral, stretched, with a few
instrumental and vocal interjections plus a squirt or two of scrunchy noise.
The other side is more dynamically tense. Ingredients include – a modern
choir, a sprinkling of strings, rude traffic, lashings of easy tunes,
sectionated swing (convoluted in a Conlon Nancarrow-kind of a way) and a
mutant jazz section turned turtle. Crickets are the full stop at the end of
this INCOMPARABLE musical sentence. (No, you’re not getting this one back
!) (MP)
CORRECTION.CORRECTION.CORRECTION – STEVE RODEN – OF SPACES ENCLOSED BY
PLANES OR SURFACES (CD released by Griffin Contemporary Exhibitions)
Last week I foolishly confused the Woody Allen film ‘Manhattan’ with ‘Annie
Hall’, which sort of made a large section of my review of this particular
CD a bit disjointed. Thanks to an alert reader for correcting me on this
ignint mistake. I was, of course, thinking about Woody’s daughter-bride
instead of concentrating on the matter in my hand. Thanks, Jon. (MP)