VITAL WEEKLY #6 Week 26 Number 6 UNENTITLED (Compilation CD by These Records) Compilations seldom give a very good view of what the involved artists stand for. That's one reason for buying this CD, since it gives three bands around 20 minutes each to prove their point. On the other hand the three involved are so well-known that they hardly need an introduction. The CD opens with zoviet*france's 'Eleven Drops' and this is the most easy piece music on this CD. For those following the career of zoviet*france know that in the past 3 years the band switched to making a kind of experimental dance music. This long track is built around constant drones and cymbals and drums being hit (with added delay) .Not really dance music altogether but interesting chill out music. Totally different is Jim O'Rourke. To my knowledge his first studio piece since his 3" CD for Metamkine. This is true electro-acoustic music. It starts out with what sounds as shortwave and after an abrupt silence, it is built up slowly with acoustic instruments, such as percussion, clarinets (multi-layered) and piano. The piece end in drones. Final piece is by The Hafler Trio, who use droning sounds that constant change, but keep on droning. A strange ending though, it seems like the tape got wrapped somewhere. This piece is not as 'ambient' as some of the other recent Hafler Trio pieces, so for a change that's good to hear. In all: a very good compilation, even though a general theme is lacking and these artists don't need no introduction through compilations. Address: These -P.O.Box 4412- London SW8 2XJ -UK UTOPIAN DIARIES: ANCIENT LIGHTS AND THE BLACK CORE (Complation CD by Sub Rosa) Yet another compilation with only a few bands, but with a theme. As far as I can tell this deals with ancient forms of shamanistic rituals and trance music. Scorn opens the CD with one their excellent dub oriented tracks, that starts out slowly, but gets in a great dub like groove. I must admit I am not familiar with Seefeel's music. but the three tracks here show some interesting procession on relatively few sound sources. David Toop recorded some group healing in Venezuela and even given it's documentary character it's an interesting thing to hear. Back to 20th century drug induced shamans we get to Timothy Leary. His voice was recorded and set to music by DJ Cheb I Sabbah, and even without noting what he has to say, it is a nice, soft, maybe even ambient piece of music. An excellent compilation, which reminded me of the old Touch compilations. Address: Sub Rosa -P.O. Box 808- CM 1000 Brussels -Belgium CHRISTINA KUBISCH -SECHS SPIEGEL (CD by Edition RZ) CD's with recordings of sound installations in general lack the visual element. After reading the booklet, I can't exactly tell what Kubisch' installation was about. It has some to do with mirrors resonating sound. The whole CD (1 track - 40 minutes) consists of light droning sounds, like non offensive feedback. This is truly pleasant thing to hear as a music piece in itself. I can imagine that if this was sold as intelligent ambient, the sales would have been bigger then it (probably is now) .by being presented as the result of an art presentation, in one of the most luxurious digipacks I came across. An excellent CD. Address: Edition RZ -Leibnizstrasse 33 -10625 Berlin -Germany MICHEAL GIRA -DRAINLAND (CD by Sub Rosa) When the Swans were popular I was not into them, as I wasn't into rock music, and The Swans were, even in all their extremity, a rockband. Yet their uncompromising approach to music and the business made them into a band that I like for their attitude. On this solo CD you'll find 10 songs, intensely sung by Gira, with guitars, drums and organ sounds. Still not my favourite kind of music, but as far as I can hear straight from the heart. Address: as above ITINERAIRE (CD by Selektion) Not a group, nor a compilation. Because your truly is involved I will not go into a subjective review, but into an objective description. The project was started in 1988 by Frans de Waard, who handed out raw material to Asmus Tietchens. The results were too few to release in any form (LP or CD) , so it was decided to invite two more people to continue the processing started by Tietchens. First Achim Wollscheid (SBOTHI) worked on the material and after Giancarlo Toniutti. After that the same process was repeated using an object, for graphic material. The whole project was shelved for some three years, because no label was interested in releasing it (mainly due to the demand for the cover) . Ultimately Selektion, who used to release the material by SBOTHI, decided to put it out, but adding also a fifth person, Bernard Gunter, to the project. On this CD you'll find the material in reverse order, starting with Gunter's ultimate piece to De Waard's basic sound material. The cover consists of pictures of the various objects. Both visually and musically a project of treating acoustic objects into pieces of music and image. Address: Selektion -Hohenstaufenstr. 8- 60327 Frankfurt -Germany Vital Weekly is published by Frans de Waard and submitted for free to anybody with an e-mail address. If you don't wish to receive this, then let us know. Any feedback is welcome at