\ / | ----- /\ | \ / |== |== | / | \ / Week 15 \ / | | / \ | \ /\ / | | |/ | \ / Number 76 \/ | | / \ |--- \/ \/ |__ |__ |\ |__ | LOSD - ORGANIC 23 (CD + 5" by Lab Records) Here's an interesting little item, prettily packaged, and recently released on Lab Records. Touted as an (aargh !) interactive DJ tool, it comprises a three track CD and a five inch record. The digital half contains three long drones all slightly similar and the five inch vinyl has 23 locked grooves cut into it. The idea ? Play the CD and mix in the grooves as you see fit. Nice idea. Users of this 'tool' are invited to send their most successful attempts to Lab Records, who plan to compile them for a British label. Well, I tried it. The drones are typically LOSD... deep, throbby things, with fragile waves of harmonics peeling off. Electronic insects click and scrape first close, then faraway. The grooves on the 5" are pretty weird... most of them generated by one or more of their collection of Korgs, and only a few are so irregular as to be slightly offputting. Never mind, use another one ! Having fiddled with this a while, I came to the conclusion that it worked better with at least two of the 5" records... or in combination with other minimal material. (I tried it with Morton Subotnick's 'Silver Apples Of The Moon' and it worked a treat). 'Course this means that you've got to have access to all the right tools, mostly a mixer, which is a necessary complication, and which sort of limits it's marketability too, unless you don't give a toss about it's mixability and dig deep drones anyway. Me, I think I prefer to sleep with the digital and groove with 5 inches. Ta. (MP) Address: Lab Records - P.O.Box 11453 - 1001 GL Amsterdam - The Netherlands SUBRAUM #9 (Magazine and 7") We didn't pay much attention to the world of printed matter lately, but here is one that should be of interest. The German written magazine Subraum covers a wide range of music and art. From Sons Of Silence, Muslimgauze, to postrockers Genf to artists as Stelarc or media investigators Agentur Bilwet. But obviously you don't speak any German, and that's where the 7" comes in. ARJ Snoek opens with a break-beat trip hop collage thing and Klaus Beyer has a German sense of humor which I don't seem to grasp - his track is about saving the forest. The flipside has a funny short track of muzak doddlings by People Like Us, then again some vague popmusic thing from 'Gunz Und Mundel' (again, probably, very funny) and a distorted rhythm piece by Muslimgauze. All exclusive stuff I am told, so fans now know where to put their money. (FdW) Address: ASMUS TIETCHENS - DAS VIEH UND SEIN VATTER (CD by Realization) Do we really need to introduce this man? I really hope not. Actively involved in producing serious electronic music since 1965, and having his first LP out in 1980. After that the work of Tietchens was rapidely released on cassettes, LP's and CD's. Largely ignored by major hype-ists that put out work of so-called "Isolationists" (who in really go out to network), Tietchens is a true isolated composer. He networks through mail, by sending his music to like-minded labels. This CD is not a new studio work, but a collection of 18 tracks, spanning 14 years of networking. Tracks released on compilation cassettes and LP's. To some dedicated followers (and count me as one) a through feast of recognition. But even for me there is news... I never could figure out who did which track on Sex And Bestiality for instance. But here are 18 (and we hasten to say: not complete at all) pieces of electronic music, musique concrete pieces and sound treatments. Tietchens main instruments remains the studio where every recorded sound is treated until you don't recognize the original source. Not exactely easy listening music but recorded with both humor and seriousness. If you missed out getting these pieces before, or you want to replace with good digital quality, then you should not hesitate to get this. (FdW) Address: 9452 Telephone Rd #116 - Ventura, CA 93004 - USA RUDE 66 - SAFETY ON HIGHWAY R66 (CD by Silver Recordings) STARFISH POOL - DANTE'S CARNIVAL (CD by Silver USA) Two new releases on the sympathetic dance label from Belgium. Rude 66 has had releases before on other labels under which is the legendary Bunker/Hot Mix, from the underground of The Hague. Up tempo techno music with lots of breaks (do I hear DJ's mumble that it is a pity it is on CD and not on vinyl?). What more should I add? Entertaining techno music. Starfish Pool aka Koen Lybaert, the boss of Silver, collected some pieces that were available on 12" before plus some new tracks. Starfish is more minimal, searching for a heavy groovy beat, only to make minimal changes by fiddling around with the EQ of a track. Yet, this is a different kind of minimalism then say Panasonic. There is much more going on within each track, but once there it stays there. In general Starfish's tracks take more time then the average Panasonic track, but on the other hand are more danceable then the average Panasonic piece. So if you missed out on some of the vinyl, then here is your second change getting it. (FdW) Address: BRUCE GILBERT - THE HARING (CD by WMO/These) Nice looking, but rather empty box (CD in paper sleeve, two printed cards and a folded text thing - but taking the size of two CD's), and a rather short CD (just under 31 minutes). From all ex-Wires, I think Bruce is the most interesting one, as he stays far away from anything that I would simply classify, in all my ignorance, as 'popmusic'. Many of his solo works are musique concrete related, sampled based works. Often comisioned for special occassions. This work contains two pieces: The Haring and a short track 'Children' (taken from an old Touch release), and both tracks deal with voices. Main course 'The Haring' focusses on tape-loops of drony rumbling, with spoken text on top, and recorded messages from answering machines. Again this might be my ignorance, but having heard it all and reading the text, I couldn't figure out what this is about. Abstract radioplay in full. Not a bad piece, but again not one of Mr. Gilbert's brilliant pieces. (FdW) Address: 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) http://www.compusmart.ab.ca/tbennett/staalplaat/st-home.htm.