\ / | ----- /\ | \ / |== |== | / | \ / Week 17 \ / | | / \ | \ /\ / | | |/ | \ / Number 272 \/ | | / \ |--- \/ \/ |__ |__ |\ |__ | content: KUWAYAMA-KIJIMA (CD by GG Records) TOY.BIZARRE + LETHE - KDI DCTB 115A / 000731 (7"by 20city) NEEDLE - THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI/NOSFERATU (2CD by Elegua Records) OBJECT - RELEASE THE OBJECT (CD by Foton Records) JLIAT - NINETEEN SEVENTY FOUR (miniCD by Jliat) HAZARD - WIND (CD by Ash International) CHANTAL DUMAS - Le Parfum des femmes (CD on OHM/AVATAR) ILLUSION OF SAFETY - GRAINTEXT ILLUSION OF SAFETY - ...ODDS (CDR) MIKI YUI - LUPE LUEP PEUL EPUL (CD by 12K/Line) MICHEL BANABILA, HANNES VENNIK & BOBBY - CARDS ON THE TABLE (CD by Staalplaat) KUWAYAMA-KIJIMA (CD by GG Records) Kiyoharu Kuwayama plays the cello and Rina Kijima plays the violin. Together they are also Lethe, of which a CD was reviewed in Vital before. This disc contains three pieces, all recorded live at different locations. The first one was done at the warehouse No. 20 (I don't know where that is) and the last two were done at the construction site of an underground expressway. Now these are not your obvious recording locations, but strangely enough the acoustics are really quiet, especially considering the fact that an audience was present, at least during the first track. All tracks have a similar feel, but I can't really tell if they were written or improvised. My guess is improvisation though (I don't imagine them rehearsing a piece over and over again at a construction site). Kuwayama and Kijima are certainly playing with the acoustics of the spaces and at the same time effortlessly building up tensions and releasing them. They play very well and have obviously known each other for quite some time, because they interact very closely. At certain times one can hear one of the two move away (footsteps can be heard, great!) and come back later again. This adds a very direct spatial dimension to the music, which I appreciate very much. For those into contemporary improvisation Kuwayama and Kijima must not be missed.(MR) Adress: gg@lethe-voice.com TOY.BIZARRE + LETHE - KDI DCTB 115A / 000731 (7"by 20city) This 7" came to me on CD-R, so I'm not sure that it's actually out yet. If not, it should be out soon. This record is the result of a mail collaboration. Side A is by Toy.Bizarre, using material by Lethe. It starts with a dense drone of strings that slowly loses body and almost vaporises, then some clicks and a clonck and we're left with a qiuet crackling, that gets richer in texture afterwards. Then some weird tones are added and the piece sounds completely electronic and slowly drifts away. A very warm and gentle piece and very well done. Side B is the other way around of course: Lethe manipulating material by Toy.Bizarre. The track starts with sounds soaring through space to which a low drone is added later. Then on top of this short sounds are placed and manipulated. Everything changes slowly and gets tenser. Then it just fades away. A crafty piece of work in a very good mix. (MR) Adress: http://20city.com NEEDLE - THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI/NOSFERATU (2CD by Elegua Records) It must be no secret that I have not much with film and I almost never go to the cinema. I don't know why, but it happens. So reviewing 2 CD's that both contain soundtracks... thats no easy task. So both films are classics from the age of silent film and both I haven't seen. Both soundtracks were conceived by Needle, together with IO (The Cabinet) and with Jeswa and Otto von Schirach (Nosferatu). Needle is part of the Beta Bodega coalition and a player on the microglicthwave scene. Questions running through my head... Are the tracks in sequence with scenes? It is not said on the cover as tracks have no titles. Now if I describe both CDs from a musical point of view? Then we get two hours of electronic music, that occassionally hints towards glitch (track 12, CD 1 for instance), but in a vast majority is a continous stream of analogue sounds, drones, an occassional glitch and that is not very boring, but not very exciting at times. A sort of sonic wallpaper, but with many different motifs. It's more psychedelic trip then. Sounds float by without head and tail and it's something to drown in, then to listen close. Nice stuff, even without the running frames. (FdW) Address: www.eleguarecords.com OBJECT - RELEASE THE OBJECT (CD by Foton Records) The press release says that this CD has subtle similarities to the work of Ultraphonist and Ryoki Ikeda - I know just the latter, but yes, I think these similarities are not just subtle, but overall apparent. The blurb doesn't tell us who is behind Object, but me thinks it's from Belgium. Object uses those super high pitched sounds that we know from Ikeda and places them in a rhythmical order on tape - I assume that must be a harddisc. Over the course of a few minutes, other sounds drop in, one by one. With such lenghty tracks as Object does, his subtle fade ins may hide that there isn't enough idea for shorter and thus more tracks... humm - let's say it's minimalism at work here to be on the positive side. Even when this work has it's moments, I find it overall an average work, rather uninspired copying of other examples and without taking it into a territory that is their own. (FdW) Address: www.fotonrecords.com JLIAT - NINETEEN SEVENTY FOUR (miniCD by Jliat) I must admit I am having problems with some of Jliat's recent output. Those lenghty conceptual ramblings on silence and how they are digitally being transfered and thus sound always different, it's just not my thing. I like an interesting concept in music, but at the same time I'd like to hear something too... Either Jliat is entirely taken by his concepts, so that he hasn't had the time to do new music, here is a 16 minute some mini CD with two pieces recorded in 1974 and one in 1973. Now that's what I find interesting. Ever since the first Jliat CDs we know he did music before, so, curious cat as I am, I wondered what it sounded like. This provides a peep in history. Track one and three operate in similar veins: repeating loops played on synths and sequencer, with in track one a kind of wind instrument. Both of these tracks sound like they were heavily inspired by Terry Riley's tape machine loops. It's a pity that both are so short (the whole CD is just over 12 minutes!) as I'd love to keep them going on for some more. The second piece lasts a few seconds and contain 'studio' sounds and seems to be included as a joke to me. Curious, more curious: I wonder (hope) there is more and longer... (FdW) Address: www.jliat.demon.co.uk HAZARD - WIND (CD by Ash International) Last week the midwest in the USA was struck by a hurricane, so the newspaper shows us. Houses being blown over like matchboxes. I don't think Hazard will find many clients there for his new CD, or else it must be for therapeutic reasons. Hazard's new CD deals entirely with sound recordings of wind and weather. The recordings Hazard, aka Bennie Nilsen from Sweden, uses on this recording were made by Chris Watson. As Bennie says on the cover, and I'm sure he's right, these recordings could well released by itself, so the nature of this work must be somewhere else. There were the geographical bump onto technology. Using sampling technology and other sorts of sound processing, Hazard produced some of the finest moments captured on CD. Of course this is ambient music, but what the fuck does it matter. Wind as such is hardly recognizable at times, and is by no means threatening me. Just elegance, elegance but austere, but dark, but shady, but but. So many buts, but why? I am simply speechless about this work! (FdW) Address: www.ashinternational.com CHANTAL DUMAS - Le Parfum des femmes (CD on OHM/AVATAR) This one contains three sound short novels. Together they form "Le parfum des femmes". One piece can be listened to in two different versions. The pieces were composed by order of the german radio. And I think this is not a coincidence. If I'm right it is Germany where the tradition of 'hoerspiele' still is very much alive. Just think of the work of Heiner Goebbels. All three pieces here deal on the subject of migration. A long stay in Europe which has brought Dumas from Marseille to Berlin, provided her of this theme. The work was awarded the 1st prize at the EAR International Competition (Hungary) and also at the Phonurgia Nova International Radio Competition in 1997. Since 1993 as an independent artist she produced some twenty radio works. Audio artist Chantal Dumas explores new forms of narration through sound. "The sound contains a great deal of information telling the listener about time, action and location. Indeed it suggests images that the listener is free to interpret and absorb. Still word precedence, but in these pieces the meaning travels between soundscape, music and text". Dumas invited three women-improvisors and globetrotters: Joelle Leandre (double bass), Shelly Hirsch (voices) and Sylvia Ocougne (guitars). Voices come from different persons. Additional sounds and noises are taped and processed by Dumas I suppose. Some additional music comes from a band called the 13th Tribe. It is not correct to call this work music. Also it is not spoken word accompanied by music. All auditive elements are integrated into a whole that I'm unable to analyse and describe. I can only enjoy it. When listening to it, in your mind you immediately start to visualize the story. So it 'works' and it makes a definite effect on the listener (DM). Address: www.meduse.org/avatar ILLUSION OF SAFETY - GRAINTEXT ILLUSION OF SAFETY - ...ODDS (CDR) I am so sorry to review these two releases by Illusion Of Safety, because if you Europeans who read this, will be attracted to this and want to see IOS alive, then the small tour is over. Reports reached us that it was a great. Illusion Of Safety is since many years one of my favourite bands. From the early days of industrial ambient to industrial uptempo beats to the nowaday sound of close microphone stuff in addition to electronics, I have been a keen follower. I have my doubts about some of the older work (not just now, but back then too), the recent stuff is truely great. Dan Burke, who is Illusion Of Safety is an excellent improviser, playing concerts that easily last over an hour and which are intense listenings. No concert is similar. After a period of rest, website building, IOS are back. To download is 'Graintext' a 37 minute, six part suite of mainly resonating electronica, which occassionally slip into drones and other worldly excursions. You'll need a penny or two for the download, but it's a good place to start out with recent IOS music. "...Odds" is a CDR release which is sold at concerts only and limited to 200 copies (another reason to regret to have missed them!). It has odd pieces, some live from last year or from before but altered. It includes a fine collaboration with a violin player and some other pieces incorporating old recordings reworked on the laptop, such as a piece that was reworked in 1988 and entirely reworked into an exploding field of disturbing ambient. Maybe there are a few left when Dan returns in June for some concerts with Kevin Drumm (another serie of concerts to look forward to!) Address: www.illusionofsafety.com MIKI YUI - LUPE LUEP PEUL EPUL (CD by 12K/Line) Miki Yui is mainly a sound/installation artist from Japan, but now residing in Cologne. She does music to visual installations, theatre/dance and film. I am told this is an extension to a previous release "Small Sounds", which I missed out on. She takes samples from spaces which are natural and acoustically based and presents them in a looped form. Thus she creates this work, which has 15 tracks in rather short modes as each track is about 2 to 3 minutes long. That's the great thing about this work. Each track is quite empty, evolving around some loops, 3 or 4 within each track, but it doesn't leap into boredom. Each one is soft and warm of tones, with a small click here and there. It is suggested to play this at a "quiet, transparant level", which is maybe the same as play this softly, so that fills your space. Played late night, which I did while reading, at a soft volume, makes it into a small buzzing insect, a car that passes or the sound of a lightbulb. Excentely environmental surrounding. (FdW) Address: www.12k.com MICHEL BANABILA, HANNES VENNIK & BOBBY - CARDS ON THE TABLE (CD by Staalplaat) Whatever can be shuffled, will be shuffled. That must the philosophy behind this 3" CD entitled "Cards on the table", by Michael Banabila, Hannes Vennik and Bobby. For the creation of this rather bizarre conceptual work, the trio uses a deck of playing cards to decide when and how the sampled contributions will be combined. The entire work is based on samples of a wide range of styles including jazz, old avantgarde classic, musique concrete, kitsch, dot matrix printer-symphonies and ethno-electronics just to name a few of the expressions that awaits the listener. The overall surface has an exciting film noir-atmosphere based on slow groovy jazz melted into the shuffled sample-inferno. Divided into 28 tracks, the 18 minutes long work is fragmented into small pieces. Unnecessary to say: Random play for optimum shuffle! (NMP) Address: www.staalplaat.com 1. From: "Richard Sanderson" CLUB INTEGRAL & BAGGAGE RECLAIM present KEITH ROWE ("Keith Rowe is fly! "- Sonic Youth) TICKLISH ("More seductive than hypnotic"- The Wire) DIE TRIP COMPUTER DIE ("Simultaneously terrifying and hilarious"- Western Civilisation) Tuesday 1st May 2001 at 8pm Admission £7.00/£5.00 (concessions) 12 Bar Club, Denmark Place, London WC2 Tel- 020 7209 2249 www.12barclub.com 2. From: Justin Bennett Announcement: The exhibition "Breeze of AIR/Hortus Conclusus" opens in Rotterdam, Saturday 28 April 2001 at 17.00hrs includes a specially commissioned sound environment by Justin Bennett. Artist's projects: Maura Biava Dunne & Raby Elmgreen & Dragset Zeger Reyers Teresita Fernandez Cristina Iglesias Dennis Adams Cildo Meireles Architect's presentations: George Hargreaves Gross.Max Georges Descombes Adriaan Geuze Kamel Louafi Piet Oudolf Atelier Quadrat Charles Correa Sejima & Nishizawa Exhibtion runs... April 29 - July 1 2001. Witte de With Witte de Withstraat 50 Rotterdam. Symposium June 15,16. Architecture International Rotterdam Witte de With center for contemporary art Rotterdam more info: http://www.wdw.nl 3. From: 23five Performance Dates for Koji Asano's West Coast Tour 2001 http://www.kojiasano.com koji@kojiasano.com APRIL 26 KOJI ASANO E.S.L.trio 8PM, Luggage Story Gallery San Francisco, CALIFORNIA APRIL 27 "Moving Target Series presents" Koji Asano e=mael Taylor Brady N-Heat Jess Hilliard Kathyrn Williamson Dodie Bellamy Capp Street Community Music Centre San Francisco, CALIFORNIA APRIL 29 KOJI ASANO 4PM, Aquarius Records -in store event- San Francisco, CALIFORNIA APRIL 29 KOJI ASANO Loren Chasse 7:48PM, Acme Observatory Tuva Space 3192 Adeline St. Berkeley, CALIFORNIA. MAY 1 KOJI ASANO 8pm, CalArts Main Gallery California Institute of The Arts Valencia, CALIFORNIA MAY 3 KOJI ASANO The Smell Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA MAY 4 KOJI ASANO Dimetrodon CollectiveMark Trayle 9PM, holly matter Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA MAY 6 Beyond Music Series presents Errant Bodies KOJI ASANO AMK Christof Migone Brandon LaBelle Beyond Baroque Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA 4. From: simon crab I/O live event 26th of April the Spitz 109 Commercial Street, London E1 8pm £3. Featuring: aidsbot2000 herpub, crowd formation, lambent, bourbonese qualk duodecimo. Download tracks and Check all news on: http://www.insine.net 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)