LOSD – ORGANIC 23 (CD + 5″ by Lab Records)
Here’s an interesting little item, prettily packaged, and recently released
on Lab Records. Touted as an (aargh !) interactive DJ tool, it comprises a
three track CD and a five inch record. The digital half contains three long
drones all slightly similar and the five inch vinyl has 23 locked grooves
cut into it. The idea ? Play the CD and mix in the grooves as you see fit.
Nice idea. Users of this ‘tool’ are invited to send their most successful
attempts to Lab Records, who plan to compile them for a British label.
Well, I tried it. The drones are typically LOSD… deep, throbby things,
with fragile waves of harmonics peeling off. Electronic insects click and
scrape first close, then faraway. The grooves on the 5″ are pretty weird…
most of them generated by one or more of their collection of Korgs, and
only a few are so irregular as to be slightly offputting. Never mind, use
another one ! Having fiddled with this a while, I came to the conclusion
that it worked better with at least two of the 5″ records… or in
combination with other minimal material. (I tried it with Morton
Subotnick’s ‘Silver Apples Of The Moon’ and it worked a treat). ‘Course
this means that you’ve got to have access to all the right tools, mostly a
mixer, which is a necessary complication, and which sort of limits it’s
marketability too, unless you don’t give a toss about it’s mixability and
dig deep drones anyway. Me, I think I prefer to sleep with the digital and
groove with 5 inches. Ta. (MP)
Address: Lab Records – P.O.Box 11453 – 1001 GL Amsterdam – The Netherlands
SUBRAUM #9 (Magazine and 7″)
We didn’t pay much attention to the world of printed matter lately, but
here is one that should be of interest. The German written magazine Subraum
covers a wide range of music and art. From Sons Of Silence, Muslimgauze, to
postrockers Genf to artists as Stelarc or media investigators Agentur
Bilwet. But obviously you don’t speak any German, and that’s where the 7″
comes in. ARJ Snoek opens with a break-beat trip hop collage thing and
Klaus Beyer has a German sense of humor which I don’t seem to grasp – his
track is about saving the forest. The flipside has a funny short track of
muzak doddlings by People Like Us, then again some vague popmusic thing
from ‘Gunz Und Mundel’ (again, probably, very funny) and a distorted rhythm
piece by Muslimgauze. All exclusive stuff I am told, so fans now know where
to put their money. (FdW)
Address: <benndorf@zedat.fu-berlin.de>
ASMUS TIETCHENS – DAS VIEH UND SEIN VATTER (CD by Realization)
Do we really need to introduce this man? I really hope not. Actively
involved in producing serious electronic music since 1965, and having his
first LP out in 1980. After that the work of Tietchens was rapidely
released on cassettes, LP’s and CD’s. Largely ignored by major hype-ists
that put out work of so-called “Isolationists” (who in really go out to
network), Tietchens is a true isolated composer. He networks through mail,
by sending his music to like-minded labels. This CD is not a new studio
work, but a collection of 18 tracks, spanning 14 years of networking.
Tracks released on compilation cassettes and LP’s. To some dedicated
followers (and count me as one) a through feast of recognition. But even
for me there is news… I never could figure out who did which track on Sex
And Bestiality for instance. But here are 18 (and we hasten to say: not
complete at all) pieces of electronic music, musique concrete pieces and
sound treatments. Tietchens main instruments remains the studio where every
recorded sound is treated until you don’t recognize the original source.
Not exactely easy listening music but recorded with both humor and
seriousness. If you missed out getting these pieces before, or you want to
replace with good digital quality, then you should not hesitate to get
this. (FdW)
Address: 9452 Telephone Rd #116 – Ventura, CA 93004 – USA
RUDE 66 – SAFETY ON HIGHWAY R66 (CD by Silver Recordings)
STARFISH POOL – DANTE’S CARNIVAL (CD by Silver USA)
Two new releases on the sympathetic dance label from Belgium. Rude 66 has
had releases before on other labels under which is the legendary Bunker/Hot
Mix, from the underground of The Hague. Up tempo techno music with lots of
breaks (do I hear DJ’s mumble that it is a pity it is on CD and not on
vinyl?). What more should I add? Entertaining techno music.
Starfish Pool aka Koen Lybaert, the boss of Silver, collected some pieces
that were available on 12″ before plus some new tracks. Starfish is more
minimal, searching for a heavy groovy beat, only to make minimal changes by
fiddling around with the EQ of a track. Yet, this is a different kind of
minimalism then say Panasonic. There is much more going on within each
track, but once there it stays there. In general Starfish’s tracks take
more time then the average Panasonic track, but on the other hand are more
danceable then the average Panasonic piece. So if you missed out on some of
the vinyl, then here is your second change getting it. (FdW)
Address: <silver@net4all.be>
BRUCE GILBERT – THE HARING (CD by WMO/These)
Nice looking, but rather empty box (CD in paper sleeve, two printed cards
and a folded text thing – but taking the size of two CD’s), and a rather
short CD (just under 31 minutes). From all ex-Wires, I think Bruce is the
most interesting one, as he stays far away from anything that I would
simply classify, in all my ignorance, as ‘popmusic’. Many of his solo works
are musique concrete related, sampled based works. Often comisioned for
special occassions. This work contains two pieces: The Haring and a short
track ‘Children’ (taken from an old Touch release), and both tracks deal
with voices. Main course ‘The Haring’ focusses on tape-loops of drony
rumbling, with spoken text on top, and recorded messages from answering
machines. Again this might be my ignorance, but having heard it all and
reading the text, I couldn’t figure out what this is about. Abstract
radioplay in full. Not a bad piece, but again not one of Mr. Gilbert’s
brilliant pieces. (FdW)
Address: <wmo@interserv.com>