felthat - reviews

Fear Konstruktor ''Numbers'' by chaosynod ''Return to reason'' by Strabismus tapes, ''Nonexistence'' by Peripheral records

2012-01-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

Nikita Evsuk has a special place in my mind because of many reasons. His linear retro-futurist infused drone noise bears so much healthy flavour of everything what's best in DIY approach without any pretentious and la-di-dah artsy fartsy shadows.
Three different releases, three different formats - quite a struggle but a worthy one too. Having said that it was worthy challenge to cover all those three and stimulating at the same time. A food for thought and imagination looped in my mind with Chlebnikoff futuristc zaum langauge and non-linear prospects in mathematics. Somehow the slavic gods find their way back walking into footsteps of future traits...Nikita is somehow entangled to me in the archetype of a russian fairy tale protagonist - a daring one which never fears but looks out for the prospects and resolves the issues on his own terms.
Rich like Pavlova's desert cream structure of the drone work, mechanical ambience and foremostly return to eternal power of analogue lab magic. Can anyone dream of anything better??? Spasiba Tiebie, Nikita!

Magic Carpathians "Acousmatic Psychogeography"

2011-06-24T03:13:00.001-07:00

The signpost of memory
traces that resemble leaves on a grey morning amidst the last year's months and the preview of the ones that are not here to come
a song of a jay
woken up abruptly from a joy dream
by a snippy frost haze
well trodden turning which is a blank page
skid row then
forgotten now

The neural miasma of these signpost
The landmarks that bring back the closeness of what has to happen anyway
The notions of the exploring
the end of it is the moment of arriving at a place where we started
and know this place
recognize it as it was for the first time
afresh
anew
..t'was a story

ELECTRIC URANUS / X-NAVI:ET "Voices of the Cosmos" digipack CD 2011

2011-06-24T02:48:00.000-07:00

Project "VOICES OF THE COSMOS" is an educational-artistic initiative created by two artists from Kujawsko-Pomorskie: Rafał Iwański (X-NAVI:ET) and Wojciech Zięba (ELECTRIC URANUS). Both of them have lot of experience in creating experimental and electroacoustic music. In recordings of this album original extraterrestrial sounds captured from space by radio-telescopes (pulsars), sounds from space missions and the space itself.
The concept that is not new of course to use the sounds of the space to incorporate them into the music piece has been re-invented here. I already knew the past experience of both artists and I didn't expect nothing which is out of the trail of their previous achievements which is actually stunning on different levels. On the other hand I was thinking about prog rock concept albums or El-music concept albums made by elderly beardy hippie synth geeks which proved to be both boring and sophisticated.
40 minutes and a little more of the material is just fair enough to convey a postcard from a journey. Far more than that it can help you to get inside the traveller's mind and fllow it as it goes astray. The travelling is a means and an art of disappearing as Nicholas Bouvier said. The art of dipping your ego into the experience and transforming human consciousness and an uplifting experience it is.
The droney facet of this art is undeniable but there's more than just that which makes it really worth listen.

Robert Piotrowicz and C.M. von Hausswolff on 12" limited to 200 copies

2011-06-24T02:36:00.001-07:00

This nicely encased 12" vinyl released by Bocian Records a newbie record label managed by Grzegorz Tyszkiewicz who has a great adventure back in the 1990's and 1980's behind him leading Marchlewski joint back then was a great appendix to what I have been into when I longed for nicely done composition.
I have no doubt whatsoever in Robert Piotrowicz's composing techniques and abilities as he usually presents diversity and great surprise in the most of positive way and he never fails to do that. C.M. von Hauswolff has already established himself as an artist of his own kind and genuinely original in his own field.
The vinyl is divided into two parties.
Robert's part is a condensed study of analogue synth, dleicate and erratic bass drone slowly evolving into a structure of dense particle absorbtion and giving an outlet for subtlety.
von Hauswolff presents a bit of a different side - hidden and quiet which could be used as a contemplative piece for art exhibition or sound installation.
What I deeply feel is that these two sides cannot really exist without each other and work very complementary. They also prove the felxibility of both artists and their class. Good listen! More out of Bocian, please

Fear Konstruktor "Oktophony"

2011-06-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

I just got this cd encased in a tin beautifully manufactured and I astounded by one thing - what you get and what you listen is so much aligned with the cover, the artwork.
Staying away from a feeble classification of noise/drone I would rather say that this piece of(mind you!) art work is a high class musical endeavour which proved to be highly successful in acheiveing its aim.
Nikita Evsuk has done a tremednous work on this to keep the whole stuff climatique and yet perspiring with the references to some of the best avant analogue experiments. There is a great deal of freshenss in what he does, not just as a musical manipulation but great deal of "musicality" about the construction and composition.
Cover and tin case artwork is another dimension. It gets right where it should with the slight reference to post industrial style but not achieved by dark and grimey accents but by and industrial package designs which reminds me of the old stylistics of the 1950's and 1960's.
New Nihilism makes its way by sparse put outs which seems to be much better policy than churning out theidiom of plenty cramming your shelves with dozens of releases which you forget very easily about. This one is sure not the one to be forgotten. Bless Ya guys!!!

Ernesto Rodrigues Neil Davidson Wade Matthews "Erosions"

2011-06-08T13:28:00.000-07:00

Improvised music has so many intuitive ways to go through which you cannot really predict. With this cd I got a feeling that the more I listen to it the more it becomes a sort of geological process about the imprinting the traces of the notes and phases the musicians are transposing.
Lost trace is the best thing that can ocur to you, once you have forgotten about it, a time comes that it flashbacks into Your memory and erodes it with the lines it embellishes and carves in your perception process.
The way with such kind of music is reinventing the peripheral perception process into some new tracks - it is getting out of your ego and getting back to the shape that seems to be the void but sheer utterance of that kind is merely a slight misunderstanding: You won't get any tunnel vision on this one...try it!!!

Turnip Farm - All the tangled girls

2011-05-31T02:01:00.000-07:00

Rarely do I review the albums which bear any kind of guitar music imprint. Turnip Farm is one of the groups that Kuba Ziołek from highly praised band Ed Wood( not without a reason as Ed Wood is a great band). I guess rock music like this has come to the turning point where references are no longer needed - there is so much of unique style especially with the vocalist manner and the introduction of the choruses - really mellodious stuff which reminds me of Pavement, Dischord traditions, Sensless Things. It's all grungey but keeps the profile of invention at hand and together with the length doesn't make any tiresome experience as with many crappy indie bands which are a complete disgrace. I guess it is for the personality of the group as a whole and individual members that proves to be a worthwhile experience..even if these are only songs, I hear from my mate...no, these are the "power off the song" songs. Keep it up dudes...!!!

mono034 ALESSANDRO BOSETTI - ROYALS

2011-05-31T01:46:00.000-07:00

01 - Gloriously Repeating
02 - Life Expectations
03 - Dead Man

release date31/03/2011

I approached Alessandro's cd with a huge excitement and curiosity. Though I have heard his name as he worked with various artists I love like Michel Doneda, Anette Krebs, Gunter Christmann I didn't know his solo work that much. If we apply the terms and definition of improvised music to what is present here on this Monotype release it's barely a blurr which desn't seem appropriate at all. Not a bit even of typical sonorous experiments - instead vocal voyage with background piano compositions: spoken word took the reigns of the narration and narration it is with all its rich flavour. The flow of this album is amazing, not a scrape of anything useless and odd out elements. I started to look for some references as for a source of inspiration for Alessandro but searching through some data and stuff I got the feeling that such albums should be approached with a free associations process. Watching a movie without a soundtrack as the soundtrack became the script for listening itself. great work!!!

Kentin Jivek "Ode to marmaele"

2011-05-15T10:50:00.000-07:00

http://www.myspace.com/kentinjivek
Reviving the singer/songwriter archetype by out of round records and many other folk related musicians like Anthony Nestor whom I have found through cdbaby.com, I have pushed myself to get out of the limits beyond thinking that Dylanesque archetype has suffered a massive burnout process over some few years back.
Kentin Jivek relates his music strongly to the likes of dark folk classics but he is already far more than that laying out his personal style over anything else. Great sense of putting all the great songs elements plus very vibrant and original voice is a delight to listen. Arrangements made clear and transparent make me feel like coming back to this material over the time.Continuez s'il vous plaît à le faire!

Denis Kolokol "Proud To Be Loud" Audiotong co-released with MATHKA label, MTHK03 2011

2011-05-15T10:41:00.001-07:00

Being musician makes you seek for new and new ways of expression both in terms of the composition and the structure of the material as well as the technological means to transpose the ideas into flesh of the musical track. Since so much time I have spent on intensive and extensive listening of music I deeply feel that the quality lies in ideas and the concept rather than the technological means. The pressure you put onto the ultimate technological search certainly leave behind the creative spirit and the challenging obstacles you can encounter during the whole process.
Having said that Denis Kolokol's first cd(!) is a way more ahead of many improvised gems I could ever imagine. The obvious reasons for liking this material as the perfect time-space balance and first outburst of this experienced ukrainian composer now residing in Cracow, Poland are preceded by so much skill and craft and ingenuity put into the composition which really feels like giving a new paths in experimental improvised music dominated by sonorous trips. Vocal parts mingled with acoustic guitar tracks and their processing, drone and harshy bits with laptop treatise, analogue synths so delightfully and subtly referring to synth psychedelia...I cannot recount all the raisins in this cake. Denis, it was so worth waiting for Your full release!!!

hin | cs159

2011-05-03T12:06:00.001-07:00

Urs Leimgruber - soprano & tenor saxophone
Ulrich Phillipp - double bass
Nils Gerold - flute, piccolo
Creative Sources Records led by Ernesto Rodrigues is a class for itself when it comes to publishing the qualitative materials from all the corners of Europe and the rest of the world. The biggest asset of this label is that it never blocks itself in just one alley, one path of musical thinking, composing or improvising aspect or path.
Three gentlemen here present a very mellow and straight-forward approach. Acoustic improvised tracks derived from free improv bear yet a great deal of ingenuity and intimacy which is rather rare when we talk about music which doesn't really include all kinds of drones or burdones which usually falsify the meaning of ambient. Not everything what creates great ambience should neccesarily bear such means.
...with a lot sense of humor...Nils' flute and picollo pay attentive watch over the whole of material not to be overdone.
Very pleasant experience...thanks Ernesto!

Stefano Ferrian’s dE-NOIZE Project “CHAPTER # 01 AMPHETAMINE”

2011-04-27T02:44:00.000-07:00

Stefano Ferrian's been around for quite a good deal of time accumulating an even greater deal of experience in musical education giving now the showcase of this beautifully and ingenuinely published cd.
Loads of tonal and atonal experiments steering away from sonorous modalities and typical idioms of free improvised music. I would rather label it as a free improved music - with a strong highlight of good and clear composing abilities which gives a real pleasure to listen.
Ep's got everything what it should have with the right length and variety of moods emulated from guitars, saxes, bass 'n synths 'n programmed drums 'n vocals...to great extent you can hear loads of references to free jazz too, Stefano's got it all...great stuff, way to go!

Sean Derrick Cooper Marquardt - Chinese Box

2011-04-21T04:25:00.000-07:00

Sean Derrick is one of those gypsies who do their stuff on the margin ohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giff what is hip even in a such "hip-immune" field as experimental music. His Friends of Sagittarius records as well as other platforms he manages revolve around a community of musicians of different styles and approaches.
One of his outlet is "accidental guitar" style which his own genuine approach to composition as well as intuitive improvisation.
Chinese Box hits the sky with its droney lo-fi cloud of intense and dreamy microspace. What I loved the most is that it goes straight to the point, not getting into the place where the musician depletes himself from the fresh ideas. A wholesome bit of music, rich, tasty and healing.
You can download it for free at: http://www.archive.org/details/SeanDerrickCooperMarquardt-ChineseBox

1005-2 Eric La Casa:::: W2 [1998-2008] from herbalinternational.tk

2011-04-15T01:28:00.000-07:00

WATER
1. Les pierres du seuil part 4
2. Les pierres du seuil part 5
An exploration of the wide variety of water territories (from droplets in a cave to powerful ocean waves), in two movements, forming a single composition.
3. Les pierres du seuil part 2
At the emergence of a body of water and air, an effervescence
4. S'ombre part 1
The alchemy of water and stone, summer
5. Spirale 3
The geophony of a river : a meandering journey, marked out by windmills
6. Les oscillations part 2
Waves, oscillations .... an opening up of the landscape
7. L'Inspir du rivage part 2
Ressac... when the sea and the rocks come together

Total running time : 74 minutes

WIND
1. Dans le feuillage du lointain, la clameur d'un bruissement
At the boundary with background noise, an ineffable tumult
2. Les pierres du seuil part 6
Listening to the wind's journey through the landscape
3. Quelque chose de cela, le désert part 1-2
A distressed wind in a still life landscape
4. Les pierres du seuil part 8
A factory entrance, air expelled by machines
5. L'air au fond rouge
The density of air, a city's distant rumbling
6. Les aubes sont navrantes
A false northern landscape, cold and hostile... a drama

Total running time : 75 minutes

Credits
Water
1. (1999)
2. (1999) from "Les Pierres du seuil 4-7" CD . Edition… (USA). September 2000
3. (1998)
4. (1999) excerpts from "The stone of the threshold" CD. Groundfault Recordings (USA). November 1999
5. (2003) Unreleased. Commissioned by The River House [?] at Saint-Georges-de-Montaigu (France)
6. (2004) excerpt from "Les Oscillations part 1&2" CD. Fringes Recordings (Italia). May 2005
7. (1999) from Explorer series, 7". Production : Povertech (USA). September 1999

Wind
1. (1998) from "The sound of nature - the nature of sound" compilation. Kaon (France), July 2001
2. (2000) from "Les Pierres du seuil 4-7" CD . Edition… (USA). September 2000
3. (2000) from "Quelque chose de cela, le désert part 1-3". Collection Mémoires (France), May 1999
4. (2001) Unreleased. Originally composed for Halana magazine (USA)
5. (2001) from "Sul" compilation, a tribute to Chris Marker. Sirr.records (Portugal), June 2002
6. (2008) excerpt. Unreleased. Originally composed for Clédat & Petitpierre's performance

Locations [1994 - 2007]
France
Water
Ardèche (steps in the Pissevieille brook / rain on a car / summer rain)
Athee-sur-cher (river Cher in full spate)
Bedoues (river Tarn)
Berry (oozing in a watertank)
Bruxelles, Belgium (machine for rinsing out photographs)
Choisy-le-roy (artificial rain in an industrial zone)
Crotelles (Rain, under an umbrella / brook and brook pipe)
Darnetal (rain on container)
Dieppe (music school organ)
Dunkerque (swelling sea with lighthouse / dunes / sand in wind)
Dunkerque-Sollac (air-cooler / ore in motion)
Epeigné-sous-bois (outflows in trenches and reverberating pipes / water, air bubbles, at the edge of a field)
Grenoble (wall dripping in the 102 venue , during a soundcheck for Cellule Metamkine)
Haute-Savoie (Nant Bruyant brook / violent rain on a car)
Hennequeville ("tubular sea" / heavyflood-tide on a concrete platform)
Le Semnoz (rain falling on a small covered market)
Lozere (Gorges of the river Tarn)
Nouvellière (in a farm, rain after a storm,)
Paris (hail on window / rain and storm in inner courtyard / oozing in a tunnel / outflow in inner pipe / the Ircam anechoic chamber : hand sliding on skin and microphone in mouth ) Paris (in a cemetery, rain, under an umbrella)
Plaisians (foot in dried herbs)
Pordic (distant helicopter / wind in a cornfield )
Port Jehan (waves and peebles)
Vendée (the "Grande Maine" and "Petite Maine" rivers)

Wind
Céré-la-ronde (in a wood)
Choisy-Le-Roi (airplane flying overhead, water cleaning station : electrical waves, water-pump engines / ventilations)
Dieppe (music school : organ)
Dunkerque-Sollac (ore in motion / foundries / hot rolling mills / blast furnaces)
Epeigné-sous-bois (in an oak forest)
Hennequeville (North Sea)
Lussault-sur-loire (fir forest / grinder in the distance / a windy day in a forsaken house / a stormy )
Montlouis (a stormy night / train in the distance)
near Neuil (a forsaken farm)
Paris (Salpetriere chapel and Notre-Dame-des-champs church : organs played by Jean-Luc Guionnet / portable DAT recorder motor / Strasbourg-St-Denis metro station : electrical waves / seeds in motion)
Villeneuve-Saint-Georges (empty goods trains)

and three locations in Europe :
Water
Rovinj, Croatia (lightning / rain and storm in an inner courtyard / rain on an open window frame / along the sea shore)

Wind
Rovinj, Croatia (inner courtyard and wind under door / thirty-story tower, radio waves / strong wind in marina)
Anvers, Belgium (a pedestrian tunnel and elevator)
Dundee, Scotland (in the harbour)

2 x Audio CD
140 minutes+
Release date: November 2010

Really taken aback by the possibilities of rejuvenating and processing the field recordings I had a stroll with Eric's La Casa new cd from Herbal International which sets yet another groundbreaking frontier for further development of musique concrete genre in new context.
Eric is just but a few of the field recordist along with Marchetti, John Grinzich,and a few others who really transmutates the very thin tissue of raw sounds into soundscapic scenario of impossible possibilities and curves it down to the limit so the listener doesn't really distinguish the "road itself" from "the road taken". As in the quote from Nicholas Bouvier brought back by Eric himself - the journey we make unmakes us - in this sense unmakes the perceptive process to a point of great sensitivity.
It may sound a bit pretentious but these recordings do really investigate our listening process - so dim and blank overwhelmed by the magnitude of invading means of today's culture, that you may find a totally different angle of getting yourself to NOTICE what's been all around you...really important collection of music.

First Human Ferro · Homo Shargey from New Nihilism

2011-04-14T14:37:00.001-07:00

The lost trail of really elaborate concept albums is regained with the coming up of this beautifully designed and published album which barely holds the worn out label of "dark ambient" - here refined up to the mystical and spacey level of human inner compulsion to generate something "bigger than life".
Story of Alexander Shargey (also known as Yuriy Kondratyuk)with a literary touch of secrecy and unknown part of space exploration gives a food for thought to keep one's awake. A great outlet story for spacey and analogue ambient embellished with great sense of harmony and touch of gentility. Great design by Marcin Łojek head of New Nihilism...
Surely one of the cds that I will be coming back to now and then...

1101 Jason Kahn:::: Beautiful Ghost Wave from Herbal International www.herbalinternational.tk

2011-04-14T14:17:00.000-07:00

New York-born Jason Kahn has been growing up in LA and now relocated to Zuerich, treads since 1990's the path of multi-dimensional artist revolving around sound design and sound installations derived from the colliding percussive elements which he grounded as being a percussionist himself originally with electronic sounds based on granular analogue modulations, radio frequency shifts with the edge of lo-fi DIY guerilla filtered through cautious and elaborate editing.
His work for Herbal International from Malaysia bears an imprint of losing time sequenced layering and broken loop of time continuum.
The feel and the edge to it owes a lot to Jason's past sound installations and energetic but not agressive electro-acoustic well controlled noisey improvisation.
Dense and refined through digital processing gives no chance to get bored with the composition which lasts a little bit over 40 minutes which is just exactly what I needed this morning.

mono036 LIONEL MARCHETTI - UNE SAISON

2011-04-11T12:15:00.001-07:00

CD 1:
La Grande Vallée [20'40'']
Concrete music composed in 1993/1996 at INA-GRM (Paris-France)
Field recordings, electronic, analogic synthesiser, realisation and
composition : Lionel Marchetti
Voice : Hélène Bettencourt
Additives voices : Frédéric Malenfer, Bruno Roche
Bass clarinette : Jean Andréo
Sib clarinette : Lionel Marchetti
Portrait d'un glacier (Alpes, 2173m) [28'44'']
Concrete music composed in 1998/2000 at INA - GRM (Paris-France)
Field recordings, electronic, analogic synthesiser, realisation and
composition : Lionel Marchetti
Somme field recordings were realised with Bruno Roche in august 1993 :
Tré-la-tête glacier (massif du Mont-Blanc, Alpes, France)
CD 2:
Dans la montagne (Ki Ken Taï) [12'10'']
Concrete music composed in 1995/1996 at La Muse en Circuit - Alfortville
(France)
Field recordings, electronic, analogic synthesiser, realisation and
composition : Lionel Marchetti
The recordings of the French Kendo team (and a lot of Kendo sounds) were
guided by Bruno Roche in the Dojo
Additives voices : Hélène Bettencourt, Lionel Marchetti
L'oeil retourné [24'28'']
Concrete music composed in 1994/1997 at CFMI Lyon (France)
Field recordings, electronic, analogic synthesiser, realisation and
composition : Lionel Marchetti
Additive voice : Hélène Bettencourt
Quotations : Roger de la Frayssenet, Ralf Wehowsky, Josephine Leask, This
Heat, Blanche Neige and some radio station chaos…

Since at least 7-8 years an opening to a new story from Lionel Marchetti seems like a cosmic event - not merely a creating of a new constellation of celestial bodies out on the horizon but also a link to the past forwarding its path out forward into the future.
How a sense of self-consciousness a most valuable can be when You got infested with a sudden change of movement listening to elaborately composed galaxy of static and aggressive and self-sustaining sound explorations.
Every bit of this form paralyzes with a swift ability to react in a multi-layered and microtonal stance of sound snorkeling which turns out to embark a great adventure on a whisp of whimsical cataclysm. Droning itself to oblivion? No way? Lionel has loads to present on his part...

MARTIN KÜCHEN "The Lie & The Orphanage"

2011-04-05T10:20:00.001-07:00

I am familiar with Martin Kuechen work since hell how long, I dunno really, Creative Sources did a really great job releasing his work as usual with Ernesto's outputs.
Martin's classification brings troubled academic minds a great havoc and a great deal of problems as he doesn't really fits into improvised music and free improvised clichee..same with this album which to me bears a strong association with scientifical research of information as a means of communication in a world of cells, atoms and all the subatomic molecule and memetic world of interchangeable reality particles. That is of course my free association with the music itself but the way Martin puts his sounds together and how he builds up the pressure within humble and simple means he uses makes me think of how much can be done on the platform of language and I don't only mean the language per se but also the flow of energy which the language itself is just a symptom.
Very solid base of his musical background gives a great listener's pleasure in finding out how the mechanism of the composition works here. Great listen again from mighty Audiotong...

RICHARD MARTIN "Caste Of The City Bee"

2011-04-05T10:12:00.001-07:00

Richard Martin is a New York City‐native artist that has been touring and performing in bands for over twenty years. He runs operations out of his Brooklyn studio, called DCXXV Recordings, where he produces and engineers records for himself and other artists.
I was really into this album since a few months or so since Marcin from www.audiotong.net have sent me couple of cds of his label. Quite a surprise really as never have I expected such a good drone album made in an unpredicted way with great asset of composer's skills and connecting all the dots together...5 long pieces that aren't boring by any means nicely arranged with a slight touch of old experimental 1980's music which is one of my favourite. Great Piano sounds with electronic loops gives a sombre outlet for something else than just another looped underscore of low biased sounds Richard stay with us!

Looper" Dying Sun" by another timbre

2011-03-23T07:48:00.000-07:00

Looper lines up of Nikos Veliotis, Martin Kuechen and Ingar Zach, people who are very much experienced as improvisers - this is why I always expect more. Droney soundtrack which bears an imprint of a conscious composition, timid and rigid, never on a strain of something outbursting and splashy. Great thing about this music is the mastery of the means - the instruments which give plenty of space for communication between the musicians as well as giving the lasting proof of their ingenious concept.I haven't heard such a well composed album in couple of months - brings best out of it.

Alexander Frangenheim "the knife again" | cs150

2011-03-11T08:51:00.001-08:00

Tracklist:
#1 in
#2 surface of details
#3 counter
#4 the plains
#5 tro 3
#6 tro 4
#7 tro 5
#8 tro 7
#9 chant
#10 knife
#11 ext
#12 part
#13 trouve
#14 counter furioso
#15 meory
#16 order
#17 birds for z
Born in Wuppertal, he studied sculpture at the academy of fine arts in Stuttgart and at the same time classical doublebass with Reinald Schwarz, soloist of Stuttgart Philharmonics. Having encountered experimental music in his youth, beside classical playing he soon ventured into free improvisation as well as working with graphic notations in the ensemble of composer Klaus Fessmann, who holds a professorship at Salzburg Mozarteum. After having met Günter Christmann in the early 90s, who became a close friend over the years, a grant offered the possibility to go to London, where he finally was able to explode into a most intense period of sessions, collaborations, concerts and recording sessions, this all with help by John Russell, Chris Burn and John Butcher. Back in Stuttgart he was asked to teach experimental music at the academy of fine arts Stuttgart, which he did for a period of ten years and which led him to extended sound and performance explorations in collaboration with his students. He continued to organize the festival concepts of doing – Interaktion Tanz Musik (1992 – 2003) and, after an intense trip through many european countries meeting dancers for free improvisations and an invitation to the 5th Composers Choreographers Exchange (Southbank Center London), he was co-founding the production center for dance and performance Stuttgart. Being the head of this association for three years and after the festival of concepts of doing 2003, he pushed these structures aside for regaining breath and new freedom and inner engagement in life and arts. At the same time this moment was accompanied by his last days in ensemble zeitkratzer, which he was member of since its beginning in 1997 (performances of famous MMM by and with Lou Reed as well as music by alva noto, Merzbow, Lee Ronaldo, Elliott Sharp, DJ’s a.o.).
2005 saw him establishing himself in a space in Berlin to seek new projects. Since then he has recorded three cds, created the music for the experimental film „Lupinen löschen“ by Sabine Schöbel, which was shown at the Berlinale 2007, and started to work with analog electronics on the acoustic double bass as well as on an electric one, introducing this to his collaborations with dance.

He played in groups... trio with Jim Denley and Steve Noble; duo with Phil Durrant (cd); quintet with Evan Parker, Phil Wachsman, Thomas Lehn, Roger Turner; duo with Günter Christmann (cd); „Ein Quartett“ with Bieler-Wendt, Kolkowski, Zimmerlin; trio with Chris Burn and Axel Dörner.
Projects with Günter Christmann: Sextett Vario 34 (cd) und „con moto“ (music, dance, sound poetry, film) with David Zambrano, Urs Leimgruber, Fine Kwiatkofski, Elke Schipper (dvd).
Concerts with... Paul Lovens, John Butcher, Phil Minton, Derek Bailey, Sven-Ake Johannson, David Moss, John Russell, Johannes Bauer, LeQuan Ninh, Dietmar Diesner, LaDonna Smith, Malcolm Goldstein, Fred Frith, Vinko Globokar, Barry Guy, Torsten Müller, Carlos Zingaro, Fred van Hove, Urs Leimgruber, Mats Gustafsson, Dorothea Schürch, Herb Robertson, Alberto Braida, Michael Griener, Yumiko Tanaka a.o.
Intense work with dancers in diverse performing and rehearsing situations.
Collaborations with Julyen Hamilton, Vera Mantero, Benoit Lachambre, Ingo Reulecke, Josè Luis Sultàn, Mark Tompkins, Junko Wada, Fine Kwiatkofski, Regina Baumgart, David Zambrano, Sasha Waltz, Katie Duck, Joachim Schlömer, Thomas McManus, Nigel Charnock, Xavier Le Roy, Frans Poelstra, Virpi Pakhinen, Russell Maliphant, Anzu Furukawa, Pal Frenak, Anna Huber, Andreas Müller, Astrid Endruweit, Jennifer Lacey, Lin Yuang Shang.
concepts of doing. Between 1992 and 2003 he organized the festival „concepts of doing – Interaktion Tanz Musik“ which became an important european plattform for the exchange of the arts inviting many notable artists for free collaborations during 4 days. (Please see: www.concepts-of-doing.de). cd: „screen. Festival concepts of doing 1999“ mit Yoshihide, Turner, Leimgruber, Schürch, Parkins, Newton, Frangenheim.
Critics: „mikrotonale Edelsteine“ (Markus Müller, Jazzthetik), „deliciously subversive“ (Cadence), „music straight from the dynamo“ (The Wire), „Frangenheim uses extended string techniques Gidon Cremer supplied for Luigi Nono“ (The Wire).
Lives in Berlin since 2005. In preparation for creative space for 2009, which will allow him to continue his work with dance and other media.
Projects: trio with Chris Burn and Axel Dörner; quartet with Thomas Lehn, Le Quan Ninh, Frederic Blondy; duo with Günter Christmann /as well as other formations; trio with Floros Floridis and Ray Kaczynski; cds in prep: quartet with Moss/Bauer/Tanaka, quartet with Turner/Wachsman/Pat Thomas. performance project „streugut“ together with Clausen, Reulecke, Rudstrom, Simon.

"The knife again" is a compilation for solo bass improvisations. What took me by surprise was that the musical matter here is less sonorous and more linear, close to the thinking that anything what we play can have a structure to it and be less derivative. I got a feeling at first that Alexander made one of the albums that we can easily categorize as "classic" free-improvised. But the material bears many surprises.

“Arena Ladridos”by Chris Cogburn, Bhob Rainey , Bonnie Jones

2011-03-06T01:47:00.000-08:00

Bonnie Jones- electronics
Bhob Rainey - soprano saxophone
Chris Cogburn - percussion

“Arena Ladridos”
Label: Another Timbre at35
Released: 2010
excerpt

Now here's a good editior's choice. I have been listenint go this album on and and on since Simon has sent it to me and the sign that I can do it continually has given me a hint that there's something I miss with great many of the improvised music albums which is a slow shift into the composition area.
I am always up to listen what Bhob has to say and it gave a great pleasure to find out that good ol' Bhob is here to stay. He embellishes and crafts his input in a master's manner. Strangely enough I got a feeling that driven by the collaborative and cooperative spirit he puts himself a bit aside giving the place to Chris and Bonnie. Well I really feel this is how it should be when it comes to stting up the roles in the drama. I will definitely come back to this cd on and on.

Yoni Silver- "peep holes" | cs181

2011-03-06T01:35:00.000-08:00

Yoni Silver started his music studies with violin, then piano, and later moved on to alto sax, bass clarinet, and composition studies with prof. Yitzhak Sadaï. As an improv/noise musician he straddles the line between "total" freedom and one contained within loosely pre-determined structures. Also performs solo works incorporating acoustic instruments in combination with DIY controllers for computer manipulation, spread out on stage in the form of buttons, levers, boxes etc. (and a four-teated camel).
Has also composed and arranged music for theatre, film, art installations etc.
"Peep Holes" is his first solo release.
The album has a great approach to one particular subject in music which is silence. He uses wide array of subtle techniques to evoke as much as possible with the thoroughly specified output. It appeals to me very much of it as you need to master both composition and improvisation to get through it as well as the technique.
Perfect listen for a bright sunny Sunday Morning. Thank You Ernesto!

ltd#93: the shitty listener "constant stranger"

2011-02-13T03:19:00.000-08:00

tracklist
side one
1. get a grip
2. i call you up
3. across my dreams
4. the daymoon
5. bad wonder
6. smile now cry later

side two
1. lets get on the bed
2. i thank heaven for everything you do
3. i know it shows
4. except in dreams
5. i hold my face
6. different fur
7. smile louder (by the chord fort)
The real flair and true talent for whimsical vocal maestro - Jason Honea. His beautiful tiny arranged songs mirror his hard core punk background, folky singer writer clichees which he beautifully omits by turning the screw of its shallowness into the uneasy listening experience. I approached his cassette many times using my 5 different cassette tape decks and 6 portable cassette recorders which was huge when it comes to the audibility and getting the small and tiny bits out of the material. I enjoyed it even more with the lo-fi recorders which highlighted the atmosphere of improvisation and lo-fi haunted tracks. Thanks Jason! Thanks for bringing up the true base and core of it.

CipHER at gentlejunk netlabel

2011-02-01T13:05:00.000-08:00

release info:
Cipher was compared to solo works of Sam Shalabi (from Shalabi Effect). It is complex music created on levels of guitars, spoken word and range of the wind instruments used in any possible way. Outburst of creativity with careful editing. HEIKE FIEDLER: vocals and lyrics, traverse flute, melodia;
STEVE BUCHANAN: 2nd line, electronics, el. guitar, alto sax;
KRUNO JOST: laptop, classical guitar, el. guitar, melodia.

RECORDED 2007, GENEVA
MASTERING BY GIJS BORSTLAP @ KAISERLABEL.COM
RUNNING TIME: 26 TRACKS, 25:23 min (here all as one track)

Rleased ’08.
PUBLISHED BY: URBAN CULTURE AND EDUCATION www.uke.hr
EDITION: 100
COVER: Kruno Jost
I still remind myself the energy blast concert of Steve Buchanan at the tiny and atmospheric festival in a small town of Inowłódz, Poland in 1998, what a night it was!!!
Here all ends meet up together and I am still listening to Steve and his companions on this Gentlejunk netlabel release.
A nicely put collective improvisation keeping both sonorous and a lil' bit melodic stance with a nice scenario to it.
Heike Fiedler makes it more narrative piece by spoken word synchwith the rest of the band. What seems most particularly well-assembled here is the experience of the musicians which goes way beyond anything.
Really enjoyable piece, need some more of that drug.

Michael Pisaro - Fields Have Ears another timbre at37

2011-01-29T13:29:00.001-08:00

Michael Pisaro (born 1961 in Buffalo, New York) is a guitarist and composer. A member of the Wandelweiser Composers Ensemble, he has composed over 80 works for a great variety of instrumental combinations, including several pieces for variable instrumentation. A particularly large category of his works are solo works, notably a series of 36 pieces (grouped into 6 longer works) for the three-year, 156-concert series organized by Carlo Inderhees at the Zionskirche in Berlin-Mitte from 1997-1999. Another solo piece, pi (1-2594), was performed in installments by the composer on 15 selected days in February 1999, in Evanston, Illinois, and in Düsseldorf in 2000-2001.

His work is frequently performed in the U.S. and in Europe, in music festivals and in many smaller venues. It has been selected twice by the ISCM jury for performance at World Music Days festivals (Copenhagen,1996; Manchester, 1998) and has also been part of festivals in Hong Kong (ICMC, 1998), Vienna (Wien Modern,1997), Aspen (1991) and Chicago (New Music Chicago, 1990, 1991). He has had extended composer residencies in Germany (Künstlerhof Schreyahn), Switzerland (Forumclaque/Baden), Israel (Miskenot Sha'ananmim), Greece (EarTalk) and in the U.S. (Birch Creek Music Festival/Wisconsin). Concert length portraits of his music have been given in Munich, Jerusalem, Los Angeles, Vienna, Brussels, Curitiba (Brazil), Berlin, Chicago, Düsseldorf, Zürich, Cologne, Aarau and elsewhere.

Most of his music of the last several years is published by Edition Wandelweiser (Germany). Two CDs of his work have been released by Edition Wandelweiser Records. He has performed many of his own works and those of close associates Antoine Beuger, Kunsu Shim, Jürg Frey and Manfred Werder, as well as works from the experimental tradition, especially John Cage, Christian Wolff, Robert Ashley and George Brecht.

Before joining the composition faculty at the California Institute of the Arts (where he is located presently), he taught music composition and theory at Northwestern University from 1986 to 2000.

In 2006 he was awarded a grant from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award.

With such a biography I approached Michael's cd from the might label of Another Timbre with great attention trying to regain my inner feelings to the piano albums I have had over the years which always have been a sort of apple in my eye as for improvised music. The magnitude of effort and energy put into composing process is so dense here that I really don't have words for that.
especially "Fields have ears 4" is a crumbling device of Pisaro's work. My favourite though is "Fields have ears 1" consisiting of thoroughly elaborated piano/tape piece.
...the sensual...the attentive...the perfect.
http://www.anothertimbre.com/

Finglebone Adam Varney "Fulk', "Empty Room", "23"

2010-12-23T10:08:00.000-08:00

I approached Adam's work with no definite pre-conceptions on what I am going to listen and downloading his free 3 albums from Bandcamp I tried to open myself to new possibilities of gettin through a vast terrain of work he has made with so minimal utensils as lo-fi field recordings, electroacoustic guitar and some electronics.
Usually with gentle layers of guitar sound and very little droning we should have some musical wallpaper which doesn't seem to be very interesting but what Mr Finglebone did is just great in terms of getting as much as possible from as little as possible. The guitar is no by any means hazy, it's more subtle and melancholical themes that it's getting all about. Background electronics and field recordings play a distant but yet important role and they never collide or overwhelm the main part. Together with a perfect artwork of Adam's authorship seems a great listen that I had over a week or so.

}e{nigmaplasme & X-naVI:et ‘SLOPE/THE EXPERIENCE OF LOSING CONTROL’

2010-12-14T08:48:00.001-08:00

1. Hammer’s Head
2. Overdrive the Moon
3. No Second Thought to the Mind of the World
4. The Eaten and the Eliminated
5. Make a Solid Butter from the Batter (A Damaged Good)
}e{nigmaplasme aka Jeff Gburek: electric guitar, effects
X-naVI:et aka Rafał Iwański: analog filtermachine, sampler, effects, microphone, zanza
Recorded ‘live in studio’ by Jeff Gburek and Rafał Iwański, Poznań, December 28-31, 2009. Mixed by Jeff Gburek, February-March 2010
www.myspace.com/aenigmaplasme
www.myspace.com/autonicrandiser
www.myspace.com/hatitah

Rafał Iwański and Jeff Gburek - two guys of so diverse past musical experiences that you could divide it into 5 other people with vast background in different styles set up a project which comprises approaches derived from 1990's and 1980's post industrial improvisation and droning memory of other paths. The lo-fi production gives a special spice to this recordings which despite hooking up on ghosts of past still sound amazingly fresh. What makes it is just the way Jeff and Rafał compose the sounds - something which today's music lacks in any kind of dispersed paths - the grounding grind and certain degree of aggressiveness which is an asset really.
Heavy pounding of Jeff's prepared guitar distortion and Rafał's analogue electronics create a perfect soundtrack for a morning juke. good stuff...

Jason Honea "The Greens, Pinks, Whites" The shitty Listener "You start fights", "Crying Sweater"

2010-11-12T13:52:00.001-08:00

Jason Honea's a dad, singer, sayer,teller, artist, teacher,performer and a shitty Listener living in Berlin.Oh, and a Pisces- Norwegian American Catholic too.

His dad was an aviator.
Nice for a start when I tried to approach the persona without listening his music.
Jason's recordings took me by really nice surprise as the great thing about them is they are mucho grande difficult to categorize which is so my kindda thing.
"You start fights" is an intimate sonata based on the lo-fi field recorded session with guitar and vocals with some preparations in the background sounding like a laptop post-punk psychedelia made from ash, glue and mud and jittering of the late night bed bugs. I really enjoyed the pagan carol - first track of haunting melodiousity and nudity of the truth of the foregoer...it's all "Blood in the clock" The twingling noise of "All my wine" was charming and again so surprisingly beautiful idea behind it as to get as much as possible from almost nothing (when it comes to "technology" ) which I loved so dearly when I listened Dublin's Steve Fangan's work... Haunted voice line keeps me on the track with "Sleep in my coat" and along with the last two tracks filled with lo-fi preparations and hossianna mantra chanting...
"Crying Sweater" took me with the subtleness I love and very nice blend of elaborate joint of lo-fi sounds and feedbacks...the ambiency that is way too unpredictable to call it with a withered and worn-out term "ambient"Dreaminess and haziness of feedback with nice guitar - beatless gamelan...
The same trail follows on "The Greens, Pinks, Whites" which is my favourite - really embellished and polished.
Good work Jason, and thanks again for the cds...

Michael Vorfeld new cd on Monotyperecords

2010-11-08T13:50:00.000-08:00

Strangely enough and surprisingly to myself I sometimes make the comparisons of the concept idea for the music of the improvised music scene to noise scene especially when it comes to the techniques of creating the soundscapes and background, the usage of the already exisiting instruments and the ones you can invent for Yourself.
Michael Vorfeld is and accomplished ( may i use this word for still searching and experimenting artist ?) artist with so many residencies and projects held in art centres all around the world with great concept for his music: using lightbulbs, drums and self-made stringed instruments makes a great prelude to what is happening later on: which is a truly great material ranging way outwards of the borders of the typical improvised music. With such experience using these tools in an appriopriate way makes the creative process not an escapism into the flamboyant technical play but sets up a perimeter around your basic idea...pleasure to listen.

monomc001 DAVE PHILLIPS - HUMANIMAL

2010-10-24T10:45:00.001-07:00

Seems that obsolete format of cassettes is taking its reigns back which seems for one thing a bit of a fashion and for another thing is also a fad that brings some money to independent labels in result ( I know I know it is not like this).
Dave Phillips was always to me a man of his word, keeping himself to the limit of his own aesthetics.
Monotapes, a subdivision of Monotype introduces a series of cassettes which bring back the feel of revival and the artists which really fit the obscurity of the cassette. Humananimal with its straightforward message blasts my guts and really puts everything away. What is good is the sound which with Dave's endeavours is always a fit of raw and brutal expression. Keeping things like this at bay is something which is one's failure. Keep to that.

HALBZEIT CS171 Markus Eichenberger Creative Sources Records 2010

2010-10-24T10:27:00.000-07:00

Albums for solo acoustic instruments in terms of improvised music seemed to me always a bit of a challenge for an artist and sometimes both for a listener. Embracing it with the little(?) means as the instrument present solely is a great deal of work to do.
Markus gave me plenty food for thought especially when it comes to the structure and its contents.So deep and rich is this trip, sometimes I feel that there's a clear reference to some alpine folklore he because of his nationality associated with. Swerving between tonality and other he clearly states himself as a mature and inventive improvisor.

Kill Krinkle Club "Abandon" 2010 Toy Ship records TSR 103

2010-10-17T01:37:00.000-07:00

I haven't been updating my blog recently as the time curses swirls all around but the stack of the cds I have been sent to seems to grow huge. And at the same time I have been offered so wide variety of genres to review that I have to re-arrange the idea for this outlet whisch seemed to be only experimental stuff which now is too narrow for me and gives some fresh air too.
There's been a recent flow of materials and projects which were smartly named chill wave which really doesn't have an impact on what I call this music myself. it's really difficult to keep the trail of it, but most importantly as with all the labels and names - it is just to justify yourself with the idea and sombre question: I dunno what the heck should I call it and do about it.
Justin Commins and Elina Bergman as I am told met by chance in one of the Dublin bars which evoked an idea of a musical project. And what a meeting of the minds!
using the idiom of Human League, Soft Cell and 80's pop their ingenious musicality sense emergeed in a sophisticated form where many parts fit together so well. Well...the influences, reflections and recollections.I must say there are plenty: haziness of My Bloody Valentine without the distortion of the guitars, Animal's Collective, Panda Bear, archetypal vocals of 60's power pop, but foremostly them - using synths and sequencers to get the helluva energy from the inside. What I like about this cd is also the arrangements - seems like Elina and Justin have a great musical background and don't want to take shortcuts by any chance - which is a great asset!
Being cut off from typical poppy trash which I am fed up with I always tried to look closely at all these bands which use the term "pop" only as an idiom to convey something deeper. Seems like I have found something which will keep my eyes more open. Thanks!!!

CHSN008 Sensible Nectar "Catholycyst" C60 CHSN006 Mauskopf / Annna C15 CHSN005 Rez Epo / Mauskopf C20

2010-10-03T12:19:00.000-07:00

The setting of the dreams might be a great place to be as well as a shitty one too. Gozlorian summer voyages are bit of embarassement to sensible minds.Here's a weather forecast for that
ssued at 10:15 PM on Sunday the 3rd of October 2010

Flood Warning Number: 1

Up to 100 millimetres of rain has fallen during the past 24 hours to 10 pm
tonight [3/10/2010] and further moderate rainfall is forecast over the next 12
hours. This rain is expected to cause minor flooding at Thora in the early
hours of the morning.

At this stage it is not possible to predict the flood peak because of
uncertainty over how much more rain will fall.

Predicted River Heights/Flows:

Thora - Reach minor flood level (3.0 metres) early tomorrow
morning (4/10/2010)

IDY21000
SECURITE
HIGH SEAS WEATHER WARNING FOR METAREA 10
Issued by the Bureau of Meteorology National Meteorological and Oceanographic
Centre
AT 1816UTC 03 OCTOBER 2010
GALE WARNING FOR SOUTHEASTERN AREA

PLEASE BE AWARE
Wind gusts can be 40 percent stronger than the averages given here, and maximum
waves may be up to twice the height.

Situation
Strengthening northerly flow between a High pressure system in the Tasman Sea
and a cold front moving through the Bight, forecast near 43S140E 50S141E at
041200UTC and 42S145E 50S146E at 041800UTC.

Area Affected
Bounded by 50S141E 45S141E 42S142E 42S151E 48S160E 50S160E 50S141E.

Forecast
Northerly winds 30/40 knots developing from 040300UTC. Winds turning W/SW west
of cold front. Rough to very rough seas developing. Moderate to heavy swell.
Station Name Date/Time
EDT Max Temp
°C Min Temp
°C Terr Min
°C Delta-T
°C Rain to 9 am
mm Evaporation
mm Wind Run
km Sunshine
hours Solar Radiation
MJ/sq m Soil Temperatures °C
5cm 10cm 20cm 50cm 1m
Armidale 03/09:00 12.1 9.1 9.4 0.2 5.4 0.8 - - 2.3 - - - - -
Bathurst 03/09:00 19.5 9.5 8.0 0.1 7.0 2.2 82 - 10.8 - - - - -
Bega 03/09:00 20.9 7.4 - 0.8 0.0 - 213 - 15.5 13.1 13.0 13.4 13.7 13.3
Bourke Ap AWS 03/09:00 23.8 14.2 13.5 0.6 15.4 - 330 - 13.2 16.4 17.1 18.8 20.1 19.9
Burrinjuck Dam 03/09:00 17.8 12.5 - 2.0 0.5 1.3 23 - 6.9 - - - - -
Campbelltown 03/09:00 19.5 12.3 12.5 0.4 15.6 - 34 - 4.5 14.1 14.1 14.2 14.2 14.4
Canberra (23)* 03/09:00 18.2 10.9 9.0 2.4 - 2.6 214 1.9 7.2 12.9 12.3 12.9 13.0 12.9
Cessnock 03/09:00 21.0 13.0 - 1.0 4.4 1.4 21 - 5.3 - - - - -
Cobar (23)* 03/09:00 15.2 10.8 8.8 1.5 - 0.4 144 - 1.0 - 14.0 15.0 17.0 18.0
Coffs Harbour 03/09:00 19.2 15.3 15.5 0.3 - - 0 0.4 6.2 - 18.0 19.0 20.0 20.0
Gosford 03/09:00 19.5 13.1 - 0.1 12.6 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 00 19.5 13.1 - 0.1 12.6 end_of_the_skype_highlighting - - - 5.9 16.0 16.0 16.5 17.2 17.3
Goulburn 03/09:00 18.3 10.0 9.8 1.0 1.0 3.0 130 - 7.9 - - - - -
Grafton RS Stn 03/09:00 19.3 15.5 16.6 0.9 23.4 - 94 - 8.8 17.9 18.0 18.3 18.3 18.8
Griffith AP AWS 03/09:00 22.5 9.3 8.8 2.9 0.0 - 206 - 15.8 13.7 14.3 15.5 16.0 15.8
Gunnedah SCS 03/09:00 18.8 13.0 12.3 0.6 3.4 0.8 135 - 3.8 - 17.0 18.0 18.0 18.0
Hay 03/09:00 23.8 7.4 10.3 2.1 0.0 - 143 - 20.4 11.7 12.1 12.7 12.1 13.0
Hume Reservoir 03/09:00 22.0 11.1 7.2 1.1 0.0 4.0 93 - 18.5 - - - - -
Inverell SCS 03/09:00 - - 4.8 2.8 - 4.4 - 0.1 3.5 - 15.0 15.0 17.0 16.0
Lake Victoria 03/09:00 23.5 11.6 - 2.2 0.0 5.8 171 - 21.2 - - - - -
Moree (23)* 03/09:00 21.8 13.3 11.7 1.5 - 4.2 199 0.4 9.2 16.0 17.0 17.0 19.0 19.0
Mount Seaview 03/09:00 15.4 12.4 12.5 0.1 63.6 0.4 - - 1.5 - - - - -
Mudgee AWS 03/09:00 19.4 11.5 11.4 1.1 7.2 - 190 - 10.8 13.7 13.8 14.1 14.0 14.0
always sounds best with muds and waters up to certain level. I guess would be a good way to avoid certain conditions reading some decent info.

David Wells "Rojo" + "Resolutions"

2010-09-02T09:56:00.001-07:00

Both of these releases were put out by Siri Discs.
It came to me right at the time when I needed such kind of music. David Wells works in the area of soft tone ambient Enoish a little bit but more mellow and organic in form. Should I call it a drone music would be a gross exaggeration as the soft swirl brings only warm memories of surfing, peaceful afternoons and sunsets. It doesn't incorporate any harsh elements and the concept as well as the structure of the composed tracks is yet simple and und straight...definitely time for chiiling out in a great manner.

mono027 FRANZ HAUTZINGER, MASAHIKO OKURA, TETUZI AKIYAMA - REBUSES

2010-08-07T07:56:00.001-07:00

Monotype has been continuously releasing big names which sometimes may seem questionable, as a matter of fact can be a great way of being puzzled. One way it's usually a hoax as in terms of Karkowski who is a big name but hasn't offered anything out-of -his-usual style for years. okay okay, he's good and interesting craftsman, but that's what about it. That's what about it when it comes to profis - they walk the path they worked out - they can embelish it or leave it as it is which is just being lazy.
The other way is defining yourself every single album you prepare...the highway or the my way...
There is also another path which is a blend of ideas and types: in this case - a collaboration

Rebuses are the meeting of the minds.
Something which cannot be sold in an easy-to-go improv label.
Something which is at times bedazzingly challenging to listen as the sound might be disturbing in terms of studio production
Something which leaves you out of space and place impressed by...

mono028 MICHEL DONEDA, OLIVIER TOULEMONDE, NICOLAS DESMARCHELIER - LE TERRIER

2010-08-07T07:28:00.000-07:00

Tracklist:

01 - Galerie 1
02 - Galerie 2
03 - Galerie 3
04 - Galerie 4
05 - Galerie 5
06 - Galerie 6
07 - Galerie 7

Three different musicians with vast background in improvised music - Michel Doneda - sopranino and soprano sax, Olivier Toulemonde - objects; Nicolas Desmarchelier - acuostic guitar, three different approaches to the texture of the sound embraced the sonorous micro drones and micro happenings.
This type of improv stuff describes best subtle roles the players take in this microshow of well-trodden path. Trio handles it carefree and hugely thanks to the grip they never lose listening to each other.
More of this....!!!

The Driftwood Manor "Holy Ghost"Ep by Rusted Rail 2010.

2010-08-04T15:11:00.000-07:00

1. After The Fall
2. Bury Me Alive
3. Gone Devil
4. I Would Lose You Still
5. Mountains Slowly Collapsing
6. The Devil is My Brother
Eddie Keenan - The Driftwood Manor lead man who sings, plays guitars and bouzouki has doe a phenomenal job by artfully crafting this set of songs with a slight touch of appalachian folk and psychdelic background making it sound more austere and gentle at the same time. The timbre of his voice is delivering a woeful mystery. Backed by by Neil Fitzgibbon on fiddle, Anne Marie Hynes on additional vocals, Bean Dolan on double bass and Steve Fanagan on accordion and percussion the story is getting more and more ethereal and un-obvious impervious squeeze of multilayered work assembled at Steve Fangan's home studio.
The texts yet full of thin existential spider's web fit the climax so well. And again Eddie's voice is delivering...
To some extent the material finely packaged in a small stamped envelope is way beyond the labels of folk and avant-pop hugely because of the intimacy you get by listening to it....
Driftwood Manor "Holy Ghost" lyrics...

1. After the Fall

Like moths to a candle flame
Burnt offerings
We are led blindly to the end of all things

Raising a glass
While the silence awaits
Loitering drunk at the cemetery gates

Mourners-in-waiting
Will offer their prayers
After the fall when we are unaware

So order a drink
As the story unfolds
And the memories of love burrow a hole in your soul

Among the deep snows
Where the rocks are revealed
We have tread lightly so that they are revealed

Without causing balance
To give way to pain
Yet knowing the cold earth awaits all the same

Mourners-in-waiting
Will offer their prayers
After the Fall when we are unaware

So order a drink
As the story unfolds
And the memories of love burrow a hole in your soul

2. Bury Me Alive

Won't you bury me alive?
Won't you bury me alive?
Lay a wreath on my grave
Lay a wreath on my grave

Won't you bury me alive?
Won't you bury me alive?
Lay a wreath on my grave
Lay a wreath on my grave

My true lady left me in the waters
Where I swim tonight
Where I swim tonight

My one love, she left me in the waters
Where I swim tonight
Where I swim tonight

3. Gone Devil

There is a sandstorm
that awaits in some words
And a tension in the tragedy
like a flock of dead birds

Yes, I have been often told
that I'm not aware
Of your waves and your motions
and the length of your hair

Gone Devil, gone Devil, gone Devil be gone
Gone Devil, gone Devil, gone Devil be gone

That which was cherished
Was buried in snow
Once again fooled by the Devil you know

Between fire and ice
old regrets reappear
But all that is solid will melt into air
Gone Devil, gone Devil, gone Devil be gone
Gone Devil, gone Devil, gone Devil be gone.

4. I would lose you still

As I wait on spirits
In unearthly hours
A ghost, channelled,
Descends on the room

But no dark ritual
Or ancient power
Can ever prevent its return to the gloom

And I would lose you still

Where your eyes they glistened
On a cold Spring morning
Forever stitched into
the fabric of time

A pagan promise
and a small redemption
Were not enough
to reclaim that as mine

And I would lose you still.

5. Mountains Slowly Collapsing

Listening for that phantom
That always speaks at night

Mountains slowly collapsing
Say, "Old loves never die.

"But time will ease this,
time will ease this again."

This is always as it has been
And will be 'til the end

Mountains slowly collapsing
Like pasts which we defend

But time will ease this,
time will ease this again

Time will ease this,
time will ease this again.

6. The Devil is my Brother

Beyond a row of Sycamores
Childhood ghosts await
And the face trapped in the picture
Seems the solace of our fate

I have known the demons names
I have seen them all
And to toast a drink to darkness
makes it easier to fall

As the sunlight dimmed upon
The streets of Amsterdam
It brought to mind a past life
Let slip weakly from my hands

She said to see me shatter
Was the sight she feared the most
But the Devil is my brother
And she's not the Holy Ghost.

Aabzu "Rambo" by Audiotong

2010-07-30T01:16:00.000-07:00

AABZU - Rambo
[AT CD05.2010]
Tracklist:

1. Mystery Of Life
2. What Would You Die For, John?
3. Heroes Never Die
4. First Blood
5. Things With Molecular Structure
6. Dream Of Freedom
7. Bullets And Bombs (Fly In All Directions As The Indestructible Rambo Works His Way)
8. Scientists vs. Rambo (A Good Supply Of Body Bags)
9. Sum Of Our Sins
10. Many Happy Endings
11. Mystery Of Life (Teho Teardo Remix)
12. First Blood (Kika Mix) feat. Mian Mian

Well, this is what I haven't surely expected, at least on that short notice. Audiotong which is a cultural outlet managed by Marcin Barski in Cracow covers a netlabel, a regular record publishing site, cultural events organiser deals with a variety of moods, styles, types and genres - free improv, noise, "laptop" music and many more.
To put out such material is really challenging, not only for a publisher which is a stance of balancing idm/post techno course with wider manner of experimentalism which this recordings deals with - which on one hand is difficult as it doesn't fit entertaing beat sounds drawer. And challenging for a listener - as this is a real eye-opener for capturing wider perspective of so called idm music which I hate to use here.
Łukasz Szałankiewicz a.k.a Zenial and Maciej Szymczuk are two guys who come from different but not completely different backgrounds. Zenial started in late 1990's with his demo scene project Pal Secam introducing a wide array of beat related sounds then evolving into the direction of self-didact conceptual sound design and sound art blending noise/drone/conceptual approach. Maciek is a guy whose amiable and elegant foreground of post techno stuff gives a background for further experimenting with sounds.
"Rambo" released after quite a while (first album was released by joined forces of Vivo and now defunct Simlog label) brings back the moods and climaxes of the genre they worked out for themselves whcih is a post techno experimentalism. Reminds me of Sutekh cramped with more experimental approach, add free form, add real joy, add corporal body movement inferiorating the listener, add art, add take-it-easy approach mingled with clear sense of structure and direction...Maturity of attaing the goals that's what most of the musicians dream of. Accomplished!

Richard Francis "Together alone together apart"

2010-07-21T04:09:00.000-07:00

The noise resistant structure of New Zealand's Richard Francis work seems extremely independent from the flashiness of the techniques, lo-fi's or hi-fi's or whatever it takes to produce the music, giving it the shape by elaborate sound strategies.
Richard gave plenty of attention to intimacy and elusiveness of the ambient which surrounds us everywhere.
Layers of bursts and squizzz form a structure of deep focus which is an extraordinaire soundtrack for chill and setting yourself deep into thoughts.

[TR021] ROCK'N'ROLL SQUIRRELS - "Woman Power" CD-R (2007)

2010-07-17T13:43:00.000-07:00

angry and brutal lesbian power electronics from Karelia gives an outlet to see how is the scene of such music going in these parts.
Fortunately they've mmanaged to avoid the typical traps of lesbian groups which came out of punk - there is plenty of energy which is fresh in here...much of a rock'arolla origin and punk shit.
no more
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^###########################################################################%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

[TR041] MAAAA - "Burning Kukkovka's Cock" MC (2008)

2010-07-17T13:37:00.001-07:00

Actionist response:
squeamish boiling and sizzling howls of dog, feminine and brushed all with no soft
wooden clasps with yakety yak haphazardness
racket of abandoned building wiping plumbing system
encumbrance
folie
illegitimate enterprise
walk beyond the...

[TR042] ALISA-YHTYE CD-R (2009)

2010-07-17T13:26:00.000-07:00

now we're talking... Here's an old school industrial analogue noise from St Petersburg, Russia is full throttle.
I was always wondering how the medium will survive to live up more "modern" means and techniques, but still it's alive and kicking.
The band plays since 1997 generating old school sounds with dark background of cynical frenzy: squeaks and bleeps of whimsical hysteria. Metallic feel to it. DIY ethos spat some really precious gems.

"Our faceless empires" Manuel Mota Ernesto Rodrigues Ernesto Sturm Diaz Infante Gion Robair by Pax Recordings

2010-07-14T03:00:00.000-07:00

I haven't heard any recording with Ernesto Sturm Diaz Infante since a few years what made me welcome the cd with great pleasure. Aan in addition there's a fine line up of Manuel Mota (electric guitar), Gino Robair ( energized surfaces/voltage made audible) and Ernesto Rodrigues (viola) which is great.
It's a document of two different passages in improvised music - both represneted by european and american artists which certainly have different styles but complement each other greatly.
I guess with all the collaborations and mostly with collaborations of 3 or more people at the same time here's a need for certain type of composition and logic in it which this recording bears. As with all the Creative Sources recordings we have plenty of action: sudden twists, sizzling sonorous explorations and more free-improv style which is Sturm Diaz Infante's style - a string metal machine mechanics - style that cannot be mistaken.
There's a certain influence of concrete music what is great add - the structure is very delicate and abstract and concrete sounds are always a sort a danger in such context - might be too strong and harsh - an oxymoron.
The pieces are sure shot to enjoy - they are not too exaggerated, and most of all there's plenty of subtleness and delicacy which for me is the greatest asset - communication between musicians is just bloming. More from Pax recordings!!!

CHRIS ABRAHAMS "Play scar" by Room 40

2010-07-09T02:05:00.000-07:00

1 THERE HE RECLINED
2 FLY THEM
3 TWIG BLOWN
4 THE SAME TIME
5 RUNNING OUT
6 BIRD AND WASPS
7 JELLYCROWN
8 LEIDEN
PRODUCED BY CHRIS ABRAHAMS
MASTERED BY LAWRENCE ENGLISH
PHOTOGRAPHY TIM WILLIAMS

www.room40.org/releases-rm437.shtml
http://www.thenecks.com/

Chris Abrahams a wizz dude from australian "jazz" band The Necks has produced an elaborate and un-charted piece which I can profoundly say has whirled my mind as hell. It contains so many juxtaposing elements that I am really surprised how all this can be one without any fragment of distorting and colliding phases.
Call it electro- acoustic piano and I will kick your ass.
Chris has really put a helluva work in this which is a praise to his organising and composing genius. It's like a continent of sound with organ introduction reminding me of Michael Mann "the Heat" soundtrack piece bursting out next into frenzy microacoustic/ laptop burst out/ afternoon tea soundtrack/ prepared piano stuff which makes again this stuff way beyond my expectations - reaching outer limits of music. More More More!!!!!

CHSN004 Rez Epo / Annna "Gozlor Gozlor" C20 + CHSN003 Rez Epo / Dustin Ransom "Ground" + CHSN007 Sleep Sessions / Rez Epo "Sudden Momentary ...

2010-06-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

CHSN007 Sleep Sessions / Rez Epo "Sudden Momentary Episodes of Being Pulled into an Unconscious State" C10

CHSN004 Rez Epo / Annna "Gozlor Gozlor" C20

CHSN003 Rez Epo / Dustin Ransom "Ground"

wow, what a swirl of releases and so much varied ones...!!!
CHSN003 Rez Epo's style changed a lot from the first release I remeber which was a harsh ones lo fi screez. Konrad changed his way a great deal by switching to non-input wizardry which embodied in his example shows that how much can be done without too much gear. DIY guerilla mingled with echoing of the mixer is a new way that should work out even further..go daddyo!
Dustin Ransom shows a dark ambient gem down here, really nicely put with Epo's stuff. And again it is something that wasn't the stuff he played before.

"Gozlor Gozlor" seems a very abstract piece to me - layers of white noise like a blind's man attack on the UFO spacecraft out in the woods of nonsense explodes with points of friction and agression. I have been watching Annna since quite a while and he makes quite astir in what he does. ...all the same he does great graphic work too, which is cool.
and the last but not the least Sleep Sessions with Epo makes a great deal of psychodelic hauntology/ It reminds me of////hypnagogies via SW radio waves eruptions of"""""''''""" and ><><><><><><><><><><><><> as //??// as /?/####&&&&&&&......................................................................................................

Mirt "Handmade Man" catsun 2

2010-06-11T07:05:00.000-07:00

http://catsun.monotyperecords.com/cat2.html

Tracklist:
Homunculus 1 | Homunculus 2 | Hand Made Man | Homunculus 3 | Glass Mother | Frogs Music Number 1 | Burnt Words of Moai | Right Hand Without Fingers

Mirt has been active for quite a while with his solo and Brasil and the Gallows brothers team. It was always quite tempting to categorize his stuff into the shabby aesthetics of post rock or dark ambient stuff but to me it is more of a courage to play such music as he does.
Very much individualistic I would say...derived from singer songwriter ethos all the tracks have a touch of gentle mannerism which isn't a flaw at all but makes it more orginal as a whole.
It is also a concept album which avoided the typicality of such...and what a subject, which wasn't that obvious for the circle of interest typical for such music. An evergrowing problem of control and safety in a society and culture we live in...seeking refugee in inner sanctum away from human stupidity.
Tomek gave a very special flava to the music he makes which are more of a songs than tracks/sequences of drone/ambient/field recordings - there's plenty of analogue synth wizardry and vocal as well as plain guitar sounds...pleasure to listen to and pleasure to grab the cover art too - check out the special edition inna wooden box with piezo which You can plug into Your mixer or effect loop...play and meditate!

Mark O’Leary “4 Urban landscapes” Creative Sources Records 162

2010-05-31T12:21:00.000-07:00

Tracklist:
1. Shandon
2. Echo
3. Panaramic
4. The Stone Cutter
O’Leary residing in Cork City of Eire presents a report of documented environmental audio connected with his own city. His snap remark on the absence of listening to the urban sounds in our modern city culture reflects how much is lost in the daily life without conscious choices and awareness of what’s out there in the audiosphere.
Mark gives an outlay of field recorded induced ambience that’s foremostly a pleasure to listen to. Whimsical and unforeseeable and unpredictable as the city life itself.

Arszyn / Duda ŚĘ

2010-05-23T05:05:00.000-07:00

Arszyn /Duda Lado ABC 2010

Both Krzysztof Topolski a.k.a. Arszyn and Tomasz Duda have quite established musical background in terms of different fields of the subject.
Duda is a graduate of State Primary School od Music in Dębica, the state Secondary School of Music in Rzeszów and Academy of Music in Cracow where he studied saxophone. Worked with such people as Bruno Chevillon, marek Chołoniewski, Tadeusz Sudnik, the legendary artist connected with Polish Radio Experimental Music Studio, Frederic Blondy, Tomasz Stańko, Rafał Mazur, Michał GÓrczyński, Ireneusz Socha, Tworzywo Sztuczne, Bassisters Orchestra, m.bunio.s, Fisz, Raphael Rogiński, Paweł Szambuski, Patryk Zakrocki, Kasia Nosowska, Smolik, Tomasz Gwinciński and Krzysztof Knittel. He is also a steady member of Baaba, Pink Freud, Saksofort, Mitch and Mitch, Tołhaje, Ania Dąbrowska band, Kasia Nosowska accompanying band.
Arszyn works rather in the field of electronics and electroacustic music, drummer, sound and media artists. Therefore his field of exploration is progressive percussive music, electronics and electroacoustic, free improvised music and even rock music. Works with sound installations. He is also a member of Polish Society for Electroacoustic Music.
Their mutual work reflects the effort they put in developing their career. Loads of free impro passages where themes change as the weather. Set in the acoustic environment with no apparent reason to change anything – recorded as it is gives a plentiful remainders to intuitive and spontaneous grain of sound and exploration. Arszyn’s percussion roams free and gives a very steady basis to Duda’s impro. There’s something rocky about it as the energy boils at times and the verses hold a chorusy accents to it.
http://www.ladoabc.com/
http://www.myspace.com/arszynduda

Vinter | cs158

2010-05-23T05:00:00.000-07:00

Creative Sources 158 Martin Kuechen Ernesto Rodrigues Guilherme Rodrigues Carlos Santos “Vinter”

#1 mörkertid
#2 kyla
#3 barmark

Martin Küchen - alto saxophone
Ernesto Rodrigues - viola
Guilherme Rodrigues - cello
Carlos Santos - electronics

I always wonder what should I do with yet another cd from such prominent artists as the ones that appear on this cd? Should I give it a shallow praise just because of their status or merely to the extent of their possibilities as musicians.

Well believe it or not I always try to get as much as it’s possible from the material given.

With “Vinter” there’s something I cannot put out in a way that I would be satisfied with – what I mean there’s certain degree of passion in their play which is far away from intellectual debris I have to go through when reviewing such cds. Passion and emotions which isn’t borrowed from anybody. Scraps bits and pieces of Rodrigues family sound mingled with yearn and pain of Kuechen’s alto give a foreground to Santos abstract percussive electronics.

Is there anything new in it? And what is the direction that this kind of music goes to – I guess it is just a matter of choosing your own path in accordance with intuitive, emotional shape that you give to what you create.

.next | cs175

2010-04-24T04:10:00.000-07:00

#1 - #5 [1.00, 1.01, 1.02, 1.03, 1.04]
#6 [thinner]
#7 [@_]
#8 [ffffffffffffff++]

Jeff Carey - laptop
Robert van Heumen - laptop
Bas van Koolwijk - laptop (visuals)
Recorded at STEIM in 2008 a trio of "laptop" ( I don't like catgorizing this way) musicians gives a rich and eclectic overview of how music generated via laptops can be. Assembled with van Koolwijk visuals is a viable and flashy base for sonic explorations which don't seem boring at all as in many cases of improvised laptop music can be. The tracks are nicely put into the form of more and less dynamic passages. I like its quivering and rustling bit which is harsh in a nice way. Steady way of work, I like it a lot...

Phantom Dog Beneath the Moon "The Trees, The Sea in a Lunar Stream" Rusted Rail records 2010 RR22

2010-04-23T07:39:00.000-07:00

Phantom Dog is an Irish duo - Aaron Hurley and Scott McLaughlin which is usually labelled as avant-folk/shoegaze/indie rock.
"The Trees, The Sea in a Lunar Stream" is actually their first album - a debut following by "In a Light" as Snowmachine released on Deserted Village and a 3" EP "Through a forest only" under current alias.
Vocals, guitars, piano, cello, glockenspiel, bass guitar, melodica, double bass, harpsichord, vibraphone and a slight touch of electronics make their way to the point where singer/songwriter etiquette loses with psychedelia and fragile sphere of inner journey.
There is a great deal of poetry in this which isn't suppresive by any means and has enough power to become more than a music wallpaper which is a usual fact in case of songs of this type.
Two gentlemen refer to Nick Drake's archetype in their own manner and style - very much retro and gets everything what is good from that.
Time to chill out...

Franz Fjödor "Exhibition", "Glorious Days" - Vatican Analog

2010-04-23T07:07:00.000-07:00

Wouter Jaspers working under the moniker Franz Fjodor as well as Preliminary Saturation (with Staplefahrer Steffan de Turck) has been into experimental music for a few years. Young might he be but the level of advancement in his musical endeavours is really high which for such young musician sets up a really nice impression. Yet you can feel a great deal of determination joined by his own way of expression.
His last two albums have a year gap in between - a time good for reconciliating Your experiences and working out individual formula of the style.
Wouter revolves in the field of drone music mingled with rich and creamy field recordings and utility of electroacuostic means. I have a deep feeling that what gives this kind of music a sort of freshness is the way he combines sound in a far off from academical style way. He himself derives his music from non-typical dark ambient folk chasm a very auto-didact one, bedroom made but in a hi-fi style.
What else gives me a clue to Wouter's music is the journey - which he, quite literally travels all the time and metaphorically transposes it into his work. The destination is way unknown which isn't a flaw at all, quite opposite...
http://wouterjaspers.nl/

sopstock | cs169

2010-03-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

Isa Wiss - voice
Marc Unternährer - tuba

http://www.isawiss.ch/

http://www.munter.li/
Refreshing idiom that Isa Wiss, a Swiss artist, gives to this duo is a matter of her versatilty as a voice artist which work ranges from electro pop, jazz, big band and fully improvised music. Given this information as well as an interesting array of surreal texts that Isa writes together with this makes her picture way interesting beyond the typical image of avant artist. Mostly because her indiviual style and tactics.
as for Marc we read in his bio:

Marc Unternährer (*1975) lives and works in Luzern, Switzerland.

Classical studies at the Musikhochschule Luzern, Fak. I, performance master degree in 2000.

Worked in different orchestras around Switzerland, but mostly doing modern composed music in various ensembles and as a soloist. First performances of music written for him by Urs Peter Schneider, Kit Powell, Jeff Kowalkowski, Amnon Wolman and others.

As a musician and performer part of three theatre pieces by Ruedi Häusermann at the Basel Schauspielhaus, one about the life and Art Brut of Adolf Wölfli, one about German comedian Karl Valentin, and one in 2009 in Stuttgart. Furthermore at the Schauspielhaus Zurich (with Christoph Marthaler), and various other productions.

Music for the film "Gartentor, Kulturminister" by Andrea Leila Kühni, 2007.

Bands he currently plays in include the Chicago – Luzern Exchange (CD “Several Lights” on Delmark), Albin Brun’s Alpin Quintett (CD out on Altrisuoni Records), Pipelines (with Hans Kennel and John Wolf Brennan, out on LEO Records, new CD “Live at the KKL Luzern” on Creative Works), Mytha (the Contemporary Alphorn Quartet, CD on TCB-Records), Bucher/Glauser/Unternährer (drums, electronics, tuba, on Brainhall-Records) and the NAH Trio with Albin Brun on Schwyzerörgeli and Andy Aegerter on drums.

2002, Marc Unternährer spent five months in Chicago in the Artists Studio, provided by the Sister Cities Luzern-Chicago, where he met and played with many musicians from the local improvising music scene (Jeb Bishop, Fred Lonberg-Holm, Guillermo Gregorio, Keefe Jackson, Josh Berman, Frank Rosaly, Ensemble Noamnesia, Gene Coleman and many others). Since then he likes to visit Chicago as often as possible.

Also played with Marco Käppeli, Fredy Studer, Rob Mazurek, Peter Schärli, Beat Unternährer, Barry Guy, Cristin Wildbolz, Hans Hassler, Andreas Glauser, Christian Bucher, Markus Lauterburg, Swiss Improvisors Orchestra, Andres Bosshard and many others.

Member of the Forum Neue Musik Luzern and Co-Founder of the concert series “The Luzern-Chicago Connection”. Co-Founder of the Mullbau, a room for experimental arts. Artistic direction for the Bergtöne CD label.

Teaches Introduction to Free Improvisation, Concept Pieces and Graphical Notations at the Musikhochschule Luzern.
the cd itself is a nice piece of free improvised stuff with outbreaks of ingenious energy bursts. Refreshing that is basically the word for it.

Chefkirk & Ironing "Notorious" hymn 29

2010-01-26T06:06:00.000-08:00

Track List
1. Notorious
2. American Scene
3. Skin Trade
4. A matter of feeling
5. Hold me
6. Vertigo (Do the demolition)
7. So Misled
8. Meet El Presidente
9. Winter Marches on
10. Proposition

Chefkirk - no-input mixer + sampler
Ironing - microcassette transcriber, handheld microcassette player, record player
Recorded June 2008, New Orleans, LA
No Duran Duran records were injured in the making of this recording

http://www.myspace.com/hymnslabel
Roger Smith a.k.a. Roger H. Smith and Ironing a.k.a. Andrew Chadwick have put a delightful, minimal feast to my ears owing to the fact that thye mastered the use of limitations to the full. What might be a deceiful means which is overused within the conceptual genre here is a conscious choice of weapon which proves to be a nuclear blast.
Chefkirk gives a radiating and resonating ambience of no-input whizz in a way that it isn't overloaded with distortion, just gives what it should.
Ironing delivers a set of micro-tonal outburst which has a multi dimensional feel to it.
Overall view has a very positive output - rich, nicely flavoured dish with surprises. Yummy!!!! My notorious kindda stuff...

V.A. Bigbendui 2009 http://www.nkmc.lt

2010-01-17T13:55:00.000-08:00

1.		Zita Bružaitė. Hacker's Dance 8'16
2.		Antanas Kučinskas. Looped & Unlooped 5'25
3.		Antanas Jasenka. bb machine 4
4.		Gintaras Sodeika. Safety Curtain 3'11
5.		Arturas Bumšteinas. Esperantosound 5'24
6.		Ignas Krunglevičius. Elections 4'54
7.		Ramūnas Motiekaitis. Seen and Unseen 5'57
8.		Loreta Narvilaitė. A Night when Petals are Washed out by Rain 4'07
9.		Linas Rimša. Enjoying Christmas'99 5'09

Record company: New Music Communication Centre
Year of publication: 2009
Media: CD
Duration: 46'23

I recently acquired this cd from a friend of mine Arturas Bumsteinas.
The list of musicians

Bružaitė, Kučinskas, Jasenka, Sodeika, Bumšteinas, Krunglevičius, Motiekaitis, Narvilaitė, Rimša

seemed interesting.

From the start I had a notion that it is a side track of them especially that the reason for this compilation is a big band music.

This reference is a nice idea of doing something with lithuanian academical musicians. When it comes to the compositions it seems that the traditional arrangements here are just are foreground to subtle experimentation with the structure and palette of tones.

The most interesting track to me was one of Antanas Jasenka and Arturas.Their experience proved to be useful when it comes to arrangements and making the tracks both interesting and having a clearer sense of musical pursuit.

It is a really nice one example of how the musical scene in Lithuania evolves and develops its roots. It is not a landmark of musical genius but a very good guide to what is going on there...good stuff.

int035 nmperign “Ommatidia” CD

2009-12-15T01:12:00.000-08:00

Nmperign are so well respected in the world of improvised music that no one can actually deny their status of one of the Maine's finest ( Greg) and New Orleans' finest (Bhob).
A decade after their debut they prolong their vision of a breathworking machine that works perfectly. A good introduction for somebody who hasn't listened to their stuff yet.
Inventive and splattered as always their music is a real deal case when it comes to absurd sense of humour which for me is a nice stuff - it never gets to the point where most academics get which is being so overwhelmingly serious and dense that it becomes boring and utterly said useless. Witty and sparkling ...
what is new fact here is that Bhob and Greg have recorded this album totally without any extra collaborators which became sort of a tradition with their previous albums, be it Jason Lescaleet, Guenther Mueller, Axel Doerner, Andrea Neumann, Burkhard Beins. And also the production is different as they usually recorded their stuff onto a portable means such as dictaphone recorder or MD.
It gives a sort of fresh feel to it - like an opening of a window on a sunny summer morning...Warm refreshing, cool and vibrant, that what I really need on a freezing and gloomy Tuesday morning like this.

Nojsens "Transmisja"

2009-12-14T12:10:00.000-08:00

Dawid Chrapla - guy who melted metallic industrial noise blend into one with highly acclaimed bruitist Tomasz Twardawa ( Genetic Transmission ) and Rafał Sądej (Moan) as Hated Bruit Collective presents his solo work here.
There are plenty of traits here which are paths to understand this material - post industrial bruitism, noise and heavy duty ambience.
To me album remains one of the sore points on the post indutrial and power electronics purists' asses. Clad in powerful synthesis Dave takes care of keeping a very good scenario of each of his tracks which are not too long and right as they should be.
There is a great deal of sophisticated arrangements going on here and the tracks are not a mere improvisation, actually far from it which gives a good boost to concentrated fields of energy and detail.
good work, keep on//////

mono026 CREMASTER - NORANTA GRAUS A L'ESQUERRA

2009-12-14T01:03:00.000-08:00

Ferran Fages and Alfredo Costa Monteiro grabbed my attention many years ago as I was promptly encouraged by Creative Sources boss Ernesto. Both of the guys have a great deal of experience in improvised music and composition of experimental tracks. Apart from his usual means Ferran and Alfredo use different set - objects on guitar and no-input mixer feedback. And yet the consequences of such set-up are amazingly surprising. It is an electroacustic set which gives plenty of boost on noisy genres steering away from the shabby clichees of noise and drone music. On one hand it is the sound, on the other hand these are the skills of the musicians which utilize the motto: less is more. The effect is really amazing.

Robert Piotrowicz - Rurokura and Eastern European Folk Music Research Volume 2 7 "

2009-11-19T10:56:00.002-08:00

Track List
Side: Wedding
1. Greek Catholic Stork Boy Choir of Ozerki Village ( Soldiers' Meeting Autumn 1967)
2. Mołomotki Ocarina Orchestra ( Open Air Show, Spring 1928)

Side: Funeral
1. School Girl Band of Gromovaya Balka ( Perfromed on 10th Anniversary of Emil Cioran )
all instruments by Robert Piotrowicz
drawing: Anna Zaradny
design of label: Michał Kopaniszyn
Design of cover: Lasse Marhaug

I guess it is a sheer waste of time to bring out how well experienced and imaginative musician Robert Piotrowicz is, which is of course a fact out of the question.
What struck me at first was that Robert gives a really interesting outlet as a composer which to me is a novelty bearing in mind that most of the works I know of him are improvised pieces.
Next thing is that the whole music that this 7" contains very smoothly moves out of easy classification as plunderphonic or tape music which felt this way at first.
Robert's composing technique falls into "individual" file and it is not mere exaggeration to say that this is a great advantage here.
The source material used here are the recordings of the past - folk music, sometimes field recorded somehow makes a perfect blend with composition which in this case isn't modular synth based - Robert's speciality.
Flexible and tense underneath as well as of certain depth which I like when it comes to cross - contextualized works based on lost world music.
more?
perfect cover for perfect music which reminds me rather of cheap marriage invitation leaflet rather than usual grubby vinyl cover.
Wedding and Funeral as a buckle keeping together two parts of the same story. Reference to what makes life and finishes life. A piece defintely worth to be remembered.
Distributed by
RRR http://www.rrrecords.com
Metamkine http://www.metamkine.com/

http://bocianrecords.com/

AKIRA KOSEMURA - POLAROID PIANO by SOMEONE GOOD RMSG007 -- 843041045179

2009-11-19T10:35:00.000-08:00

Edwin Land's Polaroid film was and still is the hazy and vague means of transposing ethereal mood of things and memories that we set in the photos. The snappy idea of a picture taken and in a second being developed instantly makes me think of a field recordings made in mind, sound-visual pictures of a memories lost in the space of our mind. A soft focus of Polaroid is a great way of getting it more like real - vague and lost in a randomness of how we perceive things from our past.

...and here comes Akira's work - Polaroid postcards of places and times in the inner side of the of the inner sanctuary each of us has. Simple - piano and acoustic guitar based "pop" songs of a Cat Stevens/Nick Drake archetype, yet ao far from them. Touching, sweet, warm bringing happy memories of a childhood stargazing...

Marina Rosenfeld - PLASTIC MATERIALS ROOM40 CAT# FORMAT RM430 CD/DIGITAL

2009-11-19T10:30:00.000-08:00

A very intensive journey over the last 10 years which Marina Rosenfeld has brought her to a very serious point in Room 40 catalogue.

Comprised of free improvised pices of piano and electronics and spoken word, soulike vocals Plastic Materials is so dense built over a few themes gives a food for thought and plenty of energy in dicovering new pieces on and on and on...

Yet, the structure of the Marina's work is nicely built over her improvisations. It doesn't give you the feel the usual sonorous improvisations have: which is tormented block of tones and sounds...with feminine intuition she guides a listener to a static points which are broken by haunted soul/r'n'b vocals which by first glance should sound very poor which is not the case. They are just the points of friction.

LIGHT IN AUGUST, LATER by SOMEONE GOOD RMSG008 – 843041045162

2009-11-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

Yasuhiko Fukuzono is a Tokyo based musician and composer which focuses on the electronically infused ambient pop music.
Light in August album comprises best influences such as Eno's soundscapes, post-glitch ambience which is nicely packaged in a series of composition which are sweet in tone and colour. Set in a flower-like tapestry of the summer swirl gives you plenty of pleasure in listening and what is good asset of this music it makes you feel touching elaborate work without being set to do too much intelectual effort. To some extent it is also a very "japanese" ( sorry for such generalization) album - infiltrated with various inspirations which cannot go amiss...
great relaxing work.

Jeff Gburek / Remote Provinces by Aural Terrains

2009-10-25T10:25:00.000-07:00

Jeff Gburek - man of the hour as for very varied collaborations and artistic pursuits.
Multi disciplinarian, relocates quite often which gives his records a really fresh and deep feel of exploring different spectres and angles of sound phenomena. His means are usually prepared guitar techniques, signal processing, open source applications as well as turntables and computer generated sounds.
You might easily classify this records as field recorded sounding ambient but the great advantage is that it doesn't fall into cheap and easy classification.
Jeff's musical background gave him a really interesting feel to what he does. Be it Keith Rowe, Tetuzi Akiyama, Michael Vorfeld, Pascal Battus, Annette Krebs, Raven Chacon, Tom Carter, Yannick Franck or Olivier Pe - all these musicians and working with them contributed greatly to how he composes his tracks.
...Space in the spaces...I deeply feel that such droney/field recorded outlet as here brings me back to all these feelings I get when I try to open myself to certain place together with the context of my life's experience. It is a really intimate experience. Thanks for that Jeff

Pauline Oliveros - Ghostdance

2009-10-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

Tracklist
1 Procession/Peregrinacion 10:35
2 Greetings/Saludos 2:03
3 Ghosting/Relaciones 2:25
4 Fragments/Fragmentos 4:14
5 In The House Of My Families/En Las Casas De Mis Families 0:59
6 Reverberations/Reverberaciones 3:43
7 Duet/Dueto 3:19
8 Body Stories/Historias Del Cuerpo 3:00
9 Monkey/Chango 2:52
10 Wolf/Loba 5:06
11 Private Journies/Viajes Privados 3:31
12 River Of Folk Dance/Rios Folkloricos 2:36
13 The Last Time/Ultima Vez 7:28
Credits
Accordion, Computer [Eis] - Pauline Oliveros
Djembe, Computer [Eis], Engineer [Sound] - David Gamper
Other [Liner Notes] - Paula Josa Jones , Pauline Oliveros
Photography - Pam White
Voice, Computer [Eis] - Julie Lyon Rose
A bi-national, site-specific music and dance collaboration between Mexico and the United States under the joint direction of choreographer Paula Josa-Jones and composer Pauline Oliveros, commissioned by Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors and the US/Mexico Fund for Culture.
Paula Josa-Jones makes dances about nothing less than death and life. Her works delve deep into the psyche, from which suppressed images emerge with primal force into the collective consciousness when summoned by the choreographer's evocative mix of props, text, music, and movement. Each piece springs from a collaboration among composer, filmmaker (frequently), lighting designer, writer, and the six members of her company, whom she encourages to improvise in rehearsal before shaping their responses into a finished performance.

"I come from the world of the theater," Josa-Jones says. "Theater is my passion. I love all the theatrical tools. I'm extremely visual. I see everything . . . I love to realize things in a literal way. Objects, costumes, and props are part of the soul of the work, not just ornamentation. They are soulful to me and, hopefully, the audience."

Her company, Paula Josa-Jones/Performance Works, was incorporated in Boston in 1985, but the choreographer and her troupe have traveled the globe in a search for universal cultural expression. Her 1997 schedule includes a preliminary trip to Russia, where she is launching a three-year project; a return to Mexico to present Luz y Hueso ("Light and Bone"), a duet for Josa-Jones and Tonya Lockyer, a longtime member of the troupe; and teaching and performing residencies at Bates Summer Festival, Skidmore College, and Kohler Arts Center in Wisconsin.

The soundtrack comprises many elements of the processed drone music of Pauline Oliveros with an soundtrack approach to composition.

Dawid Szczęsny "Lukated Symmetry" 2008 Porter Records

2009-09-22T13:22:00.000-07:00

Dawid Szczęsny is a young fella whose records were known to me via Monotype which released two albums with his appearance. I remember his solo stuff as a laptopscapic stuff with strong influences of Christian Fennesz which was nice actually bearing in mind fact that Dawid was quite a freshman. Talking to him in Warsaw Centre of Contemporary Art made me think of different person and artist - dwelving deeper to the roots of music especially jazz...well I reckoned that it is a kind of clichee but still at the same time didn't want to make any preassumptions to underestiamte his stuff. And today I got this beautifuly packaged cd and fell for it completely.
The resonance of his influnces and the development as an artist is undoubtely apparent. Vibrant of percussive samples and turntablistic feel to it give a sort of blend you automatically join with downtempo or Ninja Tune stylistics - yet Dawid gives it only a skeleton which is a background to not really clichee groovy material. It resonates with more pensive soundscape and gives a great outlet for fresh ideas which Dawid chose to create it.

Nmperign + Dörner, Beins (2000, originally released on Twisted Village as a vinyl LP)

2009-09-20T00:21:00.001-07:00

Nmperign in a full throttle with two improvised music legends.
This album is a great example of how interdisciplianary and multi-faceted these musicans are.
This is no mere craftsmanship and virtuoso boasting which can become pretty boring and to some extent is really a sore point with the "legendary" artists' albums.
So much good energy was being put into this material so much that we can hear it coming every single second of their entaglement in the process of playing...
Great stuff!!!

Bhob Rainey Two Bites of a Bitter Sweet (2006, originally released on Evolving Ear as a 7" vinyl single)

2009-09-20T00:07:00.000-07:00

Different face of Bhob...
He utilizes some other tools to create...well...I'd tend to call this a radio programme with a clear set of tonal pursuits that lead to a piece of great variability and sound experience.
Field recorded and modulated samples remind me of well-structured musique concrete tracks which this album is indeed. I don't recognize much of a sax which Bhob uses as his main instrument- all here is dip into the ever evolving harmony of sound narration - dense and unified, letting itself to be and happen but under certain conditions - point by point leading to the place where everything dissolves.
The introvertive trip to how we can feel walking down the streets and see things, hear them, touch them almost...
Bhob makes it in a very down-to-the point manner. There are no disfunctional excerpts- all of them play their role beautifully focusing on the output they generate as a whole - which again is an asset of Rainey as a musician and composer.

Bhob Rainey - "A flickering bid" (2008, originally released on Compost and Height as a split 3" with Ferran Fages)

2009-09-19T23:48:00.000-07:00

Another outburst from Bhob Rainey.Released together with portuguese improviser Ferran Fages in 2008 on a nice 3" cdr.
Flickering bid makes its way as a great soundtrack for those moments when we feel like having a bit of intimate space for ourselves.
Toned down and tranquil compositions of soprano sax soundscapes, full of gentility and almost noir feel to it...and I don't mean the clichee stuff. This is a real deal - rare and unique in its kind.
I always felt that free-improvisation scene sometimes tends to go into the direction that the musicians don't feel like doing - yet they do so. Bhob operates with the improvisation idiom well over the edgy borders of mannerism and being schematical which is a great asset to his intuitive and emotional piece of work.

Bhob Rainey - "6 Standing desert" Fringes Recordings 2000

2009-09-19T23:31:00.000-07:00

I still remind myself the beautiful evening in a small yet very active club in Dublin called Lazybird where Bhob and Greg Kelly joined forces together as nmperign and played marvellous acoustic concert. What struck me was the intimacy and the adequateness of their play.
"6 standing desert" is a solo piece by Bhob originally released as a split with Kevin Drumm by Fringes recordings - now available as downloadable re-issue.
Tracks that Bhob presents here on his favourite soprano sax contain a certain amount of space that can be merely acquainted by acoustic instruments' use which is great. Buzzes, sonorous hisses and yet some tonal introduction build a tense scenario of a deeper kind. Improvised? well I gues yes, but...all trakcs seem rather a guided improvisation which leads to a composition. The structure and its elements play the key role in maintaining the separate tones into one piece.
Listening it in the morning as I have done just now gave me a really nice start for the day - transposing mind into bloom of your imagination- into the garden of sound delights...

HERBSTROST ( CD ) deserted factory / the tourette tapes

2009-09-11T01:47:00.000-07:00

http://www.flutwacht.de/

Fluchtwacht is a very active german project revolving in noise/power electronics/dark ambient circle.
This material was co-released by Deserted Factory which itself is a good recommendation. As for the music itself - a blend of different styles tastes nice. Ambience is a secondary issue here - treated more as an intro to very rhythmic noisy power electronics. As for rhythm I can claim that this might make the whole album a little bit monotonous, but at the same time it doesn't make it too hard over the line. Lo-fi sound makes the whole thing more convincing

ECHRAN - Echran Ebria / Smallvoices

2009-09-11T01:02:00.000-07:00

6 songs
43:20 minutes
***** **
Ebria / Smallvoices

http://www.echran.net/
http://www.myspace.com/echran

The situation when two people make a project is always a scene of a clash of two different personalities making a blend that is unique and involving. Echran - Fabio Volpi - vocals+visuals+programming and Davide del Col - synth+programming accursio graffeo - visuals+synth live make a truly interesting experimental duo with nice musical offer. A drone installation piece is not devoted of some musicality which is a rule with all italian artist I guess which at the same time isn't a flaw. Mingled with spoken-word makes a nice intimate atmosphere.

Pauline Oliveros "Lion's Eye/Lion's Tale" Deep Listening 2006

2009-09-02T08:09:00.001-07:00

release info:
Pauline Oliveros
Lion's Eye/Lion's Tale

Lion's Eye for Gamelan was commissioned in 1985 by Barbara Benary for Gamelan Son of Lion. Lion's Eye for Synthesizer was commissioned concurrently by Neil Rolnick for iEAR Presents at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Both versions were performed in 1985. The intention to combine both pieces in order to expand the tempo range of the Gamelan was first realized in May of 1989 in performances by the Berkeley Gamelan in Oakland and San Francisco, California under the direction of Daniel Schmidt. This version of Lion's Eye is recorded on this disc. The duration of "Lion's Eye" is forty-five minutes. "Lion's Tale" (1989) is composed of layered polymetrical, polyrhythmical patterns. The patterns are played at speeds ranging up to 1800 per minute. The composer designed patterns are generated by the computer program. "Lion's Tale" may be created in a new version every time the program is run. "Lion's Tale" also exists in a MIDI version for a keyboard performer. Both versions are available from Deep Listening Publications. Known internationally as a composer, accordionist and teacher, Pauline Oliveros's work in improvisation, electronic techniques, teaching methods, myth and ritual, and meditative and physical consciousness raising has changed the course of American music. She left the University of California at San Diego in 1981, at the rank of full professor, in order to support her ideas, creative projects and collaborations. All of her work emphasizes attentional strategies, musicianship and improvisational skills. Oliveros' compositions have been performed worldwide.

Pauline Oliveros has been in my mind since the late 1980's when I started to listen to music in general and I came across some american avant composers. What I really liked about her approach to music was not only a kind of virtuoso background but a really coscious choice to become a really virtuoso listener which was surprising as a general hint to music which I had at that time.
Music is a co-operation between a listener and a maker. I had this motto in my mind today when I received a parcel from Pauline.
The music here is so rich, so extensively meditational in a sense that all the new age gurus wouldn't dare to swallow and at the same time so intimate so feminine. What I mean is the deeper you go the more you get and the flow of the energy has a really great sustain.
The composer's idea to blend gamelan music together with textures of digitalised textures gives a really refreshing tone to the meaning of music itself. Dig it!

Messdiener - Würmer Im Kruzifix / Klosterarbeiten Psych.KG 33, 01/2008

2009-08-31T10:31:00.000-07:00

Label: Psych.KG, E-Klageto
Catalog#: Psych.KG 33, 01/2008
Format: CD, Limited Edition
Flexi-disc, 12"
Country: Germany
Released: 2008
Genre: Electronic, Rock
Style: Experimental, Indie Rock, Avantgarde
Notes: Limited & hand numbered to 50 copies, 12" box set w/ CD, 12" flexi disc & 2 inserts
Tracklisting:
Würmer Im Kruzifix
1 Gehacktes (1:31)
2 Der Schaumstoss (7:39)
3 Massensterben Oder Die Unsicherheit Beim Einkaufen (5:09)
4 Rote Kanne (Anstaltsversion) (5:49)
5 Christentrick (9:03)
6 Jedes Lebewesen Lebt! (2:59)
Klosterarbeiten
7 Alter Stich (2:36)
8 Natürliches Still (Druckluftmix) (4:52)
9 Ich Liebe Dich (Schlagerversion A-Seite) (3:08)
10 Neue Vernichtung (2:37)
11 Die Unsicherheit Beim Einkaufen (5:05)
12 Christentrick (Holzmix) (12:54)
13 Grande Finale In Weiss Wie Der Tod (9:53)
Really difficult to classify...first thing which came to my mind was Fuckhead - austrian act which I have known from years even in my early years of hard core punk.
But the energy here is much more tonned down. It appears to be based on 4/4 rhythms - sometimes marching, prepared electronica is just a background to the percussive, bass, synth main themes joined by teutonic vocal manner which is sometimes really irritating and sometimes funny as it goes on...Good stuff for some theatrical shows and actor's approach singing/songwriting - it has an original kick to it.

Blue Sabbath Black Cheer Crows Eat The Eyes From The Leviathans Carcass [Sweden | 2009 | Release The Bats Records]

2009-08-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

Compilation of older, out of print releases. Limited to 500 copies>

Tracklisting:
1. Untitled (5:03)
2. Untitled (2:23)
3. Genocide (4:57)
4. Maggot (4:57)
5. Untitled (4:48)
6. Borre Fen / Untitled (17:26)
7. Untitled (4:40)

Listening to this piece evoked a really deep and dark stuff in me as I was turning into a monster bat. A complete set of tracks which can be used a s a soudtrack for burning your skin alive. There's something interesting in it though as I look at my past years in high school makes me think of all these classic metal bands that were supposed to be terrifying and doom gloom... what appeared to be rather poor manifestation of senseless egotical plays of stupid black metal fuckers...and yet I always strived for a material devoted of stupid shitty ideology giving a real deal chance of deep and extreme sounds. Actually this is a real deal stuff where the technology is not just an excuse for doing something which may sound professional but lacks the vision. Blue Sabbath Black Cheer uses an echo of a metal riff boiling it alive in a stir fry of droney noise tumbling down like an avalanche....real deal!

Violet - Violet Ray Gas and the Playback Singers CD By Zeromoon

2009-08-21T06:53:00.000-07:00

Jeff Surak a.k.a. Violet has been active for so many years that it's really difficult to count numerous projects he has been involved in so far. Active also as the label owner - Zeroomoon and an organiser of Sonic Circuits festival.
"Violet Ray Gas and the Playback Singers" has been released after a while of being occupied in some other projects and in life of every artist there is also a time for a solo expression.
First thing is the cover which is vintage and obscure piece of art which is a postcard from Soviet block country possibly Romania or Bulgaria. Dark and grey tone of it makes me think about my childhood and a dream trip. It also gives this extra context to Jeff's family roots.
As for the content - whatever you call it - it is revolving around drone music, using radio frequencies and light touch pad of samplers, using field recordings and pieces of composition. Dark but yet very delicate and subtle, private...boosts me up. Thanks Jeff...

available at www.zeromoon.com

Feine Trinkers bei Pinkels daheim - Vaginal Erbrechen

2009-08-20T13:40:00.000-07:00

Tracklisting:
1 Weltseele Und Gotteslob (10:52)
2 Obsession Ist Scheisse (6:10)
3 Schimpansenbar (7:49)
4 Paradieswurst (10:22)
5 Trommelfellflattern (4:17)
6 Tiefer Scham (11:44)

German duo Feine Trinkers Bei Pinkels Daheim (Jurgen Eberhard and Oswin Czerwinski) rattled the post-industrial scene with the droning and wavering collages of found sounds and white noise documented on Kornzweig Baby (1996), particularly Papagoyenboom (1997), and almost professionally on Apfelmost Und Essig (Epileptic, 1999), and ambitiously by the 64-minute Hungerhaken's Speckrolle (2002).

By adding Swedish guitarist Chris Sigdell, also of space-doom trio Phased, the duo became NID and released Plate Tectonics (Aufabwegen, 2007) that continued their hypno-cacophonous mission.

Atmpospheric drone ambient...and that's it
doom
voices
laughter
surrealist
prepared sounds
focused

Gelsomina - Greenaway CD-R Retinascan mndr2012

2009-08-20T13:10:00.001-07:00

Gelsomina is a finnish project behind which stands Pekka PT mastermind of Musically Incorrect Records. This material blasts a great deal. Experimental harsh noise with some narratives taken out from Peter Greenaway films which are nicely fit intervals.
The music is really great distorted layers of sound. Noise panorama which embraces so many sounds and twist that it really feels like the noise essence.
What this album lacks is a nice wrapping of the concept. Referring to Greenway's art in terms of nice music could be more developed. The context of it isn't skin deep. Harshnoise can be a vessel for many things but I guess it needs the sophistication badly to cope with such a challenge. Overall very good work.

Duozero - Esperanto by Small Voices recs

2009-08-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

Tracklisting:
1 Prana (5:28)
Voice - Marc Girard
2 The Moving Box (5:43)
Tape, Other [Devices] - Aristide Leonetti
3 The Rhyme Of The Ancient Mariner (7:03)
Lyrics By - Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Voice - Massimo Zamboni
4 September (5:11)
Vocals - Alessia Bertozzi
5 L'Uomo Precario (5:34)
Voice - Davide Bregola
6 One Single Man (6:17)
Vocals - Kalhari Bushmen
7 Slap (2:26)
Lyrics By - Dobrisa Cesaric
Voice - Milorad Sepic
8 Illogico (6:58)
Electronics - Kenko Oshi
9 The Way Life Would Be (6:24)
Tape, Other [Devices] - Aristide Leonetti
10 Killer Shark (4:48)
Voice - Gabriele Tesauri
11 Esperanto (5:20)
12 Il Cerchio (3:18)
Voice - Marco Valerio Amico
13 September (Tilomo Mix) (7:22)
Guitar [Ebow, Afrobeat Filter], Bass [Fretless], Percussion - Tilomo
Remix , Co-producer, Engineer - Tim Motzer

Hard to classify set of songs which goes on the edge of spoken word which strangely reminds me of Laurie Anderson's albums ( as for the manner of delivery but not the vocal style or english accent which is italian - makes it even more original).
Atmospheric and nostalgic sounds make a nice packaging of sometimes even a pastel tone, painter's brush.
The songs are a bit lost between new wave and technoidal aggravated rhythms. Vocals make it more of an actor performance. Finds its way as a background stuff with nice ideas to focus on from time to time.

available at www.newnihilism.com

Bardoseneticcube - Lord of Light Bardoseneticcube - Saturn Wind

2009-08-20T12:37:00.000-07:00

from the official website
Band press-release

Bardoseneticcube was formed in summer 1998. The most precise definition of their music is surrealism: "pure psychic automatism willing to express the real functioning of the reflection either orally or written, or in any other form. Dictation of mind without any control from the intellect, outside of any aesthetic of moral considerations". During it's lifetime the project has released more than 20 albums in Russia and abroad, took part in various compilations and festivals. Bardoseneticcube was involved in several sound installations. The project's live shows are usually supported by video which is considered the integral part of the performance. This is always improvisation in which both listeners and acoustic characteristics of the space are involved. The live sound stylistically varies from techno-shamanic trance to the baffling harsh-noise and electro-acoustic experiments. Application of the original sonic "system" and psychoacoustic apparatus allows the band to achieve the unbelievably wide frequency range, from infralow to ultrahigh. The project members professionally and with dilettantish persistence extract sounds from everything that can sound: computers and contact mics, ethnic instruments and electronic processing, water and field recordings, all this happens during conducting pseudo-magickal rituals and materializes in surreal sonic pictures which don't have any relation to music, both in ordinary and "not ordinary" meaning of this term. Or maybe they are just pulling your legs...

Nice soundtrack-type kind of music based on synth drones mingled with vocal stuff. Genre? hard to say. Surrealist- yes! Ritual chants, very dense layers of sounds - soemtimes feels like you are being attacked by it - but not in a noise way.
but if you expect something Nursey it is something different. Soundtrack for taiga psychodelic trips. I am wondering why this guy hasn't been hired for some documentary about flora and fauna. Would suit very good.

available at http://www.newnihilism.com

Kouhei Matsunaga & Niko Skorpio - split CD Deserted Factory 2004

2009-08-20T07:48:00.000-07:00

There's a really nice idea behind this split which is actually a sort of compilation at least for Kouhei Matsunaga. we ahve a great deal of his works with other musicians here Koyzeu, Frans de Waard, Raionbashi, Phroq, Lasse Marhaug, Mattin, Zenial, Carols Giffoni to name just a few. A great idea indeed which gives a good perspective of how diverse a music can be even if it goes in the same direction or genre. Temperature of this melting pot is just what it should be. And experimental style of it is also very intriguing - I don't want to fall just under one point of naming it as industrial/noise/ambient/drone labels which is a shitty thing to do. A masterclass for a bored with repetitive stuff...
as for Niko Skorpio - 5 tracks of really introspective atmosphere- spoken word mixed with speed cut-ups sampladelia which don't involve the usual analogue techniques. Reminds me of Robin Fox and Anthony Pateras improvisations but here it is more distinguishable, not dipped in noisy overloads, dense and quite raw yet very transparent. get to work Niko we want more!!!!!
available at www.newnihilism.com

G 005 : YÔKO HIGASHI, LIONEL MARCHETTI - "OKURA 73°N - 42°E" Musica Genera 2009

2009-08-19T23:30:00.000-07:00

Une musique concrète composée par Lionel Marchetti, 2005

Tournage sonore original sur le Stubnitz - Rostock/Deutschland
Sons fixés, synthétiseurs analogiques: Lionel Marchetti
Présences vocales additives via radio CB Midland: Olivier Capparos, Eric Pellet
Remerciements: Robert Piotrowicz, Anna Zaradny, Jérôme Noetinger, Stubniz tanker team...

Lionel Marchetti works in the field of musique concrete which he personally refers to as "loudspeaker art". Various collaborations and his solo work gave a really refreshing view to what is sound and how it can be used.
Here with Yoko Higashi works out the formula of spectral collage based on the field recorded sounds and voices mingled with modulars which he crafts beautifully in 3 pieces. The material is not too long which gives this special kind of feeling that you strive for more. But it is a perfect scenario. No useless sounds, no maiming the listener with some promises which aren't kept then. Great work!

available at www.newnihilism.com

Ultra Milkmaids - 03|02|USA

2009-08-19T12:38:00.000-07:00

Label: MNDR
Year: 2004
Tracks list:
1. New / RRD / Play So Sorry / Mer
2. Aka
3. Sloggy
4. Most / Casablanca
5. Mr Ekinox

Ultra Milkmaids was one of the groups I had contact early on in 1994. Back then there was no laptop scene.
Milkies were always in drone/ambient stuff. This one is rather surprising. Drones?
Yeah, but hellishly mellodious - seems like they are using more guitars. There's stil this Milkie feeling to it. Glitchy stuff which now seems a bit obscure. Re-issue of the material from 2002 released in limited number of 50 cdrs now back. Back from the past. Nice...

atrabilis sunrise - altered alternaive (boredom level)

2009-08-19T02:22:00.001-07:00

It feels really that I haven't reviewed such extraordinary and unique material in great deal of time.
First thing is that the tracks counter doesn't cover the actual number of tracks which is a nice asset- gets you stay focused a little more than the usual listening experience. Officially there are 17 tracks on this CD with intruiging titles like 'Hermana Cronaline', 'Auto-erotic Y Fuerte', 'Les Poumons De Leurs Camarades', 'Tryptamine For The Soap' and 'Santa Salvia'. Makes me feel about the dada finest's! Pascal Bourdon - the man behind this project did a really good job - genuine spirit of following the pursuit of creatinfg something of his own. We have experiments here with loops and even melodies which makes the whole cd really digestive and at the same time keeping it very edgy experience. Sometimes I get the feeling that the author tried it more "conceptual" than "experimental", but the construct of the art work is really impressive. It is worth every penny in the world to get it. Released by Deserted Factory DF016 / September 2004
available at www.newnihilism.com distro

Government Alpha · Impregnable Storm CDR NN VI · April 2009

2009-08-13T02:52:00.000-07:00

Tracklist
· Electric Sandstorm
· Venusian Dragon
· Electromagnetic Aurora
· Thorny Tornado
· Desertification
· Infinity

Yasutoshi Yoshida is a man of the hour when it comes to japanese noise and the noise worldwide. Working mostly under Government Alpha alias, he also leads Xerxes label.
His trademark is a great piece of multi-layered, feedback fueled noise wall of sound. Yet his work is not a mere soundart but also tries to get the feeling of something deeper. and this is also the case of this album. Beautifully printed cover which is actually a poster when you unfold it gives a real pleasure to dwelve the sounds. Brutal, harsh...? Platitudes. Yoshida offers a bit more - spacey squelches and open spacefeel to it. and yet if you look at the titles it gives different perspective. Reminds me a bit of these prog rock 70's bands and Ash Ra Tempel kindda thing, but as for those it was just an addition to pompous and shallow endeavours yet here there's some more...what?
Mind's journey

available at http://www.newnihilism.com/

Rez Epo "Xazau"

2009-08-02T04:17:00.000-07:00

author's info:
37 minutes of psychedelic noise/ambient. Second full-length release of this Polish project.
DVD box, xerox covers on color paper, spraypainted cdr, inlay
Price: 3$/2 Euro/10zl
Shipment: 4$ worldwide/2 Euro /5 zl
Paypal to: konrad[dot]materek[at]gmail[dot]com
www.myspace.com/rezepo

I know Konrad since I guess 2 years almost which is a pretty good period to see how a young musician and his interest evolve. Derived from DIY noise ethos "Xazau" makes a leap into more harsh and obscure sounds. Which has its ins and outs. What doesn't encourage me to listen is the monotonous sound design which is an obstacle in dwelving deeper as you might already know what the tone will possibly be. I guess Konrad's aim was achieved more or less - which is to get the sound as natural as it is. But what the material lacks is a good piece of narrative, which I guess he will work on. Keep on sweatin' dude!!!

Arturas Bumšteinas - Uniforms BÔŁT • BR 1003 • luty 2009

2009-08-02T01:01:00.000-07:00

1. Esperantosound 5:22
2. This Uniform 21:10
3. Glockenspiel 20:17
4. Second Sequentina 14:20
5. Visa 9:10

as we read about the artist from his bio:
Works as sound and visual artist. In sound field Bumšteinas has completed number of musical scores for different instrumental ensembles and orchestras, released 9 albums of electroacoustic music (in Lithuania, USA, Denmark, Ukraine, Canada, Spain, Netherlands), directed multicollaborative project Antiradical Opera with writer Jesse Glass and more than 20 persons from all over the world, curated collective mix event titled Mixthemixthemix, founded laptop Quartet Twentytwentyone which is devoted to performances of graphical notation scores and many more activities... Bumšteinas appears in festivals and concerts of experimental music all over the Europe (and US) where he performs his sound works via the electronic and acoustic sound medias. As visual artist Bumšteinas started to work together with artist Laura Garbštienė. In the fall of 2002, during the exhibition Parallel Progressions 3 in Vilnius‘ Contemporary Art Center they founded G-Lab duo, which was devoted to video art, audiovisual installations and performances. From the year 2002 Bumšteinas participated in a number of exhibitions in Lithuania and abroad, represented Lithuanian contemporary art together with other active artists from several generations. Besides of continuous artistic work in G-Lab, Bumšteinas also did collaborations with such artists as Simon Wickham-Smith, Jeff Surak, Jesse Glass, Borut Savski, Max Reinhardt, Rytis Mažulis, Anton Lukoszevieze, Antanas Jasenka, Antanas Kučinskas... Bumšteinas is an organizer of the first-ever serie of experimental music events in Lithuania based on the concept of open mixer and simultaneous participation. Lives and works in Vilnius and Warsaw and is represented by ANTJEWACHS gallery in Berlin.

With such experience You can expect really good work going on. And indeed the album is set to be very elaborate piece of work which amuses the listener from the first point to the the last one. Diverse yet very selective the tracks are. The album seems to have the features of a compilation which indeed it is. Glockenspiel for instance was a track ready to download on a netlabel.
What characterizes the style of Arturas is minimalism with very rich array of sounds in the background which sounds extremely well as you get the feeling that arranging the pieces takes loads of work which is well-appreciated here.
The album is quite long but I get the hunger for more...

JZSL - Apteka

2009-07-24T10:18:00.001-07:00

Nice piece of unpretentional harsh noise, I dunno much about the author. It seems like the straightforward approach presented here is a nice way of transposing raw energy which it contains. Good stuff defintely!!!

mono025 GÜNTER MÜLLER with ALAN COURTIS, PABLO RECHE, SERGIO MERCE and GABRIEL PAIUK - BUENOS AIRES TAPES

2009-07-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

Dwie płyty ktore łączy nazwisko Guenthera Muellera, Niemca zamieszkałego w Szwajcarii, prowadzącego wytwórnię 4 four ears i pracującego w rozmaitych kombinacjach muzyka opierającego swoje brzmienie o elektronikę. Tutaj występuje z ludźmi ze sceny argentyńskiej.

Alan Courtis i Pablo Reche. Pierwszy to podpora bandu-legendy Reynols. Drugi również bardzo aktywny na polu muzyki eksperymentalnej. Pierwsza część jest podporządkowana drone'om. Soundtrack czasem niesłyszalnego ambientu z rzadka przerywającego narrację jakimś dźwiękeim wychodzacym poza główne głębokie pasmo basów. Sprawdza się idealnie w formie podkładu pod dłuższe wyciszenie lub medytację nad dźwiękiem.

Druga część jest z gruntu innym kawałkiem układanki.Sergio Merce - czteroślad portastudio bez taśmy, sterownik midi Yamaha WX7
Gabriel Paiuk - fortepian, taśmy - ten rodzaj środków pogłębia pasmo dźwięków tu zawartych. Zamknięta w osobną historię improwizacja również oscyluje wokół dźwięków raczej wyciszonych, ale jest dużo bardziej zróżnicowana i ma swoje smaczki i detale. i tu widać dobry warsztat muzyków przekładający się na zawartość - nie przesadzają z długością, co jest zmorą w przypadku takich właśnie produkcji. Palce lizać!

CD 1 nagrano 9-go, a CD 2 10-go lutego 2006
w Fundación Cultural Surdespierto, Buenos Aires
Nagrania: Gabriel Paiuk
Miks i mastering: Günter Müller w studio Remisch Lupsingen
Okładka Günter Müller

www.guentermueller.com // g.mueller@eblcom.ch
www.geocities.com/a_courtis // a_courtis@yahoo.com
www.myspace.com/sergiomerce
gabrielpaiuk.com // gabriel@gabrielpaiuk.com
www.geocities.com/pabloreche // rechepab@yahoo.com.ar

mono024 BERTRAND GAUGUET, FRANZ HAUTZINGER, THOMAS LEHN - CLOSE UP

2009-07-23T13:58:00.000-07:00

01 - Close Up 01
02 - Close Up 02
03 - Close Up 03

3 utwory, 3 osoby, w tym 2 ikony muzyki improwizowanej. Czy to przesądza o jakości i "przewidywalności". W pewnym sensie tak...Hautzinger i Lehn to starzy wyjadacze, którzy na pewno mają sporo wyczucia i umiejętności zgrania. Dochodzi jeszcze Gauget, który jest dość świeżą personą na scenie improv, ale radzi sobie dobrze, bardzo dobrze wręcz. Płyta jest naprawdę dobra, patenty, których tu użyto nie są ograne. Całość broni się ciekawym pomysłem, choć czasem zbyt mocno czuć przegięcia Hautzingera w kierunku jazzu, z którego wyszedł. Idiomem tu użytym jest synkretyzm, co sprawia, ze materiał jest bardzo uniwersalny i łatwo się go przyswaja, a nie jest to zarzut.

rot | cs151

2009-07-16T14:24:00.001-07:00

#1 - 4:56
#2 - 4:33
#3 - 4:06
#4 - 2:13
#5 - 3:43
#6 - 4:26
#7 - 1:49
#8 - 5:50
#9 - 2:18
#10 - 4:22
#11 - 4:42
#10 - 1:17
#13 - 4:06
#14 - 7:45
#15 - 4:14
Udo Schindler – soprano saxophone, bassclarinet
Margarita Holzbauer – cello
Harald Lillmeyer – electric guitar

Idiom:spokój
Przekaz:multi- i mikrotoniczny
Rozkład:karty- tasowanie, rozkładanie, granie

fadensonnen | cs148

2009-07-16T00:56:00.001-07:00

#1 limen
#2 el
#3 gestalt und geist - f. holderlin
#4 am abschieds-grat - p. celan
#5Iam abschieds-grat
#6 limbisch, limbisch
#7 limbisch, limbisch

Giampaolo Verga - violin, voice

Kolejny włoski wykonawca. Czasem zastanawiam się na ile jest prawdą dość stereotypowe stwierdzenie, że w każdym Włochu drzemie skłonność do "canzone" czyli czasem wręcz zgoła biesiadnego podejścia do piosenek czy utworów, które przekazują jakąś manieryczną formę romantyzmu, czasem dość śmiesznie wyrażonej.
Verga jest gdzieś blisko jakiegoś rodzaju hymnom, skromne instrumentarium sprzyja jednocześnie pewnemu statycznemu podejściu do wykorzystania głosu i skrzypiec podpartego elektroniką.Najlepiej wypada początek i koniec albumu, gdzie idealnie połączył prawie melodyczne podejście do instrumentu z odpowiednia dramaturgią eksperymentu. Sporo wyczucia i oby tak dalej.

premio malattia | cs145

2009-07-16T00:49:00.000-07:00

#1 09:06
#2 07:10
#3 05:13
#4 04:10
#5 03:06
#6 08:08
#7 09:20
Dario Sanfilippo - computer

Dario Sanfilipo z Agrigent określił formułę swojej muzyki jako "Feedback Network Based Non-Linear Digital Signal Processing System". Brzmi cokolwiek wykoncypowanie, ale jak sprawdza się w praktyce. Chyba nienajgorzej- mamy tu duzo tekstur kopmuterowych na których czuć ślad granulizatora, przestery bynajmniej nie noise'owe, pomruki basowe drone'ów itp. na początku słucha się tego bardzo fajnie - potem jest trochę słabiej, ale cały czas w dość wysokiej formie mimo wszystko. Czekam na następny album...

backchats | cs149

2009-07-15T01:39:00.000-07:00

#1 Backchat 1
#2 Backchat 2
#3 Backchat 3
#4 Bachchat 4
#5 Backchat 5

Ute Wassermann - voice, whistle
Phil Minton - voice
Thomas Lehn - analog synthesizer
Martin Blume - percussion

Takie nazwiska jak Phil Minton, Ute Wassermann i Thomas Lehn dają jak zwykle dużo do myślenia, ale jednocześnie zastanawia mnie czasem czemu akurat wyrobione nazwiska dają ludziom prawo wyrabiania sobie opinii na starcie nie przesłuchawszy materiału. Materiał ma dość nerwowy rytm, co jest zrozumiałe przy użytym tu syntezatorze Lehna i improwizacjach Wassermann i Mintona. Arpeggia, trzaski, dźwięki imitujące wręcz jakieś dziwne odgłosy natury. Przypomina mi to trochę jakby skrzywiony soundtrack do kreskówek Looney Tunes z Warner Bros. Ale nie ma w tym żadnego mizdrzenia się do słuchacza i tak częstego np. u Johna Zorna postmodernistycznego eklektyzmu, tu wynika to raczej z dobrze zharmonizowanej struktury i przemyślanego podejścia do tworzenia muzyki swoistej a nie opartej na cytatach. takowych tutaj nie ma. Świetna improwizacja oparta na super zgraniu i warsztacie.

figuren | cs146

2009-07-15T01:10:00.001-07:00

#1 beauty's biest
#2 flamingo
#3 lavtina
#4 laufer und turm
#5 penelope
#6 myriapoda
#7 voyageurs
#8 waiting for cary grant
#9 knopf und knopfloch
#10 anaphora
Susann Wehrli - flutes, melodica
Priska Walss - trombone, alphorn
Claudia Ulla Binder - piano
Gabriela Friedli - piano

Zawsze jest mi jakoś przyjemnie dobrać się do materiału tworzonego przez kobiety, które w muzyce, a w muzyce eksperymentalnej i improwizowanej w szczególności są w zdecydowanej mniejszości.
Tu mamy szwajcarski kwartet wykonujący 10 miniatur dźwiękowych w oparciu o akustyczne instrumentarium. Co ciekawe w składzie są dwa fortepiany co jest rzadkie i nadaje muzyce pewnego swoistego szlifu. Momentami muzyka ociera sie o jazz, może z racji wykształcenia Pań i ich wcześniejszych dokonań. Szczątki melodii i nadające rytm pasaże...chwileczkę czy tego już nie było? niestety muzyka tu zawarta jest jak szwajcarski zegarek, nudna i przewidywalna. ech...

Twrf Neus Ciglau | cs156

2009-07-14T12:07:00.000-07:00

#1 34:18
Ernesto Rodrigues - viola
Rhodri Davies - harp, electronics
Stéphane Rives - soprano saxophone
Guilherme Rodrigues - cello
Carlos Santos - electronics

Szczerze powiem, że do płyty przyciągnęło mnie nazwisko Rhodriego Daviesa, który obsługuje tu harfę i elektronikę. Harfa to bardzo ciekawy i jednocześnie bardzo wymagający, trudny instrument o szerokiej palecie dźwiękowej. Davies jest naprawdę bardzo wybitnym muzykiem.
35 minut nagranej live improwizacji, po którym mozna sie spodziewać tego cco też i na płycie się pojawia, w tym względzie płyta jest dość przewidywalna.
Co na plus zatem?
Na pewno dobrze wyreżyserowana dramaturgia, co dobrze świadczy o umiejętnościach i wyczuciu muzyków.
i chyba na tyle proszę państwa ;-)
zapraszam do słuchania!

millefleurs | cs163

2009-07-12T01:33:00.000-07:00

#1 galanthus nivalis
#2 cypripedium calceolus
#3 ononis spinosa
#4 rhinanthus minor
#5 cardamine pratensis
#6 passiflora incarnata
#7 lamium album
#8 saxifraga aizoon
#9 pulsatilla vulgaris
#10 maianthemum bifolium
#11 linnea borealis
#12 arum maculatum

Abril Padilla - voice (2, 5, 6, 7, 9)
Agnès Palier - voice (2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11)
Anna Nemes - voice (2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9)
Carl Ludwig Hübsch - voice (3)
Christoph Schiller - voice (3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11)
Dominique von Hahn - voice (2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
Heike Fiedler - voice (8, 10, 11)
Izumi Ise - voice (5, 8, 11)
Irina Ungureanu - voice (1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
Mitch Heinrich - voice (3, 8, 11, 12)
Marei Seuthe - voice (2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11)
Rudolf Häfele - voice (3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12)

Płyta z ciekawym pomysłem na wykorzystanie głosu ludzkiego jako zródła dźwięków do wykorzystania w kompozycji i improwizacji. Niestety sam pomysł utonął w zbt akademickim szarżowaniu treści formą. Rozbuchane ambicje czasem mają to do siebie że nie znajdują odniesienia w efekcie końcowym. A szkoda, bo potencjał muzyków jest ogromny...

abstract mechanics | cs165

2009-07-12T01:23:00.001-07:00

#1 intro
#2 abstract mechanics part I
#3 part II
#4 part III
#5 part IV
#6 Part V
#7 part VI

João Lucas - piano, comp
Miguel Mira - cello
Thiago Lucas - voice

Abstract Mechanics to bardzo specyficzna płyta w katalogu Creative Sources. W całości skomponowana przez João Lucasa do performance'u tanecznego Andresy Soares. n astyku kontrolowanej improwizacji i kompozycji. Specyficzne brzmienie instrumentów, ktore grają na granicy sonorystycznych przedęć i przegięć a innym razem nadają ton jakimś tematem albo zagubioną melodią. Oscylują często w stronę czegoś romantycznego, mało uchwytnego.
Co ciekawe jeśli weżmiemy pod uwagę fakt, że całość zostałą stworzona na potrzeby przedstawienia tanecznego będzie trudno przyporządkować materiał jak soundtrack a jednocześnie całość broni się swego rodzaju mobilnością i odwołaniami do...tanga. Co stwarza możliwość wykorzystania materiału właśnie na takie potrzeby.

Zwitzerland | cs157

2009-07-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

#1 grooves and cuts
#2 disturbed tune
#3 sax conduction and free
#4 marsala and impro
#5 tales
#6 powerloops and ballad
#7 march impro

Swiss Improvisers Orchestra

Ursula Maehr - recorder
Carles Peris - saxophone, flute
Francis Petter - saxophone, bass clarinet
Valentin Vecellio - baqsset horn
Marco von Orelli - trumpet
Sabine von Werra - voice
Christoph Baumann - piano
Markus Fischer - double bass
Jacques Widmer - drums

Big bandowy wręcz układ instrumentalny aktywny od 1998, przypominający trochę dokonania Micro East Collective. Muzyka?
na w pół poważkowy na w pół improwizowany ton, ktory przy tym układzie wydaje się manieryczną wręcz regułą. Tu brzmi to nienajgorzej, ale wciąż brakuje fajnego oryginalnego pomysłu na kompozycje. Warte posłuchania mimo wszystko.

eterno retorno | cs144

2009-07-12T00:48:00.001-07:00

#1 street food
#2 good dog, cookie
#3 adamant distances
#4 many happy returns
Ernesto Rodrigues - viola
Guilherme Rodrigues - cello
Carlos Santos - electronics
Andrew Drury - percussion

Jak ojciec tak i syn...Ernesto i Guilherme Rodrguesowie są w skali chyba światowej muzyki improwizowanej ewnementem - układ ojciec-syn, niepowtarzalny w stylu i podjeściu, uzupełniający się nie tylko na polu muzycznym ale też wydawniczym od 2003 roku prowadzący Creative Sources records. W przypadku eterno retorno następuje wolta sił razem z Carlosem Santosem ( ktory projektuje okładki dla Creative Sources ) obsługującym elektronikę i Andrew Drurym na perkusji. Wielowarstwowe zwały dźwięków przy takim zestawie powodują, ze bardzo ważne jest utrzymać linię czasową by narracja utworów nie stała się zbyt monotonna, co wszystkim Panom bardzo dobrze się udaje. Elektronika Santosa jest raczej czujna i subtelna. Drury poddaje się sonorystycznym pizgom wizgom i ślizgom Rodriguesów. Płyta pozostawia specyficzne uczucie niedosytu, ale nie wynikające z jej słabości a raczej z powodu urwanej puenty. Co jest w sumie dobre, ten skład nagra na pewno coś jeszcze.