\ / | ----- /\ | \ / |== |== | / | \ / Week 10 \ / | | / \ | \ /\ / | | |/ | \ / Number 216 \/ | | / \ |--- \/ \/ |__ |__ |\ |__ | contents: BRANDON LABELLE - TEXT EQUALS CD (CD by Errant Bodies) ERINYS - MONOPHIDELIC (3" CD-R by Furious Recording Technologies) CHING-SHEN-CHING - 1.2.3.0 (3" CD-R by NOISE@TAIWAN) CHING-SHEN-CHING - Video Works (3" VideoCD by NOISE@TAIWAN) KENNETH GABURO -Tape Play (CD by Pogus) ROBERT RICH - HUMIDITY (3CD by Hypnos) TARKATAK/ANOMONE TUBE (CDR by Transfixional Entertainment) FEAR OF DOLLS - WHEN THE ORGAN PLAYED AT TWILIGHT (CD) THE FLYING DUTCHMAN - Trip to the Core (CD on Essential Dance Music) BRUME - HYSTERICAL (CDR by Transfixional Entertainment) SONIG COMP (CD by Sonig) I8U - I8U (CD by Multimedia Pandora) plus announcements BRANDON LABELLE - TEXT EQUALS CD (CD by Errant Bodies) Brandon Labelle is one of those artists who are capable of voicing their thoughts and ideas about their work very well. He is of course co-editor of the book 'Site of Sound' (together with Steve Roden), which I haven't read yet (shame on me!), but of which the accompanying CD is very good indeed (everyone with an interest in sound art should have it; you can always read the book later, like me). This CD (which has been very well designed) comes with a booklet of ten pages and explains in clear terms what it is that Labelle is concerned with. As the title suggests, language is the main focus of his enterprises here. The fact that we rely upon language (and all its difficulties, not in the least because it has to be produced by the body with all its constraints) to communicate with others, almost directly implies the notion that we also rely on deformation, fluctuation and distortion, in other words: on music and even noise. So, on the basis of several texts by the likes of Barthes, Stein and Rimbaud, Labelle takes us on a journey into the sound producing caivty of the human being: the mouth. The ten tracks are almost ambient works of stutters, broken words and sentences and all the noises that the mouth can produce. Except for track four, which is a piano piece, based on a text by Gertrude Stein (listening to the text, writing on the piano). The good thing about this CD is that Labelle has really succeeded in eliminating the boundaries between text, language and the body. They melt into each other, the text is the body and vice versa. True sound art on the CD format.(MR) Adress: otic@earthlink.net ERINYS - MONOPHIDELIC (3" CD-R by Furious Recording Technologies) CHING-SHEN-CHING - 1.2.3.0 (3" CD-R by NOISE@TAIWAN) CHING-SHEN-CHING - Video Works (3" VideoCD by NOISE@TAIWAN) It seems that the 3" CD-R is breaking through finally and I can't say I mind. I have always liked the 3" format, because of its length and its size. It offers good possibilities for releasing specific pieces (see the Metamkine releases). The disc by Erinys brings two audio tracks and one video track. The first one is the video (with sound) and is kind of funny (featuring a drumming monkey), but not a blast. The second (audio)track is pretty noisy, using a lot of FX with feedback and some loops. The third track is the best, with delicate electronic sounds and a balanced composition. In all a nice CD. On the second disc we have three tracks, all based on ocean sounds. The fourth track is the raw material (which is almost an open invitation, of course). The first track is a composition of totally digitized material, with some noisy parts. A little too digitized, for my taste. The second track is more in the microwavy direction with different rythmical bleeps and some very nice crdony sounds. This is a pretty good piece. Track three seems to be the most ambient version, starting with a gentle drone and then introducing different bleeps. These are cut off and a soft rumble takes over, later covered with crackles and hisses. Another cut and high and mid sines form the third part of the track, later to be replaced by other crackles. Good filtering and a strong composition. This guy may hold a promise for the future. The video CD is something we will see more and more in the future, because sound editing on the computer is not very different from editing video. So why not put both on a CD? Well, besides from the fact that another discipline is involved, images tend to have a somewhat more direct meaning than sound. This becomes clear in the last clip with the title 'Deathdrome': dead embryos, dead people hanging from ropes, dead people cut up and so on. The music is not much more than a dronE (not a drome). The video has a hallucinating effect, but i am not sincerely interested in looking at dead people. So much for this track. The fourth track is totally different: abstract images (light bars and dots) accompany a microwave track (or is it the other way around?), that is structured well and is defenitely my favourite. The first three tracks are b/w videos, mainly of flowers and edited digitally. They seem more subdued than the last two. Conclusion: promising, but a risk of going over the top.(MR) Adresses: Erinys: erinys@usa.net NOISE@TAIWAN: www.noisetw.com KENNETH GABURO -Tape Play (CD by Pogus) Gaburo was born 1926 in Somerville (New Jersey). He studied at the Eastman School of Music of Rochester, the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia, Rome, Tanglewood and Princeton, and at the University of Illinois in Urbana. He was lecturer at universities in Ohio, Louisiana, Urbana and California and director of the Experimental Music Studio at the University of Iowa. In 1960 he founded the New Music Choral Ensemble, 1974 the Lingue Press and in 1977 the Institute for Cognitive Studies. He died in 1993. Most of his work are solo-efforts, made by him in the studio of some university. But although Gaburo gave birth to his music in an academic environment his music does not sound highly reflective. Most pieces on this cd work on a emotional level. The pieces represent different stages of his work and life. 5 pieces originated in the mid-sixties at the University of Illinois. One piece was created in his home studio in 1974. The other pieces were made in the studio of the University of Iowa during the 80s and 90s. Gaburo used to work alone on his music. Collaborations are rare. Only one is on this cd: 'Few' (1985) was created together with Henry Chopin. Gaburo composed a lot of electronic music. He only rarely made music for tape. So it is very nice to have it here on one cd. Gaburo also had a special interest in the use of the voice. Some pieces on this cd gave evidence of this. In the early pieces there is a very obvious mixtutre of electronically generated sound and concrete sounds. In the case of 'The wasting of Lucrecetzia' (1964) this results in a very wild piece with some very recognizable techniques like speed-up. When listening to this piece I said to myself 'the Residents must have heard this when working on 'Third Reich 'n' Roll' and other stuff'. Voices, percussion and sax playing are used here to create a very appealling madness. 'For Harry' (1966) is something different. It is dedicated to composer Harry Partch, a friend of Gaburo who maintained that his work and electronics do not go together. But Gaburo proves the opposite here. With a self-built acustical string instrument Gaburo creates sounds and timbres that are very similar to the instruments Partch designed. 'Lemon Drops' (1965) is Gaburo's jazzcomposition. In any case, it is a very jazzlike piece that proves that tape music can swing. All in all this is an interesting cd. There is not so many music available from Gaburo as far as I know. The booklet gives interesting background information, written by Warren Burt (DM). Address: pogal@frontiernet.net ROBERT RICH - HUMIDITY (3CD by Hypnos) Wow! What's there to say. More then three hours of Robert Rich captured in live concert. All from a short time span in 1998, Rich produces three entirely different concerts, of course within the limits he has set for himself. Disc one and three have 'tracks', rather then a ongoing mood piece. The tracks are crossfaded into each other to make it a long flow. Behind the wall of electronic sounds, Rich occassionally uses ethnic percussion and flutes. Luckily he hides that away a bit, because it would be too tedious. Disc two has six parts of 'Beyond' and is indeed one piece with shimmering textures and an odd bang on some ethnic drum. I am sure this release nowhere captures the real thing. Rich likes playing Sleep Concerts - music on end. This is just a home version that still gives a good impression. Perfect music for rainy sunday nights with nothing to see on TV. Utter relax music, or even, indeed, music to sleep by. Beautiful rich music. (FdW) Address: TARKATAK/ANOMONE TUBE (CDR by Transfixional Entertainment) >From the German underground two 'bands' on one CD. I write 'bands', since they have one member each. Tarkatak slowly gaines a reputation as the natural successor to Maeror Tri (aside of course Troum). His almost 30 minute piece is based on, maybe even a 'remix', who knows, something by the other band on this CD, a track curiously not on this CD. Tarkatak slides through rough and dark edges to built his own world on the guitar, samples and who knows what else. Great production with lots of attention of the detail, the base end sound good here. Anemone Tube just uses the guitar, but not in one great composition, but in 5 smaller. Which are nonetheless great. Short excursions into the same sort of territory that Tarkakat is inhabiting. Textured ambient drones with a refined character. (FdW) Address: FEAR OF DOLLS - WHEN THE ORGAN PLAYED AT TWILIGHT (CD) Sometimes I receive those CD's who seem very much out of place here, but the mailer really says: Vital Weekly. Fear Of Dolls are a rockgroup whose CD has six tracks of fairly outdated doomy rock. Accidentely I played The Cure's Seventeen Seconds last week, and I could remember every song. I don't think I will be playing this CD more then one time, even when it's not bad in their kind. It just isn't my thing, right. (FdW) Address: www.fearofdolls.com THE FLYING DUTCHMAN - Trip to the Core (CD on Essential Dance Music) Hanyo van Oosterom aka The Flying Dutchman delivers here a cd with the qualities that we are used from him and that guarantee a certain level of musical quality and recognizability etc. But by now it also starts to give some predictability to his music. Most of the pieces are built around a basis of percussive sounds as we are familiar with since the times of Chi. This basis is filled up with electronic sounds and many other instruments. The result is a collection of 12 well-balanced compositions. All played by the Dutchman himself, assisted by a few guestmusicians. New - to me as far as I know his work - is the extensive use of (a narrative voice), similar in effect as Zazou did on his 'Sahara Blue'. This makes Ciska Ruitenberg to the most prominent guest-appearence. But in spite of the obvious qualities of this cd , it failed to succeed any impression on me. More 'roughness' would be very refreshing for this kind of music that inevitably develops in the direction of muzak (DM). BRUME - HYSTERICAL (CDR by Transfixional Entertainment) To some people Brume has been a household name since ages, and to others may be just his recent CD output is known. For the obsessive collectors the CDR medium is a gift from heaven: Brume too started to wipe off the dust from old tapes and release them in beautiful digital sound. This is a collection of music that was released between 1989 and 1997, mainly on compilation cassettes, CD's etc. Brume's signature is all over this release, even when it contains older recordings. Brume, or the main man Christian Renou, is a master at putting together sound collages with a no-silence-included attitude. Everything is smeared on multitrack recorders, and mixed in one run. Voices, either recognizable or not, play an important role, together with percussive sounds. A massive, yet ever changing pallette is the best foundation he could get himself. It's not important if you are new or old to Brume, it's a damm hysterical music here. (FdW) Address: see elsewhere SONIG COMP (CD by Sonig) Of course you know Sonig - that small label run by the lads of Mouse On Mars and Cologne keyfigure Frank Dommert. Here they collect some moments of Cologne musics by Mouse On Mars and their friends. From the jumpy all over the place electronics of FX Randomiz, Mouse On Mars, Scratch Pet Land to the glitchy warm popmusics of Microstoria, du (= FX Randomiz and Jan St. Werner of Mouse and Microstoria - yes, this is an incestious city) to the dubby basses of Lithops. Out of place seems, but only seems, is Vert with a piano piece and small amplified weirdness going on. It seems out a place, but if you hear the CD everything seems odd and that makes it a strong CD. We also finally welcome C. Schulz and Hajsch. Both made great records a decade ago, but disappeared from the Cologne scene. Their piece is built around drones and intercepting sounds. In terms of 'heavy', the heaviest piece to be found here. Wang Inc.'s sweet love song closes the collection. If you still don't any Sonig release, because you don't know were to start, start here. If you have everything: this is all exclusive material and the cover is large fold out poster... (FdW) Address: sonig@a-musik.com I8U - I8U (CD by Multimedia Pandora) Sometimes I open a package and my mind drifts away: ah gothic induced lettertype, a girl badly picturedand a label called Pandora. No thank you. But when I started playing this, I was very surprised. Behind i8u is a woman who has been in the music industry for 10 years, but recentely started doing solo dark ambient. Special thanks go out to David Kristian, so that should have warned me. It sounds indeed inspired by David, in his more experimental, non rhythmical moods. Slowly envelopping sounds of dark textures and occasional bubbling of basses. Spooky stuff that could go well with movies. I was reminded of David Kristian's Cricklewood CD and I thought if i8u are such anonymous persona I wouldn't be surprised to find out it's David himself. Very dark, not at all gothic and thus very nice. (FdW) Address: 1. From: "kevin van volcem" saturday 11 march theatre DE KELK, langestraat 69, 8000 bruges, BELGIUM starts at 20.30 MIKAEL STAVÖSTRAND (sweden) BETA-SEED (belgium) 2. From: misanthropy FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Artcite Inc. Presents: John Duncan (Udine, italy) Artist's lecture: March 30, 2000, 7:30 pm @ ARTCITE INC. Experimental audio performance: Saturday April 1, 8:30 pm @ Capitol Theatre & Arts Centre, 121 University W., Windsor, ON Artcite Inc., Windsor's artist-run centre for the contemporary arts, is pleased to present a guest artist lecture, workshop and rare live performance by internationally acclaimed experimental audio, video and performance artist, John Duncan. Duncan's visit is the final presentation in the 1999-2000 "Visitors in the Arts" Lecture Series, a cooperative project of Artcite Inc., the Art Gallery of Windsor, Common Ground, the House of Toast Film & Video Collective, and the Windsor Printmakers Forum. Currently residing in Udine, Italy, John Duncan is a master of performance: creating minimal soundscapes and harshly intriguing collages of noise and visuals. He has been creating sound, video, installation and performance art projects since the 70s and has collaborated with diverse artists from the Hafler Trio to Elliott Sharp and Max Springer. Duncan's audio works have been described as "painfully beautiful in their simplicity while others border on the absurd in their extremism". Contemporary music greats have the highest opinion of Duncan: indie music legend Jim O'Rourke has cited some of Duncan's recordings among his absolute favorites. Duncan's installations, videos, audio and performance artworks have been presented internationally, most recently at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, at 20,000 Volts Performance Art Festival in Tokyo and at the Museum of Pathological Diseases in Vienna. John Duncan will present a slide lecture on his long and varied art career at Artcite Inc., Thursday, March, 30, 2000 at 7:30 pm (109 University Avenue West, Windsor). Additional attraction: Saturday, April 1, 2000, 8:30 pm at the Capitol Theatre and Arts Centre: Artcite Inc.., in conjunction with Detroit's Misanthropy and the Detroit Contemporary Gallery, is pleased to present "INSIDE", a new audio work performed live by John Duncan. This is John Duncan's only North American appearance. For further information, directions, or lodging info please contact: Artcite @ (519) 977-6564, e-mail: artcite@netcore.ca 3. From: Oscar Smit To those interested, various special webcasts by Oscar Smit in his programm 'Vuile Toon'. In each third hour (15:00-16:00) an interview: 13 march: Knitting Factory (guest: Heather Mountvan KF Europa) 20 march: Meeuw Muzak (7"single label, with Jos Moers as guest) 27 march: British Post-punk Experimental Pop (1977-1983) (with Martijn Voorvelt, who graduated on this subject) Vuile Toon every monday on internetradio 3 voor 12 at http://www.3voor12.nl 4. From: "DJ 10-4" SOLO #3 Thursday 23 March 2000 9pm - 2am, 3 pounds in (I think) Night and Day, Oldham Street, Manchester, England JJ Howard (UK) - solo electronics Ed Sprake (UK) - solo electronics, much madness Jonathan Coleclough (UK) - solo Powerbook set from this leading light of low-event-rate music who has stuff out on Staalplaat (KIP 016), on Siren/Robot and on ICR (with Andrew Chalk) and has just come back from the other end of the world Oh (Germany) Kling Klang (UK I think) DJ 10-4 (UK) with an hour's powerful and emotional disc-mixing 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 - Fagelstraat 40 - 6524 CE Nijmegen - 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), BAraka[H] (BAR), Howard Stelzer (HS), Heimir Bjorgulfsson (HB), Dolf Mulder (DM), Meelkop Roel (MR), David Cotner (DC), Rene van Peer (RVP), Jos Smolders (IS) This is copyright free publication, except where indicated, in which case permission has to be obtained from the respective author before reprinting any, or all of the desired text. The author has to be credited, and Vital Weekly has to be acknowledged at all times if any texts are used from it. Backissues may be found at: www.staalplaat.com 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: Vital Weekly/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, ), Radboud Mens (RM), Sister Clika (RTH), BAraka[H] (BAR), Howard Stelzer (HS), Heimir Bjorgulfsson (HB), Dolf Mulder (DM), Meelkop Roel (MR), David Cotner (DC), Rene van Peer (RVP), Jos Smolders (IS), Brian Lavelle (BL, ), Gerald Schwartz (GS), Niels Mark Pedersen (NMP), Henry Schneider (SH) This is copyright free publication, except where indicated, in which case permission has to be obtained from the respective author before reprinting any, or all of the desired text. The author has to be credited, and Vital Weekly has to be acknowledged at all times if any texts are used from it. Backissues may be found at: www.staalplaat.com and www.earlabs.org (this one includes a search engine)