\ / | ----- /\ | \ / |== |== | / | \ / Week 10 \ / | | / \ | \ /\ / | | |/ | \ / Number 72 \/ | | / \ |--- \/ \/ |__ |__ |\ |__ | HIS MASTERS VOICE - SINGING THE BOUNDARIES (CD by Manifold) Maybe a somewhat too obvious name, but behind His Masters Voice you'll find three veterans of 'industrial music' (ouch writing that hurts): Randy Greif (known from his excellent Alice In Wonderland 5CD set, aswell as many other works), Jeph Jerman (from Hands To, Blowhole, plus a host of other projects) and R. Kitch (the man behind IAM Umbrella). Jeph Jerman gave the hands to this particular release, of Yaqui Indian legend of four prophets who met with four "angels" who taught them a song and together they walked and sang the boundaries of their land. From what I understand of the liner notes, this work was put together through mail. Jeph had some source material, and Randy and R. Kitch worked on the material through extensive sampling and sound processing. The result is an amazing collage of ethno-ish rhythms combined with odd sounds that swirl in and out of the mix. The two resulting pieces are beautiful textured pieces that sound like a journey through ancient land inhabited by the spirits. (FdW) Address: HUMAN MESH DANCE - THESECRETNUMBER12 (CD by 12k) Taylor Deupree launches a new series of limited edition releases with this understated but beautiful compact disc. It's the first Human Mesh Dance album in three years, following "Mindflower", released on Instinct way back in 1994. But this doesn't indicate any sort of lazy inactivity on Deeupree's part. He's been as prolific as family of rabbits in a carrot patch, recording under a diverse range of pseudonyms like Prototype 909, Seti, Futique, Arc, Tiny Objects In Space, Eox, and Unit Park. With one exception all of these releases have been issued by other labels. "The Secret Number 12" is released on his own label 12k, part of a possibly wider trend by artists to take more control of their careers. "Thesecretnumber12" ebbs and flows from one smooth landscape to another, computerized rhythms rising and evaporating out of soft pink and yellow sound clouds, while other amorphous forms intermingle in the background, one mellow groove leading to the next. Chill-out fog covers the forest floor and twinkling lights suspended from tree branches light the way. Seriously, this is a good album, as interesting and rewarding as they come. But don't delay, it's limited to only 500 copies, and something tells me it's not going to be around for long. The only disappointment I found with this album was that it didn't run on for hours and hours. Damned CD format!! (CP) Address: 115 Wyckoff Street 4th floor, Brooklyn NY 11201 US ORGANUM - KAMMER (miniCD by Robot) You could rank Organum's David Jackman as a classical figure among the industrial types (without being classical or industrial!). Starting his musical career with the open minded folks of the Scratch Orchestra, forming Organum in the early 80s. I have been a keen follower of his work, until about two years, when releasing records became too much of a numbered and signed art object that hurts the wallet. But of and on a 'bigger' release is made, and even the poor get value for money. This work is a 17 minute piece that starts out with scraping wires in a tunnel and objects falling over each other, later on added by shovels digging the dirt (well just describing what I hear of course, as the minimal cover doesn't give a clue). Natural reverb is added in the recording process, and Kammer turns out to be a beautiful and haunting piece of music. And I still have hopes that all the limited editions vinyl will be compiled into a retrospective CD one day! (FdW) Address: Robot - P.O. Box 120004 - San Antonio TX 78212 - USA ESPLENDOR GEOMETRICO - BALEARIC RHYTHMS (CD by Rotor) PANASONIC - KULMA (CD by Blast First) It's interesting to set these two new releases against each other. Spanish duo with the firm background in rhythm pulsating industrial music, and Finnish duo rooted in house music. Both employ minimalism in the rhythms, but end up at different results. Esplendor Geometrico result at rather dark beats, but also rather monotone. But wasn't that the trick? I find that most of the tracks here have similar built ups with pretty much the same set of sounds. Once at their peak, the track stays there until the next one starts out, again in similar territory. Rather boring... Panasonic on the other hand the other know very well how to construct a minimalist piece of rhythm oriented music that is different from the one before or after. Some pieces are rather short soundscape like, and others have more song oriented structure. As a whole 'Kulma' is more complex then their first full length 'Vakio', and less dense and harsh as 'Osasto'. 'Kulma' is a departure into sonic experimentalism and is not dance music at all, but listening music, where changes, close in detail, play an important role. Music to be paying close attention to. (FdW) Address: Address: Blast First - 429 Harrow Road - London W10 4RE DEUTSCH NEPAL - COMPRENDIDO... TIME STOP(CD by Cold Meat/Relapse) If you paid close attention, then you know I'm not concerned with music that pays much attention with anything else other then the music itself. If wearing black clothes, make-up is your cup of tea, then you are into fashion, and musicians that dress up like that have something to hide - usually creative attention to the music. A lot of Sweden's darker metal industrial Goth is just not for me, but Deutsch Nepal is one of the positive exceptions. Their new, fourth, album is again dark, and follows the track of Tolerance with a lot of rhythms, but growing more intense and creepy. This comes from the end of the world where sun light doesn't play a role in having fun y' know. But Deutsch Nepal delivers a varied album f up tempo pieces and dark creepy ones (let's say love ballads for the sick, such as 'World Mirror' or 'Gonge Free Market') Address: OSKAR SALA - SUBHARMONISCHE MIXTUREN (CD by Erdenklang) Of course you know Oskar! That's of the pioneers of electronic music, who built in the 20s his Mixtur Trautonium and who made a lot of film music (for a/o. Hitchcocks' The Birds). What sets the Trautonium apart from other synthesizer is the vibrating tones it produces, because it had no keys to be played. It has a rich textured, deep sound, but the compositions that Sala made for them have a classical structure and are not at all abstract in one way or the other. It seems to me that Sala wants to prove one is able to compose 'real' music on an 'electronic' instrument. One can wonder if that is a discussion that is still relevant. The 'Chaconne Electronique' (for Mixtur Trautonium and tape technique) is more abstract and reminded me of the non keyboards electronics of Conrad Schnitzler. The closing piece is a soundtrack from 'The Strangler Of Blackmoor Castle') and even hints at pop music. Every self-respecting lover of experimental music should have at least one Oskar Sala CD, even just for historical purposes, so why not this one? (FdW) Address: Erdenklang - In Der Habbecke 18 - 59889 Eslohe - 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 . Forward to your allies. Snail mail: Frans de Waard - P.O.Box 11453 - 1001 GL Amsterdam - The Netherlands All written by Frans de Waard (FdW), The Square Root Of Sub (MP), Ching-Chong Jing-Jong (CP), Radboud Mens (RM), Sister Clika (RTH) -- 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 . Forward to your allies. 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