SHIROSEASONS (Compilation CD by Shirocoal)
First release on a new label set up by Daniel Menche. This CD
features 4 artists, each doing an interpretation of a season.
Opening is the spring season as seen by Aube, a slowly in volume
rising piece with a loud middle part. Sound source unknown, but
sounds like falling objects. US Small Cruel Party is doing the
summer part with another excellent excursion in organic sound
exploration. Much concentration on the sound itself. Probably as
good as his track on that split LP with Aube we reviewed a while
back. Daniel Menche’s dark sounds of a really indefinable nature
is a thick, misty field of autumn woods. The seasons are ended by
K. Mizutani with what sounds like tape-looped feedback and
distant voices, which don’t seem to go far away, but here too one
has to listen carefully to all the changes. In all a very
interesting compilation with 4 of today’s best industrial music
makers. (FdW)
Address: Shirocoal – P.O. Box 83296 – Portland, Oregon 97283-0296
– USA
HALANA #1 (Magazine plus 7″)
In the past we had sometimes a small feature about new magazines,
but this one is kinda special, I think. The magazine is
excellently type set and nicely printed. In the editorial it is
called ‘a quarterly labor of love dedicated to the discovery and
glorification of music, sound and culture that transcend the
usual & help to elevate their participants above the mundanity of
everyday’ … kinda spiritual affair. In this first issue you
will find a lengthy interview with La Monte Young and Marian
Zazeela and also Loren Mazzacane Connors, Matthew Ship and Harry
Bertoia. Also featured is Alan Licht’s Minimal Top 10.
Furthermore there is a small section of reviews. On the 7″ we
find improvised piano music by Matthew Ship and improvised guitar
music by Connors, as well as two lock grooves with sonambient
pieces recorded by Val Bertoia (the son of the late Harry
Bertoia, who made sounding sculptures). Excellent mag! (FdW)
Address: <halanazine@aol.com>
ASMUS TIETCHENS – PTOMAINE (3 LP Set by RRRecords)
Some two years ago, RRRecords celebrated their 100th release with
a special 7″ single. This 7″ had 100 lock grooves by as many
people. It was kinda hard to decipher who did what, but it was
big fun. Either to play at home, or to mix with as a DJ.
RRRecords thought it would be a nice idea to ask Asmus Tietchens
to ‘recycle’ the 7″ and this 3LP set is the result. Asmus used 48
out of the 100 grooves for this work. Each result lasts about 2
minutes and then is locked again. Tietchens methods of working
take the original beyond recognition, which is o.k. I really
enjoyed this set, and I even lost some weight walking to my
stereo to change the needle. I wonder who the next one is that
will recycle Ptomaine… (FdW)
Address: RRRecords -151 Paige Street -Lowell, MA 01852 -USA
BRUME vs APHASIA (CD by Atmoject)
Atmoject’s first CD after a couple of cassette releases. Aphasia
is sort of ‘group of the label’, and Brume, well, that should be
a familiar name to you. Brume opens up this CD with three tracks,
in total about 35 minutes. All three are called ‘Cliche’, but I
don’t to what Brume is referring (if at all!). Brume is the
master of collage. With what seems a relative easiness he blends
together a wide variety of sound sources, either taped from
objects, instruments or from ‘environment’ sounds. His
compositions jumps back and forth, editing is done in the right
places. Again, this is another fine work of Brume. Aphasia I
heard on a couple of tapes, but their sound didn’t came off too
well. Dynamics seemed to be playing a big part in his
compositions, and on tape silence becomes hiss. So CD is the
right format for this kind of work. In the first part of the 4
part perforation of punctured tension’, this becomes apparent.
Sheer silence being interrupted by sheer noise. So far nothing
new. But Aphasia mixes these sounds quite nicely, and his work
can easily meet with the more well-known and likewise
conceptualists in the field. More then Brume, Aphasia uses
outdoor recordings, which give you a nice disoriented feel if you
play it with windows open, like I do on this hot night. (FdW)
Address: Atmoject -Aldersyde -Station Road -Banchory –
Kincardinehire AB31 5XX -Scotland -UK