TURK KNIFES POPE – PERFORMANCE CRIPPLING DATA RESTRICTION (CD by Zenflesh Records)
AMDUSCIAS (Compilation CD by Zenflesh Records)
JGRZINICH/MNORTHAM – THE ABSURD EVIDENCE (CD by Bobby J)
JONATHAN COLECLOUGH – CAKE (CD by Robot/Siren)
EAR – DATA RAPE (CD by Space Age Recordings)
I:WOUND – RAM NAM SATYANAI (CD by …details illegible – watch this space)
TURK KNIFES POPE – PERFORMANCE CRIPPLING DATA RESTRICTION (CD by Zenflesh Records)
AMDUSCIAS (Compilation CD by Zenflesh Records)
A relatively unknown group on their own Zenflesh imprint label, with one looooong piece on this CD, which looking at it’s title could be taped at a live performance. The sound of Turk Knifes Pope is one that is filled with guitars, guitars and oh yes, guitars. But not the usual three chord play, TKP manipulates the six strings beyond recognition, and stand in the strong tradition of Main, zoviet*france or the more daring (as in drum-and vocal less-) postrock. Not necessarily something hot, exciting or new, but quite allright for what it is.
The compilation CD on the same label holds everything that can be classified as ‘alternative’, from mellow dark ethereal guitar pop, to noise to bits of drum & bass. I gather none of these names ring familiar bells, but some of this is, again, quite allright. Turk Knifes Pope are present, also Origami Replika, Rh Yau, Job, Instagon, Ah Son Burn Out etc… (FdW)
Address: <panic@zenflesh.com>
EAR – DATA RAPE (CD by Space Age Recordings)
The ‘sound collages’ on this CD were created using customised human voice synthesisers, originally manufactured by Texas Instruments as the ‘Speak & Spell’ range.This process called ‘circuit bending’ utilises the ‘inherent instabilities in the circuitry of audio toys, radios and other sound-making instruments by sending data and electronic signals to and from previously unrelated circuit-board points giving unique, unpredictable & highly unusual sounds.’ One of the originators of this idea was Reed Ghazala and I seem to recall that the compositional process of the soundtrack for ‘The Forbidden Planet’ involved similar techniques, many of which ended in the circuitry committing suicide, whilst still being recorded. (An exceptionally groovy CD by the way, this soundtrack). There are comprehensive liner notes which describe EAR’s working process and mentions some of the heaviest dudes in modern music…John, Edgard, Karlheinz, Brian.
The music on this CD consists of 8 tracks which evolved from the chaos which is created by circuit bending. Some slight processing, equalisation and effects were added. It sounds a lot like longer pieces have been sliced into separate sections; sounds return again and again and a lot of the same sort of effects seem to have been added. There are ribbons of delay which thicken the stuttering machines, but the textures remain mostly the same. I was hoping for more variation actually, and while the working process and concepts behind this release are very different to their previous ‘Phenomena 256’, I do find this earlier work much more valid, and infinitely more powerful propulsion fuel.
‘Data Rape’ remains a valid excursion into the realms of improvised machine composition, however and will surely be added to a growing list of similar works as a landmark in this strange and exciting territory. (MP)
Address:ear@adasam.demon.co.uk
JGRZINICH/MNORTHAM – THE ABSURD EVIDENCE (CD by Bobby J)
First of all my apologizes to Seth Nehil – whose CD I reviewed last week. From various sides I have been informed that Seth is a person, and not a group, and that the others that I mistakenly thought to be the bandmembers, were just collaborators.
Two of these collaborations present their second CD, after the well done ‘The Stomach Of The Sky’ last year. Grzinich and Northam are sound collectors – using natural elements (sand, stones, recordings of the wind) which they use in combination with studio electronica to create dense, atmospherical music. They load the music with images (metaphors if you want) of geographical origin that attract the listener into a specific direction – that of a world, a desert or place you have not yet seen before. There is resemblance between them and others, I call the ‘more serious avant-garde noise makers’, like Francisco Lopez (but they are more audible), Roel Meelkop (but they focuss more sound effects), Ralf Wehowsky (but they use less computers) or Bernard Guenther (although they are maybe less composed). Closest they come maybe to Toy Bizarre, but as you can see Grzinich and Northam have a certain quality of their own to make it different. And its not just the sound that makes the difference, it’s also the presence of these aforementioned metaphors that make a difference in the world of ‘absolute music’ with ‘I don’t give you any clue what this is all about’ of the others I mentioned. (FdW)
Address: <bobbyj@kdi.com>
I:WOUND – RAM NAM SATYANAI (CD on Unfortunately the print-job on the cover is so damn horrible that I could not read anything on the label)
Yep, that’s right. This domesticated critter probably went to somewhere in India, armed with a portable recorder and fastidiously documented the audio environment. Once back on dry land with it’s multi-tracking device it layered extracts from these recordings and ran them through a deluge of effects, creating a flood of sound, occasionally hacked up by simple percussion and drum loops.
The end result is probably comparable to Muzzelman Gauze, although I haven’t heard any work by Mr Jones for a while. I played ‘Ram Nam etc’ a couple of times and must say that I was quite convinced …the merciless layering of sounds really did sound like a city in India. Almost a six foot pile of transistor radios, each tuned to a different station and playing at the same time.
A very creative CD. Shame about the packaging. (MP)
Address: illegible
JONATHAN COLECLOUGH – CAKE (CD by Robot/Siren)
Jonathan comes from the circles of music making that seem to wander around Colin Potter – much more then, more knows, David Jackman/Organum. Potter has a studio in which all these people record their, sadly, short works. ‘Cake’ for instance lasts just over 35 minutes, but is the full 35 minutes of beauty. A drone that holds the piece together, with some bell and bird calls, this is hauntingly beautiful. Remember: Jonathan was also part of that beautifully, shamefully limited, one sided LP ‘Sumac’ (hey, that could have been a good bonus track!), that was one of my favourite pieces of dark drone music from last year. Unlike, say Maeror Tri, this is not filled with psychedelic sound effects, the effect of less is more is rather the same: mind inducing music. (FdW)
Address: P.O.Box 120004 – San Antonio, TX 78212 – USA