M. BEHRENS – INTERGRACAO (CD by Sirr Ecords)
KRISTEN- (3″CDR)
TV POW – FRIENDSHIP PATROL (CD by NFP)
REWRITING THE BOOK (2CD compilation by Elsie & jack)
THE BOHMAN BROTHERS – A TWIST FOR ALL POCKETS (CD by Rossbin)
ROTATOR – HELP ME TO KEEP UP DESTRUCTION (7″ by Broklyn Beats)
FELIX KUBIN/AAVIKKO – SUPER LAKE BEAT/ANTARKIS SLOW BEAT (7″ by Diskono)
ULTRA RED – LA ECONOMIA NUEVA (OPERATION GATEKEEPER) (3″ CD by Fat Cat)
JADA – JADA (10″ by Collection Des Discophiles De Sangri La)
BRAAXTAAL – DWORR BUUN (CD by Kontrans)
TV POW – DESPITE OURSELVES (Mini-CD by Fire Inc.)
VARIOUS – AENVIRON:ONE (Compilation Mini-CD by Aesova)
NARITA MAMORU – MUSIC FOR BUTOH DANCE IMPROVISATION (CD-R by Pale-Disc)
VARIOUS – INTERSECT 3 (CD Compilation by Pale-Disc)
THOMAS KONER – DAIKAN (CD by Mille Plateaux)
DEPARTMENT – THIS IS TENSION AVENUE (CD by Laboratory Records)
DEPARTMENT – EXITING (CD by Laboratory Records)
TYSTION – Y MEISTRI EP (CDS by Fitamin Un)
M. BEHRENS – INTERGRACAO (CD by Sirr Ecords)
Slowly the name Marc Behrens becomes a household name. Via releases
on Trente Oiseaux, Digital Narcis, Intransitive and Edition…,
Behrens can be placed amongst the more serious underground composers,
along with Bernard Gunther, Francisco Lopez, Roel Meelkop or
MNortham. From these people Behrens is the one that puts many
references on the cover on what he did (a total opposition to people
like Lopez (with exceptions) and Meelkop), describing when, where and
how things were composed. This new CD is the end result of his
composition ‘Intergration’ which Behrens performed seven times in
various forms. In the original form there were just sounds of trees,
but throughout playing this live various other sound sources were
added and the piece changed. For the CD he uses the tree recordings
plus some sounds from the urban environment. Does it really matter
that we know all this? Probably not, as it’s hard to hear those trees
shaking. Everything Behrens records is transformed on his Macintosh
computer, so that it could be sound of basically any sounding event.
To know it is a nice extra, but not more. Behrens creates loops of
his sounds, sometimes stretches the sound and puts them via collage
forms together. Other then Lopez or Gunther, who produce long
stretched out pieces which seem non-sequential, Behrens produces
repeating events before shifting in the same piece to a new event.
However it’s quite strong (and mind you, more audible, except for
‘Intergration Of Silence’, which is indeed very silent)
electro-acoustic computer music, atmospheric, intense and evocative.
(FdW)
Address: www.sirr-ecords.com
KRISTEN- (3″CDR)
A 3″ CDR with not much info, other then an e-mail address and a
website to which I was referred. Five tracks by this unknown Kristen
(he was involved in a club in Berlin, that I believe doesn’t exist
anymore), which can best be described as microwave stuff. High end
beeps, low end bloops. Very much in a Ryoji Ikeda style, but lacking
the crystal clearness of his work. Five tracks that are not really
boring, but also not very entertaining or innovative in sound
approach. Something I can’t do much with I guess. (FdW)
Address: www.boylesoftware.com/kristen_/
TV POW – FRIENDSHIP PATROL (CD by NFP)
TV Pow are a laptop trio, but unlike so many others they are boys
with a strong sense of humor. Of course it hisses and it cracks, like
those others who peek at their screens, but they add strange sound
elements that at least mark a difference. To think are pieces from
the audience, a punk band intro, elements from improvised music or
people yelling. Their latest, self released on their own label, is a
collection of various live bits over the last few years. Bits is a
true word, as there are no less then 69 pieces here, so each lasts at
the most 1 minute or so. All of these pieces make a very nice flow,
ranging from very silent to very vibrant stuff. Of course even with
such pranksters as TV Pow, the more serious moments prevail, which is
good. There is only a limited amount of fun one can take, the real
stuff should do the work. Luckily TV Pow know their ways to achieve
that fine balance. (FdW)
Address: www.tvpow.net
REWRITING THE BOOK (2CD compilation by Elsie & jack)
A while ago the fine US label Elsie & Jack released ‘Pages From The
Book’ by Aube. On this particular work, the ever so monochrome Aube
uses pages from the bible to record his work, creating 61 different
sounds, raging from 10 second loops to 4 minute drones. I must say I
didn’t hear that CD. For reasons not entirely clear to me, the same
label invited a whole bunch of sound artists to use these sounds to
create new pieces. A remix project so to speak, but for whom we may
ask. Normally a remix project invites say people from techno to
recreate a rock act so that the rock act gets known in techno areas.
Pure business strategies. But one may assume that Aube is already
well-known in the areas were we find Merzbow, V/VM, Brume or
Totemplow. This can be sadly be heard on this monster project (154
minutes, 28 tracks). Too many stay too close to the original sounds,
and produce noise, more noise, ambient and more ambient noise. Those
who jump out of the mass are those who really add new elements, like
Hood (the most poppy thing in here), Steward and The Remote Viewer.
Not a really good score. But the good thing to be mentioned here, is
there are lots of new names to be discovered, like Sirconical,
Supermassive, Pefkin, Vir, Phosphene or Drekka. Wether or not they
provide music that one would seek out on an entire disc by
themselves, I leave up to you. (FdW)
Address: www.elsieandjack.com
THE BOHMAN BROTHERS – A TWIST FOR ALL POCKETS (CD by Rossbin)
Some two years ago I visited a very nice concert. The setting was a
large table stuffed with objects, marbles, violin, strings, rods,
cones, paper and plastic. Two men, The Bohman Brothers, played on the
objects in what was a well entertaining concert. Contactmicrophones
were used to amplify the objects, and result in a very vivid concert.
No drones, just an endless mass of small sounds, played by the speed
of the light. Adam Bohman is mostly known as a member of
Morphogenesis and the London Improvisers Orchestra, and his brother
Jonathan is best known as the brother of Adam. One can imagine my
happiness when this CD was released. It contains a variety of live
and studio improvisations. Much of the good concert memories came
back while listening to this. This CD is a good selection of what
they can do. It’s again an ultra vivid sound of mostly scraping
objects, crackles and other sounds which are too weird to describe
(and yes, even after seeing the concert). And that’s maybe the only
negative aspect of this CD. What was so funny about the concert was
to not just hear all those sounds, but also to see what is happening.
That is a nice extra, but not a necessary thing though. This is
improvised music at it’s very best. Lively, funny, serious,
everything is in there. Very nice work.
Address: <rossbin@libero.it>
ROTATOR – HELP ME TO KEEP UP DESTRUCTION (7″ by Broklyn Beats)
Broklyn Beats releases techno music (but not limited) with a
political message. After some releases, they now started to release a
series of 7″s of which this is the first. I must admit I do not know
much about Rotator. They come from Rennes in France and stand in the
tradition of hardcore techno music. Side 1 contains wild breakbeats
with crushed voice samples presented in full high speed. The other
side is somewhat slower in speed, but is a likewise fucked in
approach. Too short to say something either very positive or
negative, but I’m sure it goes down well with the underground posse.
(FdW)
Address: broklynbeats@disinfo.net
FELIX KUBIN/AAVIKKO – SUPER LAKE BEAT/ANTARKIS SLOW BEAT (7″ by Diskono)
Diskono never ceases to amaze us with their activities, not just
through releasing music, but also putting on live actions – just
browse our announcements lists. Here is a very nice split 7″. On one
side you’ll find Felix Kubin, one of the alter ego’s of Felix Knoth
and probably his best guise. He presents a short song played on an
organ with a quasi Russian choir humming in the background. A nice
uptempo song with a summer touch. The b-side is even more way out by
a finnish trio Aavikko. Two guys play synths and one is the drummer.
They do a cover of a Felix Kubin piece (which was released by Meeuw
Muzak some time ago). Wicked synth playing and wild drumming going.
Very spaced out music. (FdW)
Address: <diskono2002@yahoo.co.uk>
ULTRA RED – LA ECONOMIA NUEVA (OPERATION GATEKEEPER) (3″ CD by Fat Cat)
Ultra Red might be known from their previous releases on Mille
Plateaux, and are politically inspired, taking side of the oppressed
of course. Here in particular Ultra Red uses sound recordings made at
the US/Mexico border on the United Nations International Human Rights
Dya, 10th of December 2000. This border is known for Mexicans to
cross to the US to find work. A closed border inside the free trade
of the Nafta – the north american free trade agreement. Apart from
using spoken word samples, of which the content is not easy to be
recognized, Ultra Red uses treated electro-acoustic sound sources and
treats them via the usual power book techniques into intense fields
of sound. But it’s a kinda of cold, unpleasent sound here. In each of
the tracks there is a notable tension, an unearthly feeling that
something is defintely very wrong. A pleasent unpleasent release.
(FdW)
Address: www.fat-cat.co.uk
JADA – JADA (10″ by Collection Des Discophiles De Sangri La)
JaDa stands for Jan (van den Dobbelsteen) en Danielle (Lemaire)
hailing from the southern parts of The Netherlands. In their own
right, the both release loads of solo sound work, which is usually
originated at art exhibitions and performances, but also field
recordings. Housed in a classic looking sleeve, they offer us 14
small pieces with a great variety, almost like listening to a
compilation album. From guitar improvisations, synth cum rhythmbox
songs, songs with dreamy vocals and more weirder collages of sound.
There is a strong sense of naivety hanging over this record, a
cozyness from audio experiments in the living room, which is kinda
nice. Since most of these tracks are kinda short (even when the
longest is 6’47), you can quickly skip from one track that you may
not like to the next – again, kinda like a compilation. Nice, little
weird record. (FdW)
Address: www.iae.nl/users/jada
BRAAXTAAL – DWORR BUUN (CD by Kontrans)
Jaap Blonk is a busy voice artist from The Netherlands. If not
travelling the globe performing solo or improvising with others, he
is at home work to work with his own small group, Braaxtaal. Blonk
uses the voice to create sounds, rather then to get a ‘real’ message
abroad. For his work with Braaxtaal he developped his own language,
‘Onderland’, which seems kinda similar to the language of The
Netherlands, but even as a native speaker of that language, it’s hard
for me to understand, if not impossible. The other members of the
group are Rob Daenen who plays sampler and Theo Bodewes on drums and
sampler. Jaap himself performs all the voice parts and also
electronics. Although I know Jaap for a long time, I saw him perform
live only very recentely. Shame on me of course. I was a blown away
by the sheer concentration, timing and the addition of live sampling
of his voice. It was a techno set, produced by voice only. Here of
course things are a little bit more complicated. A complex web of
rhythms, electronics and layered voices. Sometimes resulting even in
a crossover between techno and rock, such as in ‘Hoe Tar’. Sometimes
even symphonic with a more pathetic recitation of texts, but always
in for a surprise. Braaxtaal gets therefore much more closer to music
(you don’t have to call it, if the term…) then the more
experimental solo works or improvised collaborations with others. A
more then excellent production. (FdW)
Address: www.jaapblonk.com
TV POW – DESPITE OURSELVES (Mini-CD by Fire Inc.)
Although the backside of the cover lists 15 tracks, this mini-CD can
be heard as one piece. And a very good one as well. TV Pow manage to
blend field recordings and electronics in a totally convincing way.
The overall sound is microscopic, with minute details and a strong
sense for going from one part to the next. The piece never fails to
draw attention, without getting very upfront. In short, excellent.(MR)
Address: www.fire-inc.demon.nl
VARIOUS – AENVIRON:ONE (Compilation Mini-CD by Aesova)
This is a mini-CD with field recordings by Frans de Waard, Steve
Roden, Howard Stelzer, Alejandra Salinas and Lutz Bauer. However,
there is only one track on the disc, so there has been a mix of some
kind: different sounds are mixed into one track. This makes it kind
of hard to tell who made the original recordings, unless they have
been used in the order of the names on the cover. Not that this is
very important anyway, because in the end there is only one track. An
interesting one, because it gives an opportunity to travel around
with these names around the world of their interests. A very nice
trip indeed.(MR)
Address: www.aesova.org
NARITA MAMORU – MUSIC FOR BUTOH DANCE IMPROVISATION (CD-R by Pale-Disc)
I am not very familiar with Butoh, but I saw a performance once and
was very impressed by the concentration of the dancer. This same
quality apllies to the music by Narita Mamoru. Made mainly with
strings, bells and other metal percussion objects, it creates a
dreamy atmosphere with some noisy streaks here and there. Combined
with only a few other sound sources and some electronics, this makes
for quite a sober album, with a lot of concentration on the act of
creating music and working with instruments. At some point I felt
that the music was a little too sober for me, but then again: I
didn’t see any Butoh dancers working their way through my room.(MR)
Address: www.lethe-voice.com/kk/
VARIOUS – INTERSECT 3 (CD Compilation by Pale-Disc)
>From the scant information on the cover I suppose it’s safe to deduce
that these recordings were made live in Austin, Texas (USA) on April
7, 2001.
The first track is a piano piece by Thom Grzinich. It consists of a
dense layering of repeating tones and chords, with melodies popping
up every now and then. Almost halfway through the piece, the volume
goes down and a soft drone appears underneath the hammered strings.
This is repeated again three minutes later and then only the drone is
left. The second track by Brekekekexkoaxkoax is divided into two
parts. The first one is very empty, and seems to be a guitar solo
with some percussive elements. Through the recording one can hear
background noises, sometimes a person coughing. The second part is
more drony and distorted. Third track is by Jeff Filla, who seems to
be working with more electronic means. Loops, cracks and pops are the
ingredients for a piece that seems to lack real coherence, but is
certainly more exciting than the previous. Track four is by Rick Reed
and seems to be a mix of prerecorded and live material. So far this
is the noisiest track, combining drones and electronic noises. The
last track is by jgrzinich, a drony piece of strings weaving
intricate patterns of overtones.(MR)
Address: www.lethe-voice.com/kk/
THOMAS KONER – DAIKAN (CD by Mille Plateaux)
At long last Thomas Koner returns the otherworld of isolationist
music. He made his name with ambient like music, played on gongs,
which were then processed in the studio. After some albums, four or
five I believe, he hooked up with Andy Mellwig and formed Porter
Ricks, a minimalist techno outfit which gained much fame through the
releases on Chain Reaction and Mille Plateaux. With an album
forthcoming on Die Stadt, this new CD is a return to the old work.
‘Daikan’ was originally conceived as a eight-speaker sound
installation, which was also performed in a stereo version live. Last
December I was lucky to catch one of the last occassions to hear it
performed live. The CD is what remains. Daikan moves around a few
themes which are repeated a few times (sorry, but I didn’t count
there), each with very subtle changes, or slight additions or
omissions and then fade out in order to return later on. Isolationist
music for sure, which sound exactely the same as it did many moons
ago. Normally I would moan about the lack of innovation, but here, a
man with this reputation and this small oevre, everything is
accepted. Great work. (FdW)
Address: www.force-inc.com
DEPARTMENT – THIS IS TENSION AVENUE (CD by Laboratory Records)
DEPARTMENT – EXITING (CD by Laboratory Records)
Department are an Australian duo, the mysteriously named Gatz and
Spacious, who capture for me convincingly that one aspect of Skinny
Puppy’s recordings which I always wanted them to take to the limit:
the notion of melodic structures in a spiralling, noise-construct
wasteland. Not that Department sound much like those
Canadians–there are all but no vocals for a start–but it’s the
comparison that constantly springs to my mind on listening to them.
This Is Tension Avenue explores really quite stunning melodic pieces
each trapped in a warped glass bell jar surrounded by slowly moving,
dirt-encrusted tendrils: Breton’s idea of beauty needing to be
convulsive to exist is always apparent here. Much of the music is
grandiose and almost regal; could indeed be soundtrack material were
it not for the fact that it’s not incidental enough; it’s too
engaging on its own to sit in the background of anything else.
Exiting is the duo’s more recent release, and expands on the debutant
ideas of Tension Avenue to great effect. The melodic events are
still there in abundance, and they’ve added Peter Mitchell’s
occasional saxaphone as a foil to the electronics. The main tracks
are also longer–there are only seven to the first album’s
twelve. To pick just one example, ‘An Angular Mass’ is a fitting
summation of what this kind of music should be about: a huge pit of
sound that you want to fall into forever, brushed by those tendrils
again, which this time line the walls on your slow motion descent.
These two short albums are superb releases which demonstrate a wealth
of ideas but never run them into the ground: This Is Tension Avenue
is all over in just thirty two minutes and Exiting in less than
thirty but you’ll feel like you’ve been immersed in a realm of
Department’s making for weeks at a time. Superb music and both
releases are highly recommended. Now bring on that difficult third
album! (BL)
Address: department@eisa.net.au
TYSTION – Y MEISTRI EP (CDS by Fitamin Un)
A short EP of anthemic, ember-bright hip-hop tracks from this
interesting Welsh outfit who rap almost entirely in their native
language. Their evidently politicized testaments are played out
over iron-shod basslines, looped beats, guitars and myriad
instrumental samples, although there’s an almost complete absence of
any kind of voice sample, a decision I found intriguing in this
context. As you might expect, the music’s aggressive but pleasingly
relentless, although on ‘Brad A Sarhad’ strands of subtle electronic
noise and more latent abstraction proliferate, underpinning an
insistent, guttural narrative: a welcome interlude in the space of
things. And the subject matter of Y Meistri? According to Tystion,
the EP explores the concepts of “hip hop masters, justice and
injustice, McJobs, paranoia and crack cocaine”. Not being a Welsh
speaker, I can’t comment on the majority of the lyrics but I enjoyed
the urgent sonorties of the language against this bunch’s musical
backdrop. A blend of the old (skool) and the new which works well,
especially in the confines of a short CD release. (BL)
Address: www.geocities.com/fitaminun
1. From: these@appleonline.net
Gareth Williams, best known to music fans as one third of This Heat,
died the morning of 24 December 2001.
He leaves an undeniable imprint and contribution, both to the rich
recorded legacy of the band albums – This Heat; Deceit; Made
Available – The John Peel Sessions; Repeat; and the single Health and
Efficiency – and, though a reluctant but compulsive performer, to the
group’s fearless, powerful live performances between 1976-81.
As bassist and keyboard player in the band, he contributed an often
sited ‘wild card’ aspect, also through the use of tape as a lead
instrument, and the fact that he was never formally schooled as a
musician, choosing to adopt an intuitive and abstract approach to his
instruments, stated in one early review as having a ‘Jackson Pollack
approach’ to playing the organ.
After leaving the group, he studied kathakali dance in south India
and later completed a degree in Indian religious studies and music at
SOAS. He also wrote a large slice of the south Indian contribution of
The Rough Guide to India and worked as a travel guide there.
Whilst always passionately creating music domestically, including the
1985 limited edition cassette – Flaming Tunes – he was yet to decide
on on a wider mode of output. He maintained a lifelong ambivalence to
the industry side of being a musician, thus generally only close
associates were aware of his activities – including collaborations
with many other musicians, d.j. appearances, writing, promoting other
performers, working on photographs and visuals.
Gareth was diagnosed with cancer in September of 2001, after a short
period of increasing illness, and quickly started making plans of
things he wished to achieve. Despite having to spend long periods in
hospital and undergoing serious treatment, he maintained an
inspirational postitive attitude and continued to play music, with an
eye on what could be done in the time he had left.
He will be sorely missed by a large group of friends and
collaborators, who knew him as a prolifically creative personality,
staunch individualist, someone capable of the blackest of black
humour, and extremely generous of spirit.
Gareth John Williams 1953 – 2001