VITAL WEEKLY #10 Week 36 Number 10 INTERNATIONAL PEOPLES GANG (CD by E:MT) During the last one and half year or so, the UK label E:MT was hyped a lot, mainly in UK magazines. The digipack with nature photos caught a lot of attention, the delicate mixture of ambient, dance and somewhat more difficult electronic: we were taught to be on the fringe of a whole new era in music. This year's releases (Gas, Miasma and a compilation) ranged however from not bad to more doubtful qualifications. Unfortunately this new one doesn't change the line going down. ..After I heard this disc twice I couldn't tell what I heard, it just passed without any highlight. A long collage of melodies, rhythms, sounds, which, in a compositorial way don't take us anywhere. Only the last track could track my attention. Luckily the longest track. Address: <100443.2514@compuserve.com> NONPLACE URBAN FIELD -NUF SAID {CD by Incoming!) A delicious new CD on a rising label that could be big one day. As far as I know this is the second CD by Nonplace Urban Field, who come from the same field as Drome. The music is a wild mix of dub, jungle, techno, jazzy bits and pieces, funny voice samples {"I came, I saw, I conquered") etc. One of the tracks {"Western Dub") could be a hit, showing the same catchy reggae tune as The Orb's 'Perpetual Dawn' .Just a great fun CD! Address: <100421@647@compuserve.com> PATHOLOGICAL RESONANCE (C60 by Anomalous Records) From the world of cassette only releases a compilation around the theme 'bodies' and how sound influences bodies. The music ranges from dark ambient like to harsh electronics. Aube uses the sound of lungs, Das Synthetische Mischgewebe manipulates voices and others use more abstract means (i.e. instruments) to influence you as a listener. The cassette is wrapped in paper with cards (each card describes or visualizes each track) held together by some bandage. Once unwrapped, the cards will float away. Address: Anomalous -505 E. Denny Way, suiteB100 -Seattle, WA 98122-2160- USA SOUNDSCAPE AMSTERDAM (CD by SSC) Soundscape is a relatively new term to describe music composed by using environmental recordings. In some cities previous projects were realized (Sao Paulo, Lisbon) , and now the Dutch organization Gaudeamus invited people to go out in Amsterdam, take a microphone and record the city. The nine prize winners are compiled on this CD. The CD opens with what seems a project description and one is afraid that every track will start like that. But it appears not just to be a description, it's part of the piece. "The Microphone is not an ear", describing the difficulties to record environmental sound, in this case birds. With it's sudden changes, one of the more exciting pieces. In other pieces the sound of the city is sampled in a way that can best be described as not very exciting, Luckily this a minority. Most tracks are clever collages of city sounds. Not always we can recognize Amsterdam in these tracks, but nevertheless it is a nice showcase of what tracks lack rhythm machines, but have synth pulses in stead. Like the compilation a variety of sound here, which makes it in a pleasant CD. Watch this label. Address: Dum- Sturenkatu 5 B 10- 00510 Helsinki - Finland JLIAT- THE DANCING HORSE (CD by Jliat) The first CD by Jliat came as a total surprise, so the second blow can't be that big. .. In many this new CD is a like the first one: one long track (in this case just over 60 minutes) built from 'looped envelopes on digital synthesizers and samplers'. A huge drone effect that, if listened superficially, remains the same, if listened with headphones (and possible a concentrate listening) slowly develops and changes. As I wrote before this resembles much more of minimal music (in the same tradition as LaMonte Young or Phill Niblock) then of ambient music. An uncompromising CD. Address: Jliat -13 Wells Road -Little Walsingham - Norfolk NR22 6DL -UK SUBSONIC FACTORIES -A FLOW INTO FAB. CHILL {CD by Fabprod) The {in-)famous label De Fabriek Records & Tapes exists for many years now, yet their number of releases is not very high, but usually handmade covers. This is only their 21st release. De Fabriek {and I assume it is them who are behind this release) have been on many waves, from psychedelic to heavy industrialized rhythms to house and ambient music. This new CD falls in the category of house music, with hints to electro music like Front 242. The most straight forward house and techno where the ones I liked most. And they are in the majority here. Address: De Fabriek -P.O.Box 1135- 8001 BC Zwolle -The Netherlands 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 . Forward to allies! . Snail mail to: Frans de Waard -P.O. Box 11453 -1001 GL Amsterdam -The Netherlands