============ VITAL WEEKLY ============ number 364 ------------ week 12 ------------ FLARE - HUNG (CD by Le Grand Magistery) ELECTRONIC FOREST (CD by HS Recordings) STOP - NILOMTAPOUX (CD on Simple Logic Records) TU M' - POP INVOLVED (CD on Fallt/Ferric) FRED FRITH & JEAN DEROME & PIERRE TANGUAY & MYLES BOISEN - ALL IS BRIGHT, BUT IT IS NOT DAY (CD by Ambiances Magnétiques) NOWE:LE (CD on Vivo Records) HAT MELTER - UNKNOWN ALBUM (LP by Crouton) TIMEBLIND - MOST EYE, THE RASTABAMBA REMIXES (CD by Orthlong Musork) PETER WRIGHT - DISTANT BOMBS (CD by Apoplexy) AVAILABLE FROM NAMKE COMMUNICATIONS (CDR by Fencing Flatworm Recordings) BECK/HESSION/THOMAS - THE THREE B'S (CDR by Fencing Flatworm Recordings) IN BRINE (CDR by Fencing Flatworm Recordings) FRONTIER LIFE - BANDA SONORA (CD compilation by Accretions) REGIVAR - AFAIRYTALEELATYRIAFA (CDR by S'Agita Recordings) ANOFELE - AKOE (CDR by S'Agita Recordings) KALM (CDR by S'Agita Recordings) MICHEAL BYRON - AWAKENEING AT THE INN OF THE BIRDS (CD by Cold Blue) CHAS SMITH - AN HOUR OUT OF SESERT CENTER (CD by Cold Blue) CONVERTER - EXPANSION 1.3.1 (3" CD by Ant-Zen) CONVERTER - EXPANSION 1.3.2 (3" CD by Ant-Zen) CLETUS - MELBA (CD by Cane Andaluso) LAMINAR - MANIFOLD (CD by JDK Productions) PATRICK PHELAN/ULTRASOUND (split 7" on Jonathan Whiskey Records) MY EDUCATION (7" on Jonathan Whiskey Records) PHILIP SAMARTZIS - MORT AUX VACHES (CD by Staalplaat) FLARE - HUNG (CD by Le Grand Magistery) Flare are New York's neo-alterna-folk duo Charles Newman and LD Beghtol. Their latest effort is a set of a dozen haunting tracks destined for greatness. Beghtol's shimmering voice clashes quaintly with his hirsuit beary frame and has flavors of random planets as inhabited by the likes of the Beach Boys, Morrissey and Magnetic Fields (with whom he has recorded with and toured). These are love songs for the forlorn and hopeful. The acidic 'School of New York' complete with glockenspiel, harmonium, and other varied stringed things is a searing misanthrope watching the ships passing poison in the neon lit night. Beautifully realized by a large roster of musicians, this melancholy set of derangements such as 'Like Is A Strong Word' prove there is a spark of cynicism left in the world. The track is an adjectival diatribe about the fleeting brevity of passersby and other aquaintences. Painstakingly wry, this journey seems as if it were pent up and plotted for years. 'If/Then' is a Beatlesesque, self-portrait of a man in the throws of love's great indifference and the larger recognition of questionable identity in another's eyes. Newman's lovely piano keeps things moody and longingly paced. In its saddening, harsh reality the song dares to ask the questions that we all wonder about when fielding the boundaries of relationships in transformation. With a line that goes 'If I ever shaved my beard, would you never shed a tear?...God forbid I'd ever be your fantasy' you know this has been lived and breathed. Throughout Hung are a multitude of macho street images and questioning reflections. There is a certain grounding to their attitude on this, their sophomore full-length disc - a sensibility of been-around-the-block-and-back-again attitude. '(Don't Like) The Way We Live Now' is a contemporary reflection on technology's omni-present takeover of all forms of personal communication in the form of a druken conversation and a possible blind date gone awry. Drama is the key component of the fare on this rare melodic record. Flare adds Stephin Merritt on its 'Glitter' which starts with a nursery rhyme as read by a bewildered child. Its acerbic refrain 'Watch me glitter and be gay, watch me piss it all away' speaks volumes about the venomous and loaded double entendres packed to the gills throughout. The overtones of well-worn emotions are in apparent abundance on Hung, a record to be reckoned with for fans of Antony and the Johnsons and all those aforementioned. (TJN) Address: http://www.magistery.com/ ELECTRONIC FOREST (CD by HS Recordings) Electronic Forest (Matthew Florianz, Joris de Man and Erik t'Sas) releases an orchestral ambient project that has a lightness of being. This one hour+ excursion is a multi-layered fusion of dark entries and smoky mazes. Having started the recording process in 2001, this young trio had many twists along the way before seeing their project surface. But as it does it glides right alongside works by vidnaObmana, Robert Rich and Saul Stokes. Sand is one of those tracks that has a luminosity akin to floating above a mirror, suspended by its own reflection. This is clearly the type of work that is indicative of collaboration with filmmakers and others. Blending synths and guitars with other sound hybrids these guys have set out to make music evocative of late night suspense and early morning foggy ambiguity. (TJN) Address: http://www.hsrecordings.co.uk/ STOP - NILOMTAPOUX (CD on Simple Logic Records) Stop is an ambient project out of Poland. In a limited edition of only 50 copies Nilomtapoux is reminiscent of works by Brume or Maeror Tri at first listen. A rattle and hum that at times sounds like a rocket preparing for lift off on Semisong. For a moment everything sounds in reverse on the dronefest Nice Dice, its assorted engines and watery crevices. And so it goes, with dramatic warping of knobs and wires, this noise is at times chaotic, at times harmonious and settling. Though this is certainly not easy listening, as the racket on the ravaging Motherfucker will attest. This is certainly the aftermath of a anthropomorphic invasion of deserted wastelands by a being that doesn't sound tickled to be there. The inherent anger in the piece has a certain subtlety that gives it dramatic credence. During its eleven minutes there is a whole range on tonalities and other assorted sounds, fading finally into a vortex of crunchy white noise. Information uses voiceover samples in multiple languages, though they are truly only part of a larger weave of symbiotic restraint. This powerful release by a virtual unknown could dual with any recent Merzbow recording, though its limited release will only inspire few. So I guess for now this is somewhat of a secret - hmmm, reminds me of how the current underground developed in the first place. Comes in a lovely handmade sleeve depicting a knife-wielding humanoid in an embossed woodcut. The graphic does not fully speak of the contents, though illustrates a certain dangerous metaphor for further listening. (TJN) Address: http://www.simlog.republika.pl/ TU M' - POP INVOLVED (CD on Fallt/Ferric) Italian sound artists tu m' are up to something. Something quite clever indeed. This full-length disc incorporates 14 tracks, all quite plotted and somehow free sounding. These somewhat prolific artists have been known to dabble in single sound sources like glass, though here they take their blend of microelectronics to a much layered place, sounds of comic industry, airy blips and incidental beats. This release just plain floats and drifts at times and then uses a series of complex manipulated filters and gadgets to create unique atmospheres that do not rip off other like-minded artists - this is a dedicated new voice on the horizon. There is a wise blend of trad-Japanese strings that get channeled into the glitch in a 'look mom no hands' way. Sounds like a harmonium in an opium den. There are some fleeting circus antics and other alternate effects and maybe even some artificial intelligence. This is evolved sound for the post Logan's Run generation, like the way we once envisioned things that became, say, the microwave oven, the G4Cube or even the Segue. The whirring zip of choppy resonant bursts pave the way for a brighter patterned repetitive mix. The closing track, with its dizzying Steve Reich-like delay/repeat, leaves the listener wondering about a sequel. Fallt is building a curio cabinet of curated sound, a finer selection for those with advanced aural taste in those things which are minute and sculpted, finite and organic, digital and informed. Pop Involved is one of those rare limited edition releases that is a must for any fan of Daniel Menche to Goem to Zoviet France to Kim Cascone. (TJN) Address: http://www.fallt.com/ FRED FRITH & JEAN DEROME & PIERRE TANGUAY & MYLES BOISEN - ALL IS BRIGHT, BUT IT IS NOT DAY (CD by Ambiances Magnétiques) On 18-02-2002 these four gentlemen came together in a studio in Oakland. Frith had brought his guitar with him. Derome had his saxophone and many other wind-instruments as well as some little percussion instruments in his suitcase. Tanguay arrived with his drums and all kinds of objects. The fourth musician, Boisen came with empty hands and did the real-time sound manipulation. The idea was to spend the day with spontaneous improvisations, to be processed in real time by engineer Myles Boisen. 8 pieces found their way to the cd format and are availbale now on this new release on Ambiances Magnétiques. Frith's first release of improvised music was his album 'Guitar Solos', released in 1974. This one was engineered by David 'White Noise' Vorhaus. The liner notes say: "No overdubs were used, the music is heard as it was played......The only sounds not produced 'naturally' by guitar or prepared guitar are those of the fuzz box..." So the task of the engineer here was only to register. To the listener these quotes want to make sure that he trusts his ears: yes, you hear it as it was played. And yes, it is the guitar that ptroduces all these strange sounds. So don't question it. With 'All is bright, but it is not Day' we have a situation that is very different. Here the engineer is the fourth musician. "Real-time processing is a fundamental asset here, as the new sound matter it brings forward have a radical effect on the perception of music." I'm not sure what kind of technology is involved here and what use Boisen made of it. I suppose that during the playing of the trio he alters the music according to his own musical intuitions and gives the music it's definite shape. So on the one hand it may remain a question if we hear the music as it was played by Derome, Frith and Tanguay. But on the other hand it is no question at all if we emphasize the role the fourth player: engineer Boisen. He is responsible not only as an engineer but also as a musician in the recording of the music. By the way Myles Boisen is also guitarist, member of the Splatter Trio and played with many West Coast improvisors, Rova, Club Foot Orchestra, etc. As a recording engineer, Myles started in 1979 and worked since on about 150 productions. Derome and Tanguay know each other from numerous cooperations since 1980. Allthough the four know each other from other occasions, they work together here for the first time. Together these four musicians present here their first cooperation. The cd opens with somebody laughing painfully. Another voice says: "that's is an interesting technique" Gradually the laughing is adopted by the players and the music starts to develop. Does all technique and technology end up in interesting music? Yes, some briljant moments are catched here: strange magical sounds, dark atmospheres. At other moments humour and childlike tunes takes over. But I like it most because it is an convincing experiment. Ending up in interesting blend of live impro music and real time processing. (DM) Address: http://www.actuellecd.com NOWE:LE (CD on Vivo Records) The tag line on the back of this disc reads "the psyhedelica ambience to the coldness of computers into ethnical ex-perimetronics via the Texan desert". On this compilation Poland's Vivo Records brings together artists from Japan, the US and Poland in what sounds like a pretty promising set to base other like collections in the future. Opening with Maciek Szymczuk's track Uruk the listener is immediately bathed in a vibration of quiet, sensitive harmony with just the right amount of hiss and crackle. Japanese soundsters Filmfilter and Atsuo Kumagai offer their unpredictable Nonstopfilm which sounds like a muted, contorted remix of Squarepusher, with some aural two-stepping The beat is, the beat is, the beat is furious and flavorful. At about midpoint the track shifts to include moan and groan grinding and tinkly bells and offbeat meandering. Let's do the time warp again. The first of three tracks by US-based Yume is Born In Spring which is a very, very quiet lullaby, almost an aphorism. Their track C4 is a haunted, winding soundtrack to perhaps a lost forest. It crawls ans creeps with the subtle essence of a music box in the background. This could have been sound editing scrapped from the Blair Witch Project, it has an assumed horror. Poland's Zenial/ Palsecam vs. Maciek Szymczuk offer There's No Way, in the class of those on imprints such as ~scape, Mille Plateaux and Raster-Noton. It's uplifting presence is warm and glowing and filled with all sorts of microsoundscapes. Phasmid offers two tracks here. Mehr Licht is a slow boiling ambient wash meets sleepy lounge beat rhythm. The collection also includes warped tracks by Shapethrower and Alphabet1. (TJN) Address: HAT MELTER - UNKNOWN ALBUM (LP by Crouton) Jon Mueller, Steve Hess, Jeff Klatt and Matt Turner make up this new montage known as Hat Melter. Unknown Album is a limited edition 12" vinyl disc in a special hand made packaging. Like a warped jazz quartet, these gents prepare percussion and bend string instruments into submission with electronics to spare. The editing is the magic in this land of sound sculpture. Bits and pieces, cryptic informal gestures and improvised spare moments make this release an intriguing listen. This 33 1/3 includes two tracks and runs about the same length at just about 33 minutes. The cymbal screetch and hollow bow remind me of lazy afternoon chamber orchestras warming up for Sunday brunch, while the hired help dashes throughout to futz with everything in sight. Their ties askew, still wearing sneakers and not quite yet in tune - but coming together as a collective, slowly easing towards a rightful note. Here the note is a bit more spatial and ominous, but still melodic and investigatory. Hat Melter may leave you in a poker faced grimace, stunted for a moment in time. (TJN) Address: http://www.croutonmusic.com/ TIMEBLIND - MOST EYE, THE RASTABAMBA REMIXES (CD by Orthlong Musork) Every so often a painter, a sculptor, a writer or a musician is lucky enough to have that one moment where all of the elements involved in creating their piece come together. Whether it's the ideas falling in place, the time of day, the noise outside or any number of variables, these moments are usually few and far between. Orthlorng Musork's Timeblind seemed to have all of the elements in place, while recording his masterpiece, 'The Rastabomba' on last year's album, 'Rugged Redemption.' Apparently, the track was recorded around 5am soon after moving to New York City, while the water pipes in his apartment ruptured and his hard disc crashed. Some are so lucky. All kidding aside the track is a monster, which has been reinterpreted by the likes of Kid 606, Kit Clayton, Dj Rupture and the super collider (the software, of course) maestro, himself. The Most Eye Remixes each carry the persona and characteristics of the individuals with production duties. Mostly revolving around Ragga themes and subtleties, all of the remixes involve the imminent dub stabs and granular ramblings of a Rasta radio host discussing his frustrations on political and socio-economic issues, both found on the original track; the only exception being Dj Rupture’s mix, which substitutes the deep male vocals for a sexier female vocal text. Kit Clayton’s powerhouse mix is built on heavy bass stabs, while Timeblind's own mix is a rough, edgy noise piece that induces internal bleeding. There is so much going on underneath the obvious. Listen closely. With the original track, 4 remixes and 2 Timeblind bonus mixes (which were the standout tracks for me) you can’t go wrong! The beats will induce bodily movements, whether you like it or not. (GK) Address: http://www.musork.com PETER WRIGHT - DISTANT BOMBS (CD by Apoplexy) Christchurch New Zealand's Apoplexy label head Peter Wright branches out on his own in a rash of multi-instrumentation including strings, bottles and other electronics. This seven track disc is an overview of disorder and isolation. Quiet spaces in which the background overwhelms all else - just a faint drift of ambience at points, partly drone-harmony, partly atmospheric. Distant Bombs is an unusual diversion, its mantra - trance induction on contact. This man uses the bow towards an end that realizes a complex wash of daydreams. Steve Roach comes to mind while listening to Claymore, a surrealist piece distended by its tonal shift. As the disc closes with Undertow, Wright sings about "falling down in the water" accompanied by a mesmerizing guitar riff. At once this is a new bead on a larger string of versatile musicians. This would be of interest to fans of Legendary Pink Dots and the like . (TJN) Address: http://www.go.to/apoplexy AVAILABLE FROM NAMKE COMMUNICATIONS (CDR by Fencing Flatworm Recordings) BECK/HESSION/THOMAS - THE THREE B'S (CDR by Fencing Flatworm Recordings) IN BRINE (CDR by Fencing Flatworm Recordings) CDR labels that try to look like real labels carry my sympathy. Fencing Flatworm is such a label. Professional colour xerox covers, a wide variety of underground music types: it all makes sense here. Recentely the got rid of the jewel cases, and now pack everything in plastic wallets, that is probably more economic. Their two recent normal audio releases, display their interest into very different types of music. Namke is a collective of people making music, without telling very much who does what. It seems to me that 'Available From Namke Communications' is more a compilation then by one artist. The five tracks are strange, but well-fitting overview of underground techno music of the last ten years. The first two tracks 'Polaxemer' and 'Seen From Beneath The Waves' could easily been on Artificial Intelligence compilations of the early nineties, or part of a Namke CD on Warp. But 'Not.All.There' and 'Radiophobic' are much more closely to the recent click and cut movement, and sound like Pole influenced: warm, clicky and dubby. They fit however well together on this CD. I can imagine that one would like to know more as to whom did what, but life is like that, I guess. The contrast with the Beck/Hession/Thomas disc couldn't be greater. Mick Beck plays reeds, Paul Hession plays percussion and Pat Thomas plays keyboards. Their six live tracks were recorded at the Termite Club Festival in Leeds in November 2000. They play hardcore improvised music, free jazz with a noise attitude. In 'Boracic Lint', the keyboards play a prominent role in a jazz rocky/Sun Ra style. High energy disc, and certainly not for the weak at heart. I'll be honest about the final disc. I haven't played this entirely yet. This CDR contains all music from nineteen Fencing Flatworm in MP3 format, plus additional texts, covers etc. Flipping through all this music, one discovers a wide variety of musical styles, from the minimalism of Midwich (either drones or rhythms) and Neil Campbell to the acid music of DJ Wank Chops, laptopnoise of Klunk and the seventies inspired cosmic music of Truant. It's all there. This is definetely a nice idea to present it like that and playing it on random shuffle mode will surely bring you a pleasent day or so of nice underground music. (FdW) Address: http://www.fencingfaltworm.cjb.net FRONTIER LIFE - BANDA SONORA (CD compilation by Accretions) The film 'Frontier Life: Banda Sonora' is about life outside the media cultivated Sin City Heritage and 'searches for the heart and identity of a city that is much more than a cantinastrewn throwback to the Old West. The film interweaves stories of car worship, drag racing, wastewater treatment and new musical hybrid that announces the shape of things to come' - needles to say that I haven't seen this film, but it sounds interesting. The music on this soundtrack is by members of the Nortec Collective (from Tijuana) and Trummerflore Collective (San Diego) and artists from the borderland as well by Hans Fjellestad, who is also the director and producer of this documentary. So far all the information from the cover and the press text, what kind of music does one expect? I expected some desolated dessert music, slide guitars, Calexio inspired music, but I was entirely wrong. Twelve tracks of hip electronica, break beats, lush melodies, rhythmmachines and samples. I am not sure how the reflect life in the US/Mexican border area, but only in the 10th track, by Marcos Fernandes, spanish text samples pop up against a swirling mix of loops and electronica. Although the music on this CD is quite alright, I must hasten to add that they also sound interchangeable. There is a great unity in the music, which of course is fine, but it reduces the seperate artists to a bit of faceless mass. Oh well, maybe it's about time to see the film then. The music is promising enough. (FdW) Address: http://www.accretions.com REGIVAR - AFAIRYTALEELATYRIAFA (CDR by S'Agita Recordings) ANOFELE - AKOE (CDR by S'Agita Recordings) KALM (CDR by S'Agita Recordings) In Vital Weekly 330 a previous release by Regivar was discussed. That was a pretty old one (recorded in 1999), but this new double CDR release by this composer from Italy is more recent. Just on her previous release, the emphasis here lies in the realm of synthesizers, certainly on the first disc and samples, more so on the second disc. Alongside the synths, she uses a whole bunch of environmental sounds, which are not always easy to identify, water is certainly one them. Both discs have just one piece, one is sixty-four minutes and one thirty-eight. As on her previous release, the music to be found here is overall dark, ambient and has a filmic character. Long shots of empty nature I'd say, when I hear this, or maybe desolated industrial sites (certainly if one chooses the second disc). In the constant search for new Italian talent, S'Agita found Anofele, who is Adriano Scerna, one half of the duo Kar (see also Vital Weekly 357). He released his first solo CDR himself, but his second is now S'Agita. Adriano uses field recordings and percussion, which he assembles on a minidisc multi-track. The voices and atmospheres on 'Ghnome? Akoe', the opening track, reminded me of Scanner, until half way through it more unfolds into an ambient piece. In the other three pieces, unearthly rumbling is a most common feature, either from rhythmical scrapings or thunder from above. The rhythmical scrapings are not like Test Department or anything, but rather a continous investigation of objects. The overall atmosphere is dense and dark. Kalm is an extended work of collaboration between members of Kar, Anofele, Logoplasm and Maath. All of the people are from Rome. In the summer of 2002 they recorded various improvised sessions together, without audience, and then each went home to transform, remix or re-investigate the recordings. Without wanting to generalise too much, the four persons involved in this have a strong similar taste for the darker ambient in combination with field recordings and doodlings made with the use of contactmicrophones. In the two shorter tracks by Kar this works quite rhythmically, but in the track by Maath, with thirty two minutes by far the longest, everything is in a dense, long mood and the atmospheres play an important role. It's an interesting disc this one, with a nice concept, but also one for the true lovers of the genre. (FdW) Address: http://sagitarecordings.vze.com MICHEAL BYRON - AWAKENEING AT THE INN OF THE BIRDS (CD by Cold Blue) CHAS SMITH - AN HOUR OUT OF SESERT CENTER (CD by Cold Blue) With the arrival of these new Cold Blue CD's, I strongely begin to wonder if Cold Blue is seriously interested in opening up the new age market. Apperentely Micheal Byron's music has two different characters: a sereen one and one of 'nearly savage relentlessness'. I am still puzzled if these five pieces are from both categories or just one. The first two pieces have sustained lines played on a synth with a string quartet and a doublebass. Certainly, when the sun is shining so bright like this morning and the cold spring wind refreshes the air, it is nice backdrop music. 'Evaporated Pleasure' is a piece for piano four hands, but it couldn't really bother me. The same hasty character can be found in the title piece, which is a string quartet piece._ The final piece, with just three minutes also the shortest on the disc, is a solo piano piece, nice and quiet. So, I must admit I have some problems with this. The serenity pieces are a tad bit too much new agey for me, and the so-called savage pieces are not really savagey enough for me, I guess. Just the piano piece at the end came off in a nice Satie-like way. I am not sure how I ever found out about Chas Smith, maybe it was a catalogue description that made me curious. His old 10" and LP were interesting enough to get hold off. Then afterwards I heard his more recent CDs on Cold Blue, but here too, I think Cold Blue is going too much over to new age territory. The metallic hammerings, the minimalist overtones are gone so it seems and replaced by a steady wash of sounds. 'A '75 Scircura', the final piece on this disc is so drenched out in reverb, that the soundsources that were fed into the reverb machines are almost redundant. One long wash of sounds fade in and fade out, they could have easily been digital synths, rather then pedal steel guitars. Maybe the darker undercurrents of the pieces may prevent that new age lovers step right in, but it seems to come very close. In the other, somewhat shorter pieces the metallic side comes up, especially in 'Absence Of Redemption', which is the most abstract and atonal piece here. (FdW) Address: http://www.coldbluemusic.com CONVERTER - EXPANSION 1.3.1 (3" CD by Ant-Zen) CONVERTER - EXPANSION 1.3.2 (3" CD by Ant-Zen) Apocalyptic sounds from one of the true masters of Power Noise. Entering the Ant-Zen camp with the debut-album "Shock front" in 1999, Converter quickly became one of the important flagships alongside Imminent (Starvation) and Synapscape on the legendary label of rhythmic Noise. From beginning Scott Sturgis (a.k.a. Converter, ex-Pain Station travelled somewhere between danceable EBM and harsh waves of Noise brutality. Previous album "Blast furnace" though took a step further towards the harsh territories. A great development that has been fulfilled on these two 3"-cd's, where the EBM friendly dance floor moments have been left behind giving way to some over-the-top power electronics swirling inside orgies of rhythmic distortions. Tribal dance of the insane, rave of the dead or a dark sonic expression of the present global political situation...! No matter what we are dealing here, this is true sadistic excellence! (NMP) Address: www.ant-zen.com CLETUS - MELBA (CD by Cane Andaluso) This is an Italian band, which consist mainly of Marco Palmieri (who wrote all the songs) and two others (the computer font makes it hard to read), who are helped by various other people, of which Frencken Terry Ann does the voice on 'Tamaki', which is sung in dutch (of course much to my pleasent surprise). It could have been a one person band, because much of the music seems to come out of a box - the sampler. Sampled down beat rhythms, loungy guitars and a nice bass. Strange thing about most of the tracks is that seem to be breaking down half way through. Sometimes they built up again, but also they completely change direction. That is a bit strange, as if Cletus doesn't know what to do exactely; but maybe it's a deliberate method of working. But it sort of adds a nice experimental touch the music. The track with the dutch vocals, is the only one that has them, apart from a station call here and there. A likewise curious piece is 'Sima Day' which starts out with the sampled Ringo Star drumming of 'Strawberry Fields' - a classic piece of drums to sample. In all it's a very relaxing aswell as entertaining CD, in a nice package (well, apart from the writing). (FdW) Address: http://www.spazio.org LAMINAR - MANIFOLD (CD by JDK Productions) Laminar's first disc, released by Soleilmoon Recordings, some years ago, didn't make it to these pages, but here is their second disc. Laminar is the project by one Fred Szymanski, who has quite career in music (which is kept secret) and is also a video artist. With his latest project Laminar he deals with noise: sounds that nobody likes or wants, or even gets refused and thrown away. He takes these sounds and throws them in the computer, samples and transforms these. Sometimes we are to recognize some of these sounds, like wheels turning over some surface. But most of the times we are served a thick mass of sounds, processed beyond recognition. Laminar's music certainly stays within the realms of noise and industrial music, with those thick clouds of sound, but it's more then just that. Fred adds dynamics to his pieces and the noise doesn't stay on just one level. It moves back and forth through sound effects and digital processings. By using the methods of cut and paste, plus the dynamics of the sounds themselves, he pushes the boundaries of industrial music. Not by a generic, monolith mass of feedback noise, but via a clever and intelligent form. It's nothing new or shocking what he does, but in the world of noise music, this is at least something new to try and chance what is already known. That in itself is a major revelation in this otherwise conservative type of music. Plus it is a pleasent disc. The reverse of music of Gunther, Chartier or Meelkop, but then louder, thicker and massive. Something to check out if you left noise music some time ago. (FdW) Address: http://www.jdkproductions.com PATRICK PHELAN/ULTRASOUND (split 7" on Jonathan Whiskey Records) MY EDUCATION (7" on Jonathan Whiskey Records) Even when maybe 80% of all music reviewed here comes on CD, I must say I still vinyl, and at that 7"s more then LPs. I am sucker for all those small labels, like Static Caravan, Earworm or Awkard Silence. Jonathan Whiskey is a new label for me, but judging upon these two releases, I should add it to my list of favourites. The first 7" is a split affair with Ultrasound and Patrick Phelan. Patrick was a member of Minnow and the ambient South, both of whom I never heard. On his solo record he plays just guitar and sings. He does that in a rather melancholical touch, but light hearted. Maybe this is singer-song writer stuff, which I maybe wouldn't like, but it sounds nice. A moody piece. Ultrasound on the other side do whatever they do, at their best. A viola, guitar, slide guitar and drones play a laidback tune, minimal and drony. Maybe it's the same thing that they have been doing forever but I find their sound to be more open these days. The seperate instruments play their part and even when it's drone affair, it's still recognizable. Of Ultrasound fame is Kirk Laktas, who plays also in My Education, whose self-released debut was discussed in Vital Weekly 317. My Education has members of Stars Of The Lid, Ultrasound and Cinders, but sound much more prog-rock, krautrock with pounding drums. Like their CD, their sound comes close to that of Godspeed You Black Emperor, but certainly on the b-side it's more open and light. The only problem here is that with this kind of music, which needs a longer development, the format of a 7" might be too short. But otherwise, very nice too. (FdW) Address: http://www.normanrecords.com MY EDUCATION - 5 POPES (self released CD) Admist all the click 'n electronica normally reviewed in these pages, it's a delight to hear good ol' distorted guitars and pounding drums in a heavy space rock mode. My Education hail from Texas and has former and current members of Stars Of The Lid, Ultrasound and Cinders. I don't know Cinders, but being very familiar with the other two, I can assure you that My Education has nothing in common with Stars of The Lid and Ultrasound, other then maybe, though not important, trance inducing music. But whereas the other two bands evoke music by layering dense drone textures, My Education have a continous rhythm and a wall of guitars, occassionally coloured by keyboards. My Education have no less then seven members of which three play guitar, two violin, one drummer and one for the keys. At times a pompous sound that is in vein of Godspeed You Black Emperor, sometimes like F/i and sometimes prog rock/symphonic rock (which is ok, I never disliked Electric Light Orchestra). I don't think My Education does anything that I haven't heard before in any of the genres but to slag them down as mere copyists, may not justify the quality and enjoyment I had of playing their CD. (FdW) Address: PHILIP SAMARTZIS - MORT AUX VACHES (CD by Staalplaat) Philip Samartzis is one of the most innovative artists on the Australian sound art scene. Apart from a few releases on the excellent Australian Dorobo label, he has collaborated with a number of leading sound artists abroad. Latest release in the excellent Mort Aux Vaches-series presents three stylishly quite different projects approximately lasting for one hour. First track "Variable resistance" opens the show with low audible timbres, glitches and discreet noises that after a few minutes give way to a wide range of natural sounds from various field recordings, sometimes repetitive but otherwise constantly developing. Second track "Deconstructed windmills" opens slowly with short frequency sinewaves reminding of Panasonic (pre-Pan Sonic) that suddenly fades into pure silence until the next wave of noise flushes. Generally "Deconstructed windmills" is minimal in its expression, both being hypnotic in its repetitive sounds and quite noisy thanks to the use of high frequency sounds. Final track "Soft and loud" opens with some metallic percussive sounds followed by almost painful screeching sounds that suddenly penetrates and then disappears again. During the first part, the track constantly changes between silence and noise. Soon after deep rumbling subtle drones occur together with electroacoustic noise sounds gained from the use (or misuse) of various music instruments. "Soft and loud" is the most remarkable piece of work on the album sounding like a strange combination of Einstürzende Neubauten, Oval and Edgar Varese. Using a great variation in his sonic expression, Philip Samartzis certainly demonstrates his talent as an electroacoustic sound artist on this great edition of Mort Aux Vaches. (NMP) Address: http://www.staalplaat.com 1. From: "pbruyn" Midnight reading-performance by Edward Ka-Spel Legendary Pink Dots-frontman presents his book in Haarlem, Holland On Tuesday march 25, 2003, at midnight sharp, Edward Ka-Spel will read from his recent released book 'Love and Loud Colors' in Nieuwe Vide Centraal at Verwulft in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Universal citizen Ka-Spel is nothing less than a rock-shaman and singer/lyricist of the psychedelic collective Legendary Pink Dots for more than twenty years. The performance in Haarlem will be surrounded by veejaying and soundscapes. The entrance fee is 5 Euro, but because there are very limited tickets available, it is nessecary to make a reservation by email to Martijn Lucas Smith: mls@vide.xs4all.nl 2. From: Christina Kubisch CHRISTINA KUBISCH IN SWEDEN In March and April 2003 Christina Kubisch is working in Stockholm on a IASPIS residency. During her stay she can be reached via email (kubisch@snafu.de) -- March 8 - April 1, 2003 "Power Flower", sound installation Vita Kuben, Norrlands Opera, Umea opening March 8: live performance for a dancer, solar panels and sound devices choreography/dance: Lotta Melin (Stockholm) live sound: Christina Kubisch -- March 24 - April 3, 2003 workshop at Kungl. Konsthögsskolan (The Royal University College of Fine Arts): site specific sound installation -- April 3 - May 4, 2003 "Blue hour" light/sound installation Royal Academy of Fine Arts, IASPIS Gallery, Stockholm April 3, 2003: opening performance with Lotta Melin -- April 3, 2003 lecture at EMS (Electronic Music Studio), Stockholm -- April 9, 2003 lecture at IASPIS, Stockholm -- April 16, 2003 talk with Magnus Haglund, Academy of Fine Arts, Gothenburg -- production of a piece for Radioteatern (Radio Drama), commissioned by Swedish Radio, date of broadcast to be announced. 3. From: Earational Organisation EARATIONAL 2003 (6th edition) friday march 28th - sunday april 6th annual festival for modern electronic music and audioart 's-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands concert-venues: De Melkfabriek Muziekcentrum w2 Concertzaal installation-venues: Nova Zembla Produtiehuis Brabant participating artists: Jos Smolders (NL) Alignment + Tappo Kontakt (NL / UK / DE) dj DMDN (NL) Gareth Mitchell (UK) 87 Central (USA / NL) dj Lonely (SE / NL) the lappetites (UK / DE / JP) The Hafler Trio (UK / IS) Twine + Phase4 (USA) Pan Sonic (FI / ES / DE) dj ip@bip-hop.com (FR) Kevin Blechdom (USA / DE) Nanospeed (DE) dj Klaatu (FR) Cray (AU) Clark Kent (DE) Géographique (BE) Sonic Wargame (INT) Peter Luining (NL) Ticklish (UK) Ilios (GR / ES) Achim Wollscheid (DE) Derek Holzer (USA / NL) + Bas van Koolwijk (NL) Ad van Buuren (NL) Bram Vreven (BE / NL) Stijn Stabbinck (BE) For more info: www.earational.org (Macromedia's Flash 5.0+ plugin required, MSIE and soundcard recommended) 4. From: "Jos lesueur" L'ATELIERS 6 TER, RUE ISAMBARD - 27000 EVREUX - FRANCE PHONE : 02 32 62 97 57 - MOBILE : 06 12 59 25 18 informations : l'ateliers :: pedro.somewood@club-internet.fr naninani corporation :: naninanicorp@free.fr L'ATELIERS & naninani presents :: ::: TORE HONORE BÖE ::: (microacoustic sounds collage on self-made analog laptops) + ::: TROUM ::: (post-industrial dronists) stands : transgredient/drone records, tore h. böe, naninani mail-order. gig date : friday march 28, 2003. place : 6 ter, rue isambard - 27000 evreux - france doors open : 8 pm performances : 9 pm entrance : still a secret (not a lot anyway !) contact us for more informations. franck dubois (l'ateliers) - jos-laj 5. From: martijn Friday 21 Maart - Stichting Mixer visits Sonorama - -Martijn Tellinga & D.Roosen play "Get Back" This duo has produced a Contemporary Urban Horror-film. A fragmented performance, going through numerous short scenes and intermezzos. Several previous improvised collaborations have now come to an actual production about a girl, a gun and the getting of Back; an obscure cinematic and aural experience.. -Radboud Mens A sound-artist from Amsterdam whose work is rooted in and continues to develop within the broadest definition of contemporary music. Mens uses electronic technology to render audible microscopic sound processes. His sound-world is in a constant state of spatial and temporal flux, and incorporates found sound and influences from the media. Radboud Mens' performances for 2002 include the Mutek Festival (Montréal), Dot Nu, Garage Festival, Stubnitz, Steim, Argos Festival, Gallery De Appel, November Music, Geraeuschwelten IV and Times Up. For 2003 so far: Club Transmediale in Berlin, the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Audio.NL label showcase at Podewil in Berlin. Sonorama is located at the Hooghuis Vossenstraat 10, Arnhem starts 21:30, entry 4,50 euro 6. From: "jorge castro" The Musique Concrete Ensemble to perform on Infiltrate 5.0. An alternate line up of the Musique Concrete Ensemble (Eco Discos) will perform at this year's edition of the notorious Infiltrate 5.0 festival in the city of Miami, this saturday March 22nd. This performance is the first on a US promotional tour for their first release “Disonancias y Repeticiones Ambiguas”, which was released on february 28th, 2003. Puertorican electronic music producer Raphael Irisarri and American Rhett Johnson will make up the abreviated version of the Ensemble (originally made up of 6 musicians, with Irisarri as a main member) which will perform on this annual festival-protest against the Winter Music Conference in Miami Beach. They will be joining a well known cast of important artists in the international experimental electronic scene like: Richard Devine (Warp), Otto von Schirach (Schematic), Cyne (Botanica del Jíbaro), Phoenicia along with Dino Felipe (Schematic), Machinedrum, o9, Titonton Duvante and many others. The date is March 22nd and the venue will be Miami Beach's Soho Lounge. Doors at 11:00 PM. Jorge Castro / Eco Discos, Puerto Rico. http://www.ecodiscos.com http://www.themce.com 7. From: "nikos veliotis" 2:13club athens presents: saturday 22 march 2003 ingar zach (percussion) nikos veliotis (cello) @ small music theatre / 33 veikou str / athens / 22:30 / 10 euro / 210 9245644 / smt@internet.gr www.2-13.co.uk www.aptera.gr www.anet.gr/smt 8. From: neurosystem@digitalkranky.de 22.03.03 / Zoobizarre - Bordeaux (Fra) Soundlab Crew + Neurosystem Meine Sister Parle Elektronik E-flyer disponible ICI ou: http://www.neurosystem.org/MeineSister/index.html E-flyer avaible HERE or: http://www.neurosystem.org/MeineSister/index.html Live Performances Console (Ger/Virgin) Syl-n (N6tm) Kenei (N6tm) DJs Stamba (SLC) v3ga (N6tm) Mme Patate (SLC) Dr¸cpa Dracous (N6tm) T”z (SLC) pHneutre + 5even.5 (digital kranky + N6tm) Visuals Laurent Besse Maha (N6tm) Dimi.tri (Inside) Zak* (N6tm) N E U R O S Y S T E M 19 rue Huguerie 33000 Bordeaux - France Ph: +33 (0)5.56.48.15.96 Web: www.neurosystem.org Mail: neurosystem@neurosystem.org _________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________ friday 21 march 2003 nbi schoenhauser allee 157 berlin REPEATREPEAT THE BAND FORMERLY KNOWN AS MOPET INTERNATIONAL MOPET POCKET VOODOO CALCULATOR NOW PRESENTS THE FIRST OUTTAKES OF THEIR LONGLIFE STUDIES IN EXPERIMENTAL, ELECTRONIC STRANGEWAYS MUSIC FOR THE ALIENED GENERATION ..AND THEY SPREAD OUT WIDE THEIR LONG NIPPLED SKULLS AND SAID "BE WITH US OR YOU'LL BE DEAF" [AE 23,12-14] DK ADVANCE 02 DEEP VEIN COPY HD 8983 PAN EXPOCODA PRO AREA XT SESSION 1&2 SPICE GRAPHICS O2 TEMPO LEGASTHEN -- Vital Weekly is published by Frans de Waard and submitted for free to anybody with an e-mail address. 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