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Vital Weekly 670

  Tobias

FAB TRIO - LIVE IN AMSTERDAM (CD by Porter)
NATE WOOLEY & FRED LONBERG-HOLM & JASON ROEBKE - THROW DOWN YOUR HAMMER AND SING (CD by Porter)
Porter Records describes itself as a musiclabel for "the eclectic listener", and that is rightly said. With releases of the experimental music of the young italian musician and composer Valerio Cosi (an eclectic artist himself), the electronic music by Dawid Szczesny, and the numerous jazz releases, Porter Records choses for a diversity of musical worlds. Also when we look closer to the jazz releases different horizons are opened. Remember the cosmic jazz of David Hurley for example, is something completely else, then the two new ones that we have here. The Fab Trio is made up by veterans Joe Fonda (bass), Barry Altschul (drums) and Billy Bang (violin). The CD captures a concert that took place on april 16th 2008 at the Bimhuis in Amsterdam. All three made already their mark in the history of jazz. Billy Bang made fame in the 70s with the String Trio Of New York. For Barry Altschul it started also in the 70s with the freejazz outfit Circle, with Anthony Braxton, Chick Corea a.o. Joe Fonda played above all as a member of ensembles led by Anthony Braxton. They were in a good shape on that evening in Amsterdam. Joyous and spontaneous improvisations played with great drive and energy by three very experienced musicians. With their improvisations that have swing, they make a nice contrast with their colleagues of a younger generation. As on 'Throw down your Hammer and Sing' a totally different trio is at work. Fred Lonberg- Holm (cello, electronics) is known for his work with Ken Vandermark and so many other musicians. Jason Roebke is a bassplayer from Chicago, member of the experimental combo Tigersmilk, and again so many other collaborations. Wooley is a new name for me, a trumpetplayer from Oregon who studied with original improvisor Jack Wright. They produce improvised music as we know it from musicians who come from the avant garde section of jazz. Technically highly skilled, all with a rich musical vocabulary. Also they make use of many extended techniques, which is very common for the younger generations of (not only) jazzmusicians. And, also they depart from many jazz habits, moving towards modern chambermusic.
From time to time I cannot suppress however the question what again another cd of free improvised music adds to the great amount that already is produced. But that question leads to nowhere, and does no justice to - in this case - the expressive and virtuoso improvising that is to be enjoyed here. There is a high level of concentration and communication, demonstrated by the great interplay between the three. The recording of this session is very freshly done, and makes listening to this one a very physical and pleasant experience. (Dolf Mulder) Address: http://www.porterrecords.com/

BETH LAURIN - 1984 (CD by Firework Edition Records)
KAMMERFLIMMER KOLLEKTIEF & DIETMAR DATH - IM ERWACHTEN GARTEN (CD by Staubgold)
More audio art from Firework Edition Records and its not the audio companion to the Orwell book, but simply named after the year it was recorded, but now, in 2009, this is the debut album of Beth Laurin, who also works with clay, iron, cloth, objects, photos, drawings, slideshows, installations, performances and other things. In 1984 she travelled a lot, o.a. to East-Berlin and New York City, and she recorded her space and her voice. Phonecalls, texts, a diary in words and sound. Sometimes a tape-loop is created (some of the material was revised in 2007 and 2008). This is a most curious CD, very personal and surely fascinating, but not necessarily as a piece of music. I am not sure if I would play such a CD a lot, because its not very musical as such, but something you can always use in a weird DJ set or as a surprise to your unsuspecting friends.
More spoken word can be found on the release by writer Dietmar Dath and the Kammerflimmer Kollektief. The title means 'In The Awoken Garden', an unpublished 'alternate version' to his polyphonic novel 'Die Abschaffung Der Arten' (the abolition of the species). I do understand a bit of German, but this text had to be explained by the press text: "In it, animals explain the meaning of love, war and history to human beings. "Im Erwachten Garten" is a key to a secret original text which lies beneath the published novel" it says. Music and text flow much into eachother. There is the read text but also a whispering one, along with music that comes in and goes out in what seems irregular intervals. Sometimes the music rises out of the spoken word, in a cool jazzy way, soft guitars, such in the second part. I was wondering how this would be received if you don't speak German. I think one can enjoy the texture of the voice and the music, which is nice, but perhaps, keeping the amount of text in mind, its nicer if you can actually follow what it is all about. This is also a nice CD, but perhaps also one you wouldn't play a lot. (FdW)
Address: http://www.fireworkeditionrecords.se
Address: http://www.staubgold.com

HARPS OF FUCHSIA KALMIA - BURNING WITH YOUR OLD JOY IN THE TERMINAL SUN (CD by Ikuisuus)
Although it doesn't sound like it, Harps Of Fuchsia Kalmia is one man, Salvatore Bonnelli, who plays a wide variety of instruments: acoustic guitar, celtic drone harp, dulcimer, esraj, Irish bouzouki, shruti and squeeze boxes, harmonica, tablas, cymbals, 'voice and choirs'. Already recorded in 2007, its strange that it has not been released before. Bonnelli plays an odd mixture of improvised music, folk elements, and even a bit of ethnical music. Drone like in a sort of rock like manner, but gentle and not noise like drone rock. Maybe one could say its a sort of solo No Neck Blues Band? That's something I thought comes closest to the music of Harps Of Fuchsia Kalmia. Music that goes on and on at times, such as in the long 'About Baptism' (which has a longer title which I can't entirely read), which could have been shorter I think, but it sort of fits the schematics of the music. Nice one this one. (FdW)
Address: http://www.ikuisuus.net

ONEOHTRIX POINT NEVER - BETRAYED IN THE OCTAGON (LP by No Fun Productions)
CARLOS GIFFONI / THE RITA - TWO ON A MATCH (2LP by No Fun Productions)
Oneohtrix Point Never is a certain Daniel Lopatin who also plays in Infinity Window, a duo that just released a very nice record on Arbor and will probably be 2009's hot new thing looking at his/their list of upcoming releases (stuff is planned on Tone Filth, Important, Arbor, Root Strata, and yeah more No Fun). His solo project fits perfectly in the recent synth revival led amongst others by No Fun, but where a band such as Emeralds goes down a more kosmische path, this seems to be more in an isolationist vein, if need to start putting a revivalist name-tag on things. (It actually reminded me of Main in parts, which is as good a compliment as any. Especially as it doesn't really sound like Main). By the way, why the word ,kosmische' (often even misspelt as ,kosmiche') has become so often-used the last years is a mystery to me. Why not use the english word? Anyway, "Betrayed in the Octagon" apparently is ,polysynth', according to the label's description. It made me skeptical immediately as I for one am not the biggest fan of this synth revival, but this record is actually really good, and makes me forget about whatever hype is going on. For one, it's quite melodic. It's even a very pleasurable listen, maybe the most soothing thing (well, apart from Emeralds) they've ever released. And heck, if that's polysynth then sign me on. I'm already hooked.
'Two on a Match' is a collaboration between Carlos Giffoni and The Rita, and it's a little bit of a departure from Giffoni's recent more analogue synth sound, turning in a more routine harsh noise record. Which is understanding, as The Rita is a noise project from Vancouver, Canada, which has been around for awhile and has been known for just that. The sound is being kept rather simple, the typical needle-locked-on-sandpaper sound, but for almost half of the piece it drifts in and out of silence and phases between the speakers, playing with the volume along the way, staying relatively static. It makes this not a very aggressive record, and the repeated moments of silence make it quite a serene listen until the end of side B, from whereon it goes in overload for the rest of the ride. It's a bit weird that they made a double-LP out of this, seeing it's one piece, but having to switch sides makes it more approachable maybe, and the linearity of the piece can be followed a bit easier. In the end this is nothing groundbreaking, but a good and enjoyable noise record it is for sure.
Address: http://nofunproductions.com/

ALAN LICHT - YMCA (LP by Family Vineyard)
Over the years I have been a great fan of the work of Alan Licht. His minimal guitar work never ceases to surprise me, although perhaps not all of it is highly original. 'YMCA' is such a work. Its a live recording from 2004 and originally planned for release on Idea Records to form a trilogy with Ambarchi's 'Triste' and Akiyama's 'Don't Forget To Boogie', but the label disappeared. Its easy to see why this would make a good trilogy. YMCA should be regarded as one piece of music, divided over the two sides of the record - there is no part 1 and part 2 here, just 'YMCA'. It has however three distinctive parts - the organ like opening, the middle part being plucked gentle and a more noise based ending, revolving around with loops. The latter part is least spend on me. I know Licht can play noise, but that side never interested me that much. The other two parts are however a delight to hear, with especially the solo plucking of the guitar the highlight. That alone makes buying this record essential. The opening piece is a true minimal music delight and serves here a perfect slow intro. A very fine record, and even when Licht not always surprises me, it's a damn fine one. (FdW)
Address: http://www.family-vineyard.com

IAN MIDDLETON - AURAL SPACES (LP by Swill Radio)
IDEA FIRE COMPANY - LIVE ARCHIVES VOLUME 1: WMVA (CDR by Lesson About History)

Try google Ian Middleton. Not an easy thing as there are plenty of them. So it wasn't easy to find something online about him, but Scott Foust of Swill Radio provided the necessary insight. Middleton was in the previous decade best known as Remora and released a whole bunch of lathe cut vinyl, real vinyl and CDRs. I am sure I heard some of that work, but I must admit none of it really stuck in my mind. I know now I should have paid more attention, as what I hear here on 'Aural Spaces' is very good. Middleton is a man with a bunch of synthesizers and sound effects. That's all. He doesn't play any melodic tune on his synthesizers, but rather finds the right combination of sustaining sounds and creates small, delicate pieces out of it. The drone world of a decade ago, perhaps a bit updated to this new millennium. They make perfect sense. Ten of these pieces, in the right length and in the right order. There are hints towards the old Idea Fire Company here too, but Middleton's music is much gentle and delicate here. Entirely electronic. A true beauty. This should go down well with the fans of Emeralds. But surely it won't, there is hardly any justice in this world. Full color cover. A treasure that looks like from the past - so its hardly out of place in this world seeking old as new. Outside hypes and trends, that's where the work of Scott Foust, his group Idea Fire Company and his label Swill Radio moves. For more years than one could possibly imagine. He has no beard, and therefor is not an US noise artist, and thus not been granted the recognition which is overdue. In April he will be in Europe to show his feature film 'Here's To Love' and to play some more music and perform his 'The Four Accomplishments'. A dip in the archives of Idea Fire Company has just lead to the release of the first in perhaps a few, CDR of live recordings from the band. Here a recording from May 23 1999 at WMVA Radio Station, with Karla Borecky on synth, Foust on synth and treatments and Graham Lambkin on synth and objects. They play four pieces, including 'Cycle 19', which is always present in every Idea Fire Company set. Four long pieces of slowly unfolding and pulsating electronics. Cosmic music, but then of a more nightmare kind. Synths play, as usual, an important role, and this is far from ambient music but there is a certain spacious character about this music. It defies the usual categories of music and is something of its own. Excellent recording here and four great pieces. Fans of Emeralds out there, take notice again - there is no justice in this world, but I may have said that already! Here are people at work that have been doing what you do for quite some time. (FdW)
Address: http://www.anti-naturals.org/swill

KAM HASSAH - THIS FOREST (LP by Dokuro)
2673 - IN DREAMS (3"CDR by Dokuro)
ROTORVATOR (3"CDR by Dokuro)
NODOLBY - TRAK TRAK TRAK (cassette by Dokuro)
Four releases on Italy Dokuro label in three different formats, but all highly limited. The biggest edition is for the record, only 100 still, but its a release by Kam Hassah, the man behind the Dokuro label. A single sided piece of vinyl (which is perhaps cheaper to manufacture than two sides, odd as it may seem) which may be seen as what Kam Hassah wants to release with his label. A heavily layered field of sound, built from voices and drones of an unknown nature - guitars perhaps? They are melted together like blocks of iron in a steel factory, one long howl of sound. A monster that lives below the surface of the earth which howl was picked up during an earthquake. We hear both the monster and the rumbling of the earth. An utter dark and intense work, which only suffers a bit from the pressing, but its a very pleasantly disturbing piece of music.
On 3"CDR we first have 2673 with his 'In Dreams' release. Kevin Winter is the man behind 2673 and he is from New Jersey. His one piece starts out with a very deep, soft, minimalist bass sound that slowly builds in intensity. It seems to me an experiment in pure sine waves and hiss. He slowly builds up his piece, adding layer by layer, and the noise is pretty much suppressed in this piece. Only in the final seconds the sound goes up quite a bit but then the proceedings are over. Quite nice, and kept within the right length for this sort of thing.
At the other spectrum of music we find Rotorvator, who combine 'classic black metal' with industrial/noise music and have three tracks on their first 3"CDR. I don't think I am fully qualified or equipped to review this kind of music, as I was never a lover of black metal - I mean: look at this cover with its unreadable name (I had to visit the website to see what the band was called) and its engravings - it is all template stuff for this scene. And so is the music. Loud, vicious, dark and dirty. Exactly what I would describe as black metal mixed with some elements from the world of noise. When the drums are left out, its pretty decent, but it falls back into the template of black metal when the drums kick in. Nice for sure, but nothing for me.
The smallest edition is for the cassette, only twenty-five were made (and sold out according to the website, so why mail out promo's?) and has a simple xerox cover. Why not color, like the 3"CDR releases? Perhaps this has to do with the musical content of the release, as Nodolby are a fairly traditional bunch of noise makers. Lots of feedback, distortion, which runs for two times ten minutes, howling its way. Its actually not the worst in its kind, but strikingly not very original either. (FdW)
Address: http://www.dokuro.it

FALTER BRAMNK - THREE FIELD RECORDING COMPOSITIONS (CDR by Gruenrekorder)
The name Falter Bramnk sounds quite unusual it seems to me. I never heard of him, but on the Gruenrekorder website, we read: 'Falter Bramnk is a french composer and an improvising musician, and occasionally a photographer. He works for dance and animated short films. He has released various multi-instrumental cd projects, both on solo and compilations. He is also involved in sound portraits (artists, friends) and fieldrecording compositions. Influenced by the cinematographic art, he plots his soundscapes like narrative sequences rather than single long takes.' The latter remark is of course of interest for us, since we are dealing here with 'Three Field Recording' compositions. I usually start playing a CD without noting what is on the cover, press text and such like, to start from scratch. In the first piece I heard a train passing but throughout it seems to be rural life. Churchbells. Doves. Italian voices. That's all later on. Bramnk likes 'quiet, rural' life it seems, but then I started investigating what he was doing, and it seems that he recorded two pieces in Italy - Venice (the church bells, doves) and Sicily (rural life) and on the first piece he uses sounds recorded in Krakow, Auschwitz and Birkenau, which gives the train sound an entirely different dimension. I am not sure what the narrative sequenced plot is here, in these three pieces, but I must admit it all sounds wonderfully recorded, and especially the longer 'Buona Notte', recorded in Sicily is a nice piece, depicting quiet life and ancient history. For the 'Auschwitz' piece 'Even The Birds Left Us #0', I hear there will also be a version with texts by Primo Levi and Jean-Claude Pressac - which seems to me a good thing. (FdW) Address: http://www.gruenrekorder.de

JULIEN SKROBEK - DOUBLE ENTENDRE (CDR by Taurmaturgia)
RADU MALFATTI & TAKU UNAMI - GOAT VS DONKEY (CDR by Taurmaturgia)
This seems to me a new label of which I missed out the first three releases, but these two make me believe this is a new label for improvised music. On the first release we find one Julien Skrobek, who plays guitar and electronics. Furthermore the cover notes 'anti-copyright' and 'free software'. That's about it. Two tracks of twenty minutes, the ideal length for a good solid piece. Julien picks his guitar and then feeds this through a line of electronics, although this might also be a laptop with some real time processing software. Two times intense twenty minutes, with a relaxed and slow building up of the pieces, moving back and forth between the 'real' guitar sounds and the electronic processing thereof. It somehow reminded me of the very early Guiseppe Ielasi music or a very stripped down version of old Kevin Drumm. Very nice. Somebody to keep an eye open for in the future.
Which we should also do with somebody like Radu Malfatti and Taku Unami, who aren't credited here, but no doubt its analogue synth for Unami and trombone for Malfatti. They are 'stars' of the quiet scene, making sound when necessary and are silent when needed. This here is a recording from November 2008 in Spain, it seems, and its a powerful piece, in all its silenceness. Sounds arrive from nowhere and go to nowhere, and form small independent blocks of music. Sometimes independent of each other and sometimes as a duo. Definitely not easy music, but one that demands a lot of attention. Perhaps a bit less than when heard in concert, but when played at a medium volume - which I think is best for this kind of music to let the silence works best - its beautiful, and slowly unfolding. (FdW)
Address: http://www.taumaturgia.com

CHRISTOPHER MCFALL - RED IS THE COLOR OF PRICE BY RELATION (CDR by Moving Furniture Records)
Its been a while since we last heard something new from Christopher McFall, but he returns with his most recent recordings and treatments of field recordings. Eight pieces in total here, spanning nearly forty minutes, which seems to me that these pieces are shorter than before. Which is actually not the only difference with the 'old' McFall. It seems that 'loops' play a more important role than before. Or perhaps they are now shorter than before, or perhaps they are more notable - I am not entirely sure here. Whatever field recordings McFall has made for this release, they are totally obscured by the use of digital processing. I won't even try to imagine what they could be like, but the end result is surely great. McFall seems to be moving away from what could be microsound and steps into the world, if only partly, of ambient industrial music, but then updated to the 21st century. The eight pieces here show a true love for detail as well as depth. An interesting release, moving into a new sound world, which is not entirely unique either, but quite a nice one. (FdW)
Address: http://www.movingfurniturerecords.com

JLIAT - UNTITLED (CDR by Jliat)
Upon until now the noise series operated by Jliat was called 'Now That's What I Call Noise' and had some twenty volumes of eight pieces of four minutes each - which, in view of the title, can be seen as an attack or comment on the consumer behavior to buy music. That was, as we learn now, hardly a start as the really big works have to come. Merzbow seems to be an all inspiring figure for Jliat, in sheer volume of sound and sheer volume of releases. He dreams of creating a terabyte of music, which would play for two years - still not the millennium Cage piece, but perhaps no doubt with more sound. Its not there yet, but it seems that Jliat started a new series of which this is the first and has another Merzbow like dimension. Almost one hour, one piece of unrelentness feedback and noise. Some sort of computer thing he built himself, which is fed through some analogue guitar devices. Is this town big enough for the both of them? Jliat's fan base is no doubt smaller than Merzbow's dedicated followers of noise fashion, but this work surely is a nice one. It could be a missing Merzbow piece, but Jliat has talent enough to do his own job quite well. Noise, but then a good one. I am not sure though if I would sign up for a terabyte of this. (FdW)
Address: http://www.jliat.com

SPRUIT - ACKNOWLEDGE THE CONFUSION (3"CDR, private)
This is, I believe, the third 3"CDR by Rotterdam's Marc Spruit, a former art academy student, and lover of all things turntable. For his latest release he uses 'sound taken manipulated cut-up and pasted re-arranged turntablised and so changed into a hyper-electro-acoustic chaos', which is exactly true. Three tracks, all a bit longer than on his previous releases, but still not extending the thirteen minute mark, but its surely enough for one day to handle. Spruit plays a heavily chopped sound, with lots of changes and abrupt cuts in his music, which is right in your face. Maybe its all acoustic, taken from vinyl, but no doubt it must have been a whole bunch of vinyl, to gather so many sound samples to be used here. Not 'easy' music to digest, as there is a lot of things happening here at the same time in a jumpy, quick manner. A fine good, short and to the point noise release. (FdW) Address: http://www.myspace.com/spruit

TING TING JAHE - ENDING MINUTES, SINKING (cassette, private)
TING TING JAHE - LIBBY TUNNEL (cassette, private)
OPHIBRE/HUNTED CREATURES - SPLIT (cassette by Oph Sound)
JUAN MATOS CAPOTE - JABAL (cassette by Circuit Torcat)
NO YOGA (cassette by Deadtrakks)
Mail arrives everyday, sometimes a lot, and sometimes not as much. But if the mail consists just of three cassettes, it makes me wonder: the cassette as a format to release music is really back. Ting Ting Jahe has two cassettes as a private release, even when they look strikingly like a release on Winds Measure Recordings. That label released their first release '18(16)', which was reviewed in Vital Weekly 566. Much info isn't available, but I think its Ben Owen, who runs the Winds Measure Recordings label. Side A of 'Ending Minutes, Sinking' takes some time develop, and then suddenly you realize they use guitars in quite a densely layered piece of music. The b-side is a bit harder to define, as to what it is that we are hearing. Some more drone related sound, and some acoustic objects being used - that what it sounds like. But somehow it seems like drowned in some mildly distorted sound. 'Libby Tunnel' seems to continue this line of work. The a-side here drones out even more than the b-side of 'Ending Minutes, Sinking', without even more obscured distortion and no input mixer feedback, but in the end its not a great piece. The b-side here returns to the use of guitars it seems, in a more open ended, 'freaky' sound, hovering on the edge of feedback due to some extra amplification and strings are played with objects. 'Libby Tunnel' is just not my cup of tea, I guess, whereas 'Ending Minutes, Sinking' is much better.
From the ever obscure world of Ophibre comes a
new cassette, and this time the credits are just better. Now we know who's doing what and what the titles are. A big step forward. On the first side the Ophibre project themselves. They (?, he?) delivers a fine piece of drone like sounds, with also some mild distortion that gradually seems to be taking over the piece. A fine, well rounded eighteen minute piece. I never heard of Hunted Creatures, but they have some live pieces from August last year. They too have a somewhat distorted drone sound, but seem to be operating from a more rock like perspective, with the absence of drums however. Improvised music on guitars and a bass, both armed with a bunch of electronics. Slightly less constructed as a composition than Ophibre, but with a likewise intensity. Quite nice.
Just a day later another cassette, this time by Juan Matos Capote, whom we know and heard before as one half of Thick Wisps. His love goes out to circuit bending, which he uses here on this eighteen minute cassette, most notably the 'pink oscillator', modified electronic gear, some field recordings, contact microphones and prerecorded software synth phrases. Four pieces in total. 'Goat Escape' is quite a noisy piece of waving electric circuits, being touched, whereas the title track is a bit more spacious, like cosmic dust or SETI like signals. The best pieces are on the b-side, with the loop based 'Tide' and the more complex noise based composition 'Star Dust', which includes a lot of the things he credits himself for, and contact microphones play an important role. Its a nice release, a bit short, but surely to the point.
An example of how not to do these things is delivered by No Joya - well, perhaps its called Janny Cerndaws - 'live in berlin' as it is written on a small piece of paper, with on the backside that I should write to some gmail address for further details. It doesn't work like that, certainly when I can't read what it says before the @. This is the vagueness I don't like, but the music is not different. A man with a guitar, singing americana like tunes, recorded on a microcassette, duplicated on a real cassette. Forty minutes on here. Very low presentation for very low music. Is there a point to all this, and if yes, what is it? (this is merely rhetorical and not an invitation to send me the information, because I really don't care). (FdW)
Address: http://www.tingtingjahe.org
Address: http://www.ophibre.com
Address: http://www.circuittorcat.com

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