HEMATIC SUNSETS – MUSIK AUS DEM AROMA CLUB (LP by Klang Der Festung)
BRUME (CD-R by Signature Model)
TOY BIZARRE – KDI DCTB 48 (CD-R by Signature Model)
DACHISE – YOU PAY ANGELS (CD-R by Signature Model)
OBLIVION ENSEMBLE – PHONORECORD (7″s by Drone Records)
KALLABRIS – 81 N.B.-178 O.L. (7″s by Drone Records)
TOY BIZARRE – KDI DCTB 49 and 23 (7″s by Drone Records)
NIKO SKORPIO – GREY BLOOM (LP by Some Place Else)
EUGENE CHADBOURNE – JUNGLE COOKIES (2CD by Old Gold)
HEMATIC SUNSETS – MUSIK AUS DEM AROMA CLUB (LP by Klang Der Festung)
This needs some puzzling, but it’s an easy one. Both Hematic Sunsets and their five members are all Asmus Tietchens, who toys around with anagams. Just like he almost two decades ago on his four albums for Sky Records. (most heard quote on Asmus Tietchens: “yes I like all his work, except those dreaded Sky Records”). I have no clue at all, why Asmus Tietchens, releases this record now. He claims that this is ‘Sky period’ updated to the nineties. So what do we have: funny keyboard music, totally electronic music of what sounds like a marimba, or strings. This entirely fits the recent upheavel of kitschy, b-movie music (and we wonder why I struggle with this record, and don’t leave it in the hands of MP?). Having said that I really did enjoy this, without converting myself to bad-b-movie, just as I occasionally like drum & bass or heavy metal. Instead of the usual Cioran quote we now get a quote from one Klopstock, from his book: “life watched from it’s end”. If you are under the impression that Asmus is a totally black, cynical character with not much humour, then this proofs you wrong. (FdW)
Address: + 49 40 460 6160
SIGNATURE MODEL:
BRUME (CD-R)
TOY BIZARRE – KDI DCTB 48 (CD-R)
DACHISE – YOU PAY ANGELS (CD-R)
All doubt about CDR being the true succesor to the cassettes days of the mid-eighties slowly disappear, and this new series helps. Each of this CD comes in a white sleeve, with a signature and stamp of each artist. A bit like RRRecords’ Pure series, but more arty. Regular contributors to the Aphasia sound these boys are of course the first to be on this series, since Atmoject is the Aphasia label.
Brume is the old wise person from the lot, having many CD’s out. He is the man of cut-up collage, cut ‘n paste work, treating the real life beyond recognition on his multitrack machine. He’s also the man who hates silence, since in his work silence has no place. Brume uses his skill the way he is best at and what makes the entire work by them into a very consistent body.
Toy Bizarre is the coming man, who more and more has beautiful releases out. Somebody who loves to go out armed with a microphone and DAT machine and when back home treats the sounds on his harddisk. The first, very long, track is a long drone piece with some nasty pitched sound (not piercing). Very ambient, and moving in your head or room… beautiful. The other three are collage pieces of drones intercepted by crackling, hisses and abrupt moves. These works reminded me of the work of Roel Meelkop (with whom is recording a work now). Watch the name of Toy Bizarre!
Dachise represents the noise in this small catalogue. I expected the full hour noise blast, but in fact these are ten relatively short piece of varied noise. Sampled beats with the orgy of effects, makes this actually in quite an enjoyable work, and a step forward from his previous work. (FdW)
Address: Atmoject – Aldersyde-Station Road – Banchory – Kincardineshire – AB31 5XX – UK
OBLIVION ENSEMBLE – PHONORECORD
KALLABRIS – 81 N.B.-178 O.L.
TOY BIZARRE – KDI DCTB 49 and 23
(all 7″s by Drone Records)
If yo were clever enough to collect all the Drone Records releases until now, you would have a very nice collection by some exciting artists, both settled an unknown. Apperently they now come in series of three. I must admit, I wouldn’t expect to see the Oblivion Ensemble in this series. The rock outfit by Brannon Hungness (former member of the Glenn Branca ensemble, and composer in his own right), presents the piece that obviously start with the sound of a phonorecord and drones that spirals up and down until the end. The flip has more drones, but they sound far away and remote. Like the opening of a rock concert. Both tracks are unfocussed I’d say – it goes nowhere.
Kallabris are old aquitences. Damm I can’t remember what their records sounded like, haven’t played them in a long time. Kallabris are from the areas of Cranioclast. Their 7″ deals with an expedition to the North Pole. Both pieces are dark, a bit rhythmical (the breaking of ice?) and have a dramatic impact.
Toy Bizarre (him again!) produces two small fine pieces of environmental based music. Although explaining his sources on the cover, they are treated beyond recognition (one can wonder why mention it’s origin anyway). (FdW)
Address: <dronetroum@aol.com>
NIKO SKORPIO – GREY BLOOM (LP by Some Place Else)
On the already noted Finnish label Some Place Else this LP from a guy I never heard of, but who offers a nice debut.
The first track on side one is a weird, almost dance-like piece, most notable, very distorted and it aproaches dance music naievly. The next track ‘Nordic Cishlid Club Night’ is mumbling of voices and somebody who stands on cable. ‘Radio Harmagedon’ opens with shortwave and Crowley chanting (gosh that was a long time ago). Later in the piece, as the radio is firmly set to static, a keyboard is underlining the piece.
The b-side is filled with the 19 minute opus ‘The Shadow Monger’ which goes from wind like synth into an obscure world in which nothing seems real, a wicky wacky bass synth enrolls some doodling (maybe computer generated noise?), before it delves the spirit of the underworld again. Towards the end the whole orchestra is sampled and played – pathos.
In all: file definetly under industrial, but one with a sense of humour, with here and there an odd pun to the subject ‘industrial’ (FdW)
Address: <place685@netti.fi>
EUGENE CHADBOURNE – JUNGLE COOKIES (2CD by Old Gold)
No no your favourite guitarist doesn’t go Jungle… or at least a bit… This is a different form of soundscaping then reviewed in the past couple of weeks (Watson, Lopez). All of these recordings have been made in your favourite city – no mine – Amsterdam. Either outdoor, outside windows, on the streets. People blowing saxo’s, horns, an occasionally taped conversation and of course many many guitars and banjos. Chadbourne of course adds this 2 cent of guitar playing, but more important: he takes the tapes and paste’s it into the work it’s now: almost two hours of totally free improvised music (sometimes you can’t tell it’s from various locations or sessions). Of course Chadbourne hasn’t got the fine hands to make this into the ‘Bitches Brew’ of improv music, but it definetly has a rawness and of course the usual wit of the old master. Fine stuff, even if you don’t like Amsterdam. (FdW)
Address: Old Gold – P.O. Box 8776 – Atlanta, GA 31106 – USA