SUTEKH – PERIODS.MAKE.SENSE. (CD by Force Inc.)
AUCH – KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE (CD by Force Inc.)
LOWFISH – ELIMINATOR (CD by Suction)
ZBGNIEW KARKOWSKI – REVERSE DIRECTION AND LET THE SOUND REACH OUT TO YOU
(3x miniCD by Firework Edition)
PANICSVILLE/BRAIN TRANSPLANT (7′ by Nihilist)
PANICSVILLE/RUBBER O CEMENT (LP by Nihilist)
BRANDON LABELLE & STEVE RODEN – THE OPENING OF THE FIELD (CD by Digital Narcis)
MICHEAL PRIME – L-FIELDS (CD by Sonoris)
STYROFOAM – THE POINT MISSER (CD by Morr Music)
SUTEKH – PERIODS.MAKE.SENSE. (CD by Force Inc.)
AUCH – KISS TOMORROW GOODBYE (CD by Force Inc.)
I am again, as a lot lately, clueless who or what Sutekh is. The strangely
titled CD he/she/it made for Force Inc, the uptempo techno dance division
of Mille Plateaux, also gives no titles or in fact any other clue. Some
pieces are beyond his routine, like the first track, which is basically a
long intro track, and the fifth (a processed buzz from the radio) or the
nineth with a piano. However in most pieces Sutekh combines the best of
Cologne techno with the best of Berlin techno. His beat section is
unmistakenly inspired by Wolfgang Voigt with it’s super dry bass and kick
and stereo hi-hats, but the whole synth part with it’s washes and wooshes
is lifted from the best Chain Reaction records. It’s not a bad CD, but a
bit predictable.
Auch = Ekkehard Ehlers = Autopoeises and with Auch he is definetly in beat
areas. Ekkehard combines also Cologne and Berlin, but he does it a bit
better, and certainly arrives at a point which is unmistakenly something of
his own. Minimalism at it’s best and one that can be danced too. A bit
darker, a bit more moodier: it’s hard to tell were this difference exactely
is. For sure it adds something to the soundpallette of minimal dance music.
If you can afford just one CD, go for Auch. (FdW)
Address: www.mille-plateaux.com
LOWFISH – ELIMINATOR (CD by Suction)
Lowfish’ returns to world of robotics: music produced by machines with the
love of humans. ‘Elaminator’ takes the form of a classic LP: 10 tracks over
46 minutes, pop at their best. Lowfish is a kaleidoscope of possible
electronic music: from 70s synth to 90s techno underground, Gregory de
Rocher takes the best of all of them and writes simple yet effective tunes.
The sampler has been sold, and he now uses 8 tracks on his computer to hook
up his basic analogue gear: an 808, old effects, the good ol’ Korg.
Although Lowfish is not yet there, he’s like an instrumental version of
Depeche Mode, with those hammering away rhythms and simple, almost childish
keyboard lines. When listening I keep on wondering what would happen if
Lowfish started using vocals, will the instant hit be born right away? And
is it really something to look forward to? Maybe it could, as it will drag
Lowfish into something new, but it would mean a break away from the raw
underground sound, while it gets it’s perfection now. (FdW)
Address: <suction@interlog.com>
ZBGNIEW KARKOWSKI – REVERSE DIRECTION AND LET THE SOUND REACH OUT TO YOU
(3x miniCD by Firework Edition)
Although around since many years, the output of Zbigniew Karkowski started
to grow in the last 2 or 3 years. Many of his CD’s are productions or
collaborations with others, such as Sensorband, Edwin van der Heide, Aube
or Tetsuo Furudate. Here he presents his solo work, partly recorded in
Stockholm and partly in Tokyo. I am a bit puzzled by the format: why 3
tracks on 3 seperate 3″ CD’s? Should I be playing them together, mix them,
or is it just conceptual reasons (3x3x3)?
CD One is a rather mild affair, with drones and synth sounds that rumble in
the lower sound spectrum with an occasional click that, however never grows
out to be a rhythm.
The second CD seems to be more “rhythmical”. Imbedded in a stream of
collaged sounds, rhythms (maybe it’s better to say “flow of short repeated
sounds”) keep popping up. The sounds itself are that of low end bass ones
and sometimes, very short high pitched sounds. As the piece evolves,
erosion sets in: the low end (by now very low end) sounds have taken over
life, only the be intercepted by a short, abrupt sound.
The last CD in this trilogy is where everything happens on a more or less
audible level. For roughly the first eleven minutes all the samples and
their processing seem to come forth from eachother, and everything seems to
be the logical extent to the other. Then a Chain Reaction like beat kicks
in, but that seems short and the previous sounds take over, ultimately
giving way to the rhythm again.
Three considerable different CD’s which clearly show the talent of
Karkowski as one of the more interesting electronic composers and to those
who doubt: also one that is capable of producing more then just noise. (FdW)
Address: http://www.algonet.se/~tankred/fer.html
PANICSVILLE/BRAIN TRANSPLANT (7′ by Nihilist)
PANICSVILLE/RUBBER O CEMENT (LP by Nihilist)
Nihilist is primarily the label of Panicsville, a noise band of sorts. But
the releases of Nihilist do concern more than just noise. The split 7″ with
Brain Transplant for instance is a fine example. While on one side
Panicsville deal with not so heavy over the top type of noise, based on
machine sounds and environment recordings resulting in a partly banging and
partly drone edged sounds, we find Brain Transplant on the other. This guy
uses some sample that somehow has mistakes, but the result is a arpeggio
synth bubble and psychedelic sound.
Another split is between Panicsville and Rubber O Cement. Presented with a
dash of humour as some electronic test record and musicwise both sides are
related. Rubber O Cement, a side project for Caroliner Rainbow, dable with
analogue synths, the occassional shortwave and simple sound effects such as
delay and reverb. It seems rather improvised put together, which gives it
that lo-fi charm. In the third piece some distorted vocal plays a big role.
Charmmingly lofi stuff. Panicsville also work an overload of synth sounds
and manipulated voices before going off into more noisy habits (as in
‘Violent Climax’). The overall atmosphere of this record is a mid 80s
industrial record, complete with handmade tar paper package. (FdW)
Address: www.copernicust.com/nihilist.htm
BRANDON LABELLE & STEVE RODEN – THE OPENING OF THE FIELD (CD by Digital Narcis)
Brandon Labelle and Steve Roden may need no introduction. Both are
established sound artists, working on ‘just’ music, but also sound
installations and writing texts (like the excellent ‘Site Of Sound’ book).
Sometimes they work together, like in August last year. Of these enclosed
six tracks, four are live improvisations and two are tape collaborations.
‘The Path’ is a one the two tape collaborations and is a walk through the
woods, with an immense fire on the crickets. In an open spot in the forest,
cowbells are heard. The following four pieces are the live pieces, which
sound like continious processing of small amplified objects (jars, metal, a
comb – who knows) in addition to which they use sampling and feedback. They
stand in a long tradition by doing this, from Small Cruel Party to Illusion
Of Safety and Kapotte Muziek (aren’t they all the grandsons of John Cage?).
This CD is well executed (if I only would expect something different?), and
a must have if you are into musique concrete/electro-acoustic improv. (FdW)
Address: <dnarcis@jxa.jumbo.or.jp>
MICHEAL PRIME – L-FIELDS (CD by Sonoris)
Another son of John Cage is Micheal Prime, member of Morphogenesis aswell
as solo artist. He shares Cage’s interest in sounds of plants and funghi,
and to work with them as sound generator. You may not realize it but plants
do make sounds and those sounds can be amplified and be heard. On L-Fields
Prime uses hallucinating plants, cannabis, mushrooms and peyote). As a
listener we are directed to the idea that if the plant is hallucinating,
the recording must evoke the same thing. I can’t relate to this, as taking
drugs doesn’t belong to my daily routine, nor do I think music can be
understood better if I did. Drugs are pathetic, I once wrote. What does
count is what I hear: three long pieces of static electronic sounds that
could be old analogue synth dribbel if we wouldn’t have been informed
otherwise. Prime’s sound is very present (as opposed to many in these areas
with their inaudiblity) which is a nice thing. The sounds are slightly
manipulated by electronica, so it’s not a documentary CD, but a real music
CD. The three pieces are brought with great skill, varied parts and enough
change. Sounds other then from plants are mixed in (by accident?), but do
not disturb the general idea. Very nice work. (FdW)
Address: Sonoris – 28 Rue Du Parlement Ste-Catherine – F-33000 Bordeaux –
France
STYROFOAM – THE POINT MISSER (CD by Morr Music)
Some people work under their own name and change musical styles. Other
people do the same thing but change their name constantely. Arne van
Petegem belongs to the latter category. With his Tin Foil Star guise he
produced what I would call ‘melancholic singer songwriter’ music, but of a
very synthetic, electronic and above all organic nature. With hi new guise
Styrofoam he moves into a new area: that of what some people call
Intelligent Dance Music. Sitting behind his computer and DSP programms Arne
manages to produce eight tracks of a simple nature; simple yet full of
beauty, and full of melancholy. Taking his previous lessons as Tin Foil
Star he lets his guitar howl in ‘Heaven Is Burning Part 1’, while the
drumpatterns nicely bounce off and that piano tickles. Keyboards play
repeated chords, as if Steve Reich is now on an acid trip and vocal samples
mumble words I can’t follow. The tone is that of sadness, especially in the
keyboard lines, but it’ beautiful sadness. Very very strong work. (FdW)
Address: <info@morrmusic.com>