Helmut Lachenmann - Das Mädchen mit den Schwefelholzern
It was bound to happen. After listening to noise, improvisation and free jazz for some time I just needed to submerge myself into modern composition. Do not ask me any musical specifications about this one because I am far from steeped in the finer points of counterpoint, pitch, serialism or twelve-tone theory. But I sure know this is one of the best things I have ever heard. As you can guess from the title this is sort of an opera. There are actually not too much vocals, rather vocalisations and Sprechgesang. I just wish now that I had taken up musical theory when I was younger, because now I can only tell you that I am playing this to death. I think, though, that it, again, has to do something with the recurring silence and the minute gradations of volume in this kind of music. And of course with the fact that Ralf Wehowsky (of P16.d4) once pointed out in an interview that this music sounds right and everything by Madonna sounds wrong.
[It would not be honest to throw that last bit in the reader's face without providing any context, however. What Wehowsky meant was that to listen to pop music you do not need to adapt yourself, because the melodies are for the most part quite simple and harmonically pleasing. Listening to dissonant, unpredictable music requires of your brain that it adapts itself to patterns that it is not used to. Adapting is learning and learning is acquiring more knowledge. Anyway, I think he is right.]
Karl-Heinz Stockhausen - Mikrophonie I & II / Telemusik
Einstürzende Neubauten, but 25 years earlier. These are probably the Stockhausen works that were most ahead of their age. The musical equivalent of stealing the fire from the gods. Amazing.
Cornad Schnitzler - Rot
I knew Schnitzler from his pioneering roles in Kluster and Tangerine Dream, but I had not yet checked out his solo works. So this came on like a revelation. 'Meditation' is a mechanic ambient soundscape much in the vein of Seesselberg or Vangelis's Beaubourg, while 'Krautrock' is the real works: lots of bubbling proto-industrial electronics with an ensnaring percussion loop being segued in later on. Schnitzler's music (and there is an awful lot of it) always sounds a bit like an automatic factory turned into music, so refrain if you are looking for emotional satisfaction. Of course I am exaggerating here, because there are pleasing sweeping synth tones woven through most of 'Krautrock'.
Magma - Mekanik Destruktiw Kommandoh
Mostly when people reference Magma it is to ridicule them for their self-invented Zeuhl language and general hippy antics. But then they better take heat of this. This reminds me of Archie Shepp's Attica Blues and that's saying something. Probably one of the best prog records ever. Shows that these guys were highly knowledgeable of the most interesting periods of black music (Tribe, Strata East, Black Jazz). You have got to take the ridiculously high female chanting for granted, though, otherwise you will not be able to sit this through.
Robert Ashley - Automatic Writing
Robert Ashley now makes experimental opera's but this is something different altogether. The title track consists of no more than two voices, one female whispering in French (think L'Année Dernière à Marienbad, and closer to home Nurse With Wound's 'Echo Poème', which is a total rip-off of Ashley) and one slowed down to a sort of unholy grunt, plus some unidentified background noises.
On 'Purposeful Lady Slow Afternoon', when a girl's voice is talking about a guy who puts his fingers between her legs and then tries to put that finger in her mouth (and so on) over the sound of a music box, things get very creepy, as if you are listening to an excerpt from Sex, Lies and Videotape, but without any help of context. 'She Was a Visitor' is no more than that same sentence repeated ad nauseam over particularly uneasy listening.
One of the most powerful and impressive pieces of sound art you are bound to hear. Ever. Do not play this with the lights out, unless you want to end up in an asylum for the mentally challenged.
Robert Ashley - Private Parts
After Automatic Writing this is almost easy listening, though it is also far from that. Basically it is a guy with a soothing but also slightly bored voice reciting a text of seemingly unrelated text fragments over tablas, piano and delicate synth tones. Alienating to say the least, though less psychologically invasive as Automatic Writing.
Mordant Music - Carrion Squared
Mistah Fisha is going all "hauntological" over this ("Music is dead. Long live hauntology!", LOL), again, although he hastens to set aside this release from the label's usual output. He'd better, because this album was made for library music publisher Boosey & Hawkes* and consists of no less than 40 mini-drones à la Cluster, Conrad Schnitzler or Seesselberg. So no "hauntology" then, but kosmische music, though of course the shortness of the pieces contradict their cosmic nature. All very confusing, but that's "hauntology" for ya, I guess.
Threshold Houseboys Choir - Form Grows Rampant
Being Peter Christopherson's first outing since the demise of John Balance, Coil's other half. This actually sounds like an instrumental version of the new Throbbing Gristle album. That it contains heavy trace elements of the later Coil (and Balance's voice for that matter) will not surprise either. Themes and even melodies of certain Coil records are leisurely reemployed (especially the heavy use of vocoders from post-mortem album The Ape of Naples) and thus this sounds a lot like the slightly perverted fairy-tale music that the duo were famous for in their later carreer. And yes, you are probably right about the homosexual innuendo contained in the project's name, given the fact that Christopherson has been living in Thailand for some while now. Intriguing as ever nonetheless.
Box of Dub
Always nice to notice that dubstep has some margin for progression. The top dogs of the game come up with roots inspired dubstep and show along the way that dubstep is really only at the beginning of its odyssey. Which in this case means going back to the roots of the style and toning down the overall darkness.
Rumble in the Jungle
A supreme compilation that shows after the fact where jungle went wrong. No electronic basses or metallic percussion here, just vocally hyperactive rude boys and superfunky drum'n'bass. Party time music.
Burial - Ghost Hardware
No sign of slacking here. Three tracks in the style of the album with lots of wet background noises and sad echoing vocals. Nothing new or much progression compared to his previous outings but that need not always be the case as we all know. I would have wished he'd chosen another title, though. "Hauntology", is there no escape?
Digitalism - Idealism
Justice - †
Or I'm getting old, or I just don't like this. The Digitalism album, though, is much better than the Justice abomination, which is just plain vulgar in its desire to please the less discerning ears. Furthermore I always will despise people who choose a symbol as title for their album. I am not going to waste any more words on this, neither am I going to vilify these guys. I just think Daft punk was better. So it would seem I am getting old after all. Nevertheless I am pretty sure that these two will tear the roof off in a live setting. Mixed feelings, then.
* There are two ways to interpret the fact that Mordant's "hauntology", a music that has library music has one of its main influences, is now in turn being used as library music. You could, if you are a believer, say that "hauntology" has come full circle. One could also, more viciously, state that it pre-empts itself, having turned into a sort of parody on its own influence. Probably the truth lies somewhere between a bit of both.
Showing posts with label Rather Raving (about). Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rather Raving (about). Show all posts
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Rather Raving (about)
Grails - Burning Off Impurities
I am repeating myself but this is my record of the year so far and I am predicting the 'so far' will become a 'definitive'. Awesome record that encompasses almost everything I love: folk, ethnic sounds, the best bits of postrock, epic progressive and twangy motorik. Love it, love it, love it! Play loud and all the time!
Poor School - Voor Niets In Zijn
I am predicting hereby that Joris's productive label will be a household name by next year. After the brilliant Psalm Alarm release this is already the second absolute scorcher on Cut Hands. This guitar-drums-sax trio goes freak-out all the way on two sizzling hot avant jazzrock workouts. Blistering shit!
Merzbow - Coma Berenices
This is the first Merzbow release that I found listenable. More than that, I even enjoyed it. OK, it is still a whole lot of unpenetrable and pitch-black noise but at times I could hear some kind of beauty deep down in the heart of darkness. A nice entry into the Merzbow catalogue for the uninitiated.
Goldie presents Rufige Kru - Malice in Wonderland
Six new tracks that sound like mid-nineties d'n'b. Nothing wrong with that. Liquidly exciting.
Björk - Volta
Stop the presses of the world! Björk has made a good record. And Goldie too! This resurrection of two old lovers can be no coincidence. No, seriously, the Timbaland tracks are the best (no signs of running on empty from the R&B maestro) and even Antony is agreeable. Rejoice!
KTL - KTL 2
Four more ambientish dark epics inspired by the sounds of the previous Kindertotenlieder. Not a lot of guitar to be heard this time around (except, and this is typical, on 'Abattoir'), but still creepy as hell, particularly the almost psychotically intense 'Theme' with its distorted organ tones.
Mute Audio Documents Volume 1
37 tracks constitute the first episode of the reissue program of the first Mute releases. And what a joy it is to hear all those classics again. Fad Gadget, The Normal, Silicon Teens, Depeche Mode, DAF... each and everyone groundbreaking and, more importantly, still relevant. Also included: timely cd reissues of the insanely rare Robert Rental, Boyd Rice and Smegma 7-inches. The second set is on the way as you read this.
Embryo - Reise
From 1981 and a great mix-up of progressive, funk and ethnic sounds from the Middle East and Central Asia. The band was on a two year journey to record sounds for this album and rather unluckily got stuck in Teheran during the Islamic Revolution of Khomeiny. I just love that kind of anecdotica. An album that proves that there was still plenty of life in the old Krautrock bitch well into the eighties. Highly recommended.
M.I.A. - Bittersüss
Long time ago that there was some techno on these pages (To be honest I am very, very bored with techno, especially of the minimal persuasion, at the moment). This is a nice one, though, from Michaela Grobelny. Sexy nocturnal electro-ish not-too-minimal techno with a female touch (love those longing string samples) and featuring M.I.A.'s sensual vocal(i)s(ations) on top.
Shackleton & Appleblim - Soundboy Punishments
A fat and über-essential compilation of the first five Skull Disco releases plus some unfindable Shackleton tracks on other labels, AND - at last, at last! - the 19-minute Villalobos remix of 'Blood on My Hands', one of those addictive Ricardo remixes that gets better and better with each listening. Ricardo rules, man! But Shackleton and Appleblim rule even harder with the fattest basses on the planet and the best percussion in the whole of dubstep. Get punished!
I am repeating myself but this is my record of the year so far and I am predicting the 'so far' will become a 'definitive'. Awesome record that encompasses almost everything I love: folk, ethnic sounds, the best bits of postrock, epic progressive and twangy motorik. Love it, love it, love it! Play loud and all the time!
Poor School - Voor Niets In Zijn
I am predicting hereby that Joris's productive label will be a household name by next year. After the brilliant Psalm Alarm release this is already the second absolute scorcher on Cut Hands. This guitar-drums-sax trio goes freak-out all the way on two sizzling hot avant jazzrock workouts. Blistering shit!
Merzbow - Coma Berenices
This is the first Merzbow release that I found listenable. More than that, I even enjoyed it. OK, it is still a whole lot of unpenetrable and pitch-black noise but at times I could hear some kind of beauty deep down in the heart of darkness. A nice entry into the Merzbow catalogue for the uninitiated.
Goldie presents Rufige Kru - Malice in Wonderland
Six new tracks that sound like mid-nineties d'n'b. Nothing wrong with that. Liquidly exciting.
Björk - Volta
Stop the presses of the world! Björk has made a good record. And Goldie too! This resurrection of two old lovers can be no coincidence. No, seriously, the Timbaland tracks are the best (no signs of running on empty from the R&B maestro) and even Antony is agreeable. Rejoice!
KTL - KTL 2
Four more ambientish dark epics inspired by the sounds of the previous Kindertotenlieder. Not a lot of guitar to be heard this time around (except, and this is typical, on 'Abattoir'), but still creepy as hell, particularly the almost psychotically intense 'Theme' with its distorted organ tones.
Mute Audio Documents Volume 1
37 tracks constitute the first episode of the reissue program of the first Mute releases. And what a joy it is to hear all those classics again. Fad Gadget, The Normal, Silicon Teens, Depeche Mode, DAF... each and everyone groundbreaking and, more importantly, still relevant. Also included: timely cd reissues of the insanely rare Robert Rental, Boyd Rice and Smegma 7-inches. The second set is on the way as you read this.
Embryo - Reise
From 1981 and a great mix-up of progressive, funk and ethnic sounds from the Middle East and Central Asia. The band was on a two year journey to record sounds for this album and rather unluckily got stuck in Teheran during the Islamic Revolution of Khomeiny. I just love that kind of anecdotica. An album that proves that there was still plenty of life in the old Krautrock bitch well into the eighties. Highly recommended.
M.I.A. - Bittersüss
Long time ago that there was some techno on these pages (To be honest I am very, very bored with techno, especially of the minimal persuasion, at the moment). This is a nice one, though, from Michaela Grobelny. Sexy nocturnal electro-ish not-too-minimal techno with a female touch (love those longing string samples) and featuring M.I.A.'s sensual vocal(i)s(ations) on top.
Shackleton & Appleblim - Soundboy Punishments
A fat and über-essential compilation of the first five Skull Disco releases plus some unfindable Shackleton tracks on other labels, AND - at last, at last! - the 19-minute Villalobos remix of 'Blood on My Hands', one of those addictive Ricardo remixes that gets better and better with each listening. Ricardo rules, man! But Shackleton and Appleblim rule even harder with the fattest basses on the planet and the best percussion in the whole of dubstep. Get punished!
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Rather Raving (about)
Boris - Vein
I am currently very much into Boris, another one of those groups who seem to shit (or should that be vomit) records. As usual with this trio there are more versions of this record (Southern Lord even put out a special low frequency version of one of their records). There is an hardcore version (the so-called 'crust' version) and a slow/drone version. I have only heard the hardcore version and when I put it on I first thought I had mistakenly put something on by Merzbow (with whom they frequently collaborate by the way), so fuzzy and noisy is the attack. Saying that it gets more accessible further on would be a lie. This is as hardcore as it gets, with undecipherable Japanse lyrics to go with it. If you got something to drive out of your system and there is no booze around, go with Vein. The original raw shit.
Jegor Teplov - LAC
Do not know who Jegor Teplov is but I know Sleeparchive collaborated with him on this first release on the Stamp label. It actually sounds like a German version of dubstep, that is, dark, misty and technoish at the same time. Always nice to hear the bonds between minimal techno and dubstep being strengthened. Hopefully more to follow.
Battles - Atlas
This is the one with the funny-sounding vocals. Hate it or love it. More instantly loveable is DJ Koze's remix, who does not leave that much of the original intact but does a fine job anyway, especially because he shuns the easy let's-make-Kompakt-track-out-of-this-track approach.
Anaal Nathrakh - Eschaton
Ok, this is death metal, but there are also some pretty great melodies on this one. As Martijn put it once: Deep down there is something beautiful in Anaal Nathrakh. But you got to dig deeper than a title like 'Between Shit and Piss We Are Born' (which I actually think is a pretty strong title, but do not mind me). Hellish and brutal power to the max.
CoH - Patherns
How have I gone so many years without CoH. Every record I have heard until now by this Russian is great. It would be perhaps best to describe his music as subtly menacing electronics, leaving him somewhere between the Kraftwerk obssession of Dopplereffekt and the brooding soundscapes of the later Coil. On Raster-Noton and not completely anal, faut-le faire.
Fantastic Ego - Trips the Light
On Foxy Digitalis this was described as having leanings with Current 93, but in my opinion it has absolutely nothing to do with that quadrant of psychfolk. I am tending more to link it with the unholy mothergrooves of Belgium's Silvester Anfang. Considering the fact that that last reference is merely a hunch, I cannot possibly give Fantastic Ego a greater compliment than by saying his sound is pretty unique in the current all things freaky and folky climate.
Fursaxa - Alone in the Dark Wood
Most of the time I find Fursaxa, although she is always making very beautiful music, lacking spunk. She is always floating somewhere above the witches circle in the deep forest. But this one is her finest piece to date. I will probably not amuse her by comparing this to the better parts of the early Dead Can Dance discography, but that was the feeling it evoked. Anyway, for the first time I was totally involved into her music.
Library Tapes - Feelings for Something Lost
This is probably one of the most beautiful records I have ever heard. Consisting mostly of piano loops mixed up with gently creaking noise it is so much more than the sum of those parts. It sounds as if someone invaded an old derelict house, one of those places where you can hear the wind blowing through the age-old cracks, stumbled onto a dirty old creaky piano and decided to record an album on the spot with one of those old portable cassette recorders. In the league of Basinski's Disintegration Loops, and the cognoscenti will know that this is one hell of a compliment.
Holy Modal Rounders - 1&2
Never heard anything before by these folkies and it was a pleasure. Very simple bluegrass, country and folk ditties brought with the most basic means. Honest music - never thought I would ever use those two words next to one another - without pretense or pose.
Coil - The Remote Viewer
In 2030 people will still be wandering through the Coil backcatalogue and discovering masterpieces. This one was rereleased with two bonus tracks a few months ago and it defies description. But try to imagine bagpipes, hurdy gurdy and electronic beats in one song, add some early Tangerine Dream kosmische vibes, a tad of Material's 'Mantra', a spoonful of haunting emotions and you are not even halfway there. The effect alltogether is like watching Borges' City of the Immortals rising up from the steaming desert. Massive! Masterful! Genius!
I am currently very much into Boris, another one of those groups who seem to shit (or should that be vomit) records. As usual with this trio there are more versions of this record (Southern Lord even put out a special low frequency version of one of their records). There is an hardcore version (the so-called 'crust' version) and a slow/drone version. I have only heard the hardcore version and when I put it on I first thought I had mistakenly put something on by Merzbow (with whom they frequently collaborate by the way), so fuzzy and noisy is the attack. Saying that it gets more accessible further on would be a lie. This is as hardcore as it gets, with undecipherable Japanse lyrics to go with it. If you got something to drive out of your system and there is no booze around, go with Vein. The original raw shit.
Jegor Teplov - LAC
Do not know who Jegor Teplov is but I know Sleeparchive collaborated with him on this first release on the Stamp label. It actually sounds like a German version of dubstep, that is, dark, misty and technoish at the same time. Always nice to hear the bonds between minimal techno and dubstep being strengthened. Hopefully more to follow.
Battles - Atlas
This is the one with the funny-sounding vocals. Hate it or love it. More instantly loveable is DJ Koze's remix, who does not leave that much of the original intact but does a fine job anyway, especially because he shuns the easy let's-make-Kompakt-track-out-of-this-track approach.
Anaal Nathrakh - Eschaton
Ok, this is death metal, but there are also some pretty great melodies on this one. As Martijn put it once: Deep down there is something beautiful in Anaal Nathrakh. But you got to dig deeper than a title like 'Between Shit and Piss We Are Born' (which I actually think is a pretty strong title, but do not mind me). Hellish and brutal power to the max.
CoH - Patherns
How have I gone so many years without CoH. Every record I have heard until now by this Russian is great. It would be perhaps best to describe his music as subtly menacing electronics, leaving him somewhere between the Kraftwerk obssession of Dopplereffekt and the brooding soundscapes of the later Coil. On Raster-Noton and not completely anal, faut-le faire.
Fantastic Ego - Trips the Light
On Foxy Digitalis this was described as having leanings with Current 93, but in my opinion it has absolutely nothing to do with that quadrant of psychfolk. I am tending more to link it with the unholy mothergrooves of Belgium's Silvester Anfang. Considering the fact that that last reference is merely a hunch, I cannot possibly give Fantastic Ego a greater compliment than by saying his sound is pretty unique in the current all things freaky and folky climate.
Fursaxa - Alone in the Dark Wood
Most of the time I find Fursaxa, although she is always making very beautiful music, lacking spunk. She is always floating somewhere above the witches circle in the deep forest. But this one is her finest piece to date. I will probably not amuse her by comparing this to the better parts of the early Dead Can Dance discography, but that was the feeling it evoked. Anyway, for the first time I was totally involved into her music.
Library Tapes - Feelings for Something Lost
This is probably one of the most beautiful records I have ever heard. Consisting mostly of piano loops mixed up with gently creaking noise it is so much more than the sum of those parts. It sounds as if someone invaded an old derelict house, one of those places where you can hear the wind blowing through the age-old cracks, stumbled onto a dirty old creaky piano and decided to record an album on the spot with one of those old portable cassette recorders. In the league of Basinski's Disintegration Loops, and the cognoscenti will know that this is one hell of a compliment.
Holy Modal Rounders - 1&2
Never heard anything before by these folkies and it was a pleasure. Very simple bluegrass, country and folk ditties brought with the most basic means. Honest music - never thought I would ever use those two words next to one another - without pretense or pose.
Coil - The Remote Viewer
In 2030 people will still be wandering through the Coil backcatalogue and discovering masterpieces. This one was rereleased with two bonus tracks a few months ago and it defies description. But try to imagine bagpipes, hurdy gurdy and electronic beats in one song, add some early Tangerine Dream kosmische vibes, a tad of Material's 'Mantra', a spoonful of haunting emotions and you are not even halfway there. The effect alltogether is like watching Borges' City of the Immortals rising up from the steaming desert. Massive! Masterful! Genius!
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Rather Raving (about)
Arctic Monkeys - Favourite Worst Nightmare
Apart from the bonafide heavy hitters I was not really convinced by the critically lauded first album. But I just love this record and anyone saying that this is a bad record does not know what he is talking about. And the average age of this bunch being twenty we can expect plenty of great things to come (I hope, that is). One of those rare records that makes you wish you were sixteen again.
Circle - Pori
Another record, another style. Which means in this case: how many styles can you handle? This time around endearing panoramic ambient sounds mixed up with bass-heavy electronics and off-kilter rhythms, avant garde versus free jazz versus classical, motorik hardrock with Gregorian chanting, bombastic drum work, epic synthwashes all over the place, lots of nocturnal atmospheres and a whole lot more. These guys are as difficult to follow as their song titles are to pronounce.
Jona - Smart Cats vs Dumb Dogs / Evidence
I bought his previous two 12-inches on Get Physical and this one proves that this Belgian continues his ascent to the top techno drawer. And he is doing something original with the labelsound, of which I was growing a bit tired lately. Like always he royally takes his time and just when you think this is going to be another not-much-happening minimal funk track he gets all emotional and melancholic on you.
Von Südenfed - Tromatic Reflexxions
Forget that horrible last Fall-record. This is the one to worship. Great beats and Smith in full effect. I think he needs a new band or something. Again.
Brainticket - Celestial Ocean
Most of the time Brainticket are considered to be Krautrockers but they were actually of Swiss and Italian descent. This album contains some great ethnic inspired prog. But if an inspired bootlegger/editor (think Dark and Lovely or such) added some good contemporary beats to the mighty 'Jardins', you would get a great slow sub-disco anthem. And those who were wondering where Steven 'NWW' Stapleton got those dreamy foreign sounding vocal bits, look no further, you will find plenty of those on this record. Splendid stuff!
Roxy Music - Country Life
My mother had this record since before I was born and I always liked the horribly made-up girls with the see-through underwear, but never got around to actually checking the music. And it turns out to be one of the best Roxy Music albums. Not everything is genius, but 'The Thrill of It All', 'All I Want is You', 'Out of the Blue' and 'Prairie Rose' are among the best they have ever done. Arty as fuck (dig those Weill-ian phrasings on 'Bitter-sweet') but what was ever wrong with that?
Die Tödliche Doris - " "
Ooooooh! Great deconstructed anarcho-punk artrocky stuff from Berlin. They started the whole Berlin scene along with Einstürzende Neubauten and DAF and they are just as great, but more in a chaotic No Wave style à la DNA and Teenage Jesus. What is more, they are also pleasantly disturbed. Has also one of those titles you cannot pronounce, but only read, which I think is another plus. They once released two records that you could play at the same time and then get a third record, the so-called Invisible LP, which even had a catalogue number of its own. I like those antics! Crazy as fuck and anti-everything, sounds like a Fire in the Mind kinda group.
Shining - Grindstone
Thanks for the tip, Bas! Totally freaked out mix-up of gothic, progressive, jazz, hardrock, electronics and what the fuck do I know. Audacious, ambitious, inventive and completely succeeding where others fail. With operatic vocals, always a big plus at the Fire place.
Glenn Jones - Against Which the Sea Continually Beats
Classic instrumental twangy sounds from Cul De Sac-member. Recommended for the John Fahey and Jack Rose lovers. This guy can play a mean tune.
Ibliss - Supernova
This group is what remained when Hütter and Scheider left the one-off project Organisation to start up Kraftwerk. And Ibliss in turn turned out to be another one-off. But it is a beauty. Very funky and with lots of exotic and ethnic sounds, these four tracks are among the best and most accessible the Krautrock movement ever yielded. Although titles like 'Athir' and 'Marga' promise otherwise there is nothing much psychedelic about Supernova. It sounds more akin to early disco and late jazzfunk actually, a bit like Miles Davis circa Agharta and Pangaea, but a lot tamer of course. Nonetheless well worth checking.
Moebius Neumeier Engler - Other Places
A mix-up of tribal, industrial electronics and that mighty unique Krautfeeling. And 'Sumplige Wasser' sounds like it could have been released on Kompakt, or something by the current incarnation of The Orb. Essential listenening.
Apart from the bonafide heavy hitters I was not really convinced by the critically lauded first album. But I just love this record and anyone saying that this is a bad record does not know what he is talking about. And the average age of this bunch being twenty we can expect plenty of great things to come (I hope, that is). One of those rare records that makes you wish you were sixteen again.
Circle - Pori
Another record, another style. Which means in this case: how many styles can you handle? This time around endearing panoramic ambient sounds mixed up with bass-heavy electronics and off-kilter rhythms, avant garde versus free jazz versus classical, motorik hardrock with Gregorian chanting, bombastic drum work, epic synthwashes all over the place, lots of nocturnal atmospheres and a whole lot more. These guys are as difficult to follow as their song titles are to pronounce.
Jona - Smart Cats vs Dumb Dogs / Evidence
I bought his previous two 12-inches on Get Physical and this one proves that this Belgian continues his ascent to the top techno drawer. And he is doing something original with the labelsound, of which I was growing a bit tired lately. Like always he royally takes his time and just when you think this is going to be another not-much-happening minimal funk track he gets all emotional and melancholic on you.
Von Südenfed - Tromatic Reflexxions
Forget that horrible last Fall-record. This is the one to worship. Great beats and Smith in full effect. I think he needs a new band or something. Again.
Brainticket - Celestial Ocean
Most of the time Brainticket are considered to be Krautrockers but they were actually of Swiss and Italian descent. This album contains some great ethnic inspired prog. But if an inspired bootlegger/editor (think Dark and Lovely or such) added some good contemporary beats to the mighty 'Jardins', you would get a great slow sub-disco anthem. And those who were wondering where Steven 'NWW' Stapleton got those dreamy foreign sounding vocal bits, look no further, you will find plenty of those on this record. Splendid stuff!
Roxy Music - Country Life
My mother had this record since before I was born and I always liked the horribly made-up girls with the see-through underwear, but never got around to actually checking the music. And it turns out to be one of the best Roxy Music albums. Not everything is genius, but 'The Thrill of It All', 'All I Want is You', 'Out of the Blue' and 'Prairie Rose' are among the best they have ever done. Arty as fuck (dig those Weill-ian phrasings on 'Bitter-sweet') but what was ever wrong with that?
Die Tödliche Doris - " "
Ooooooh! Great deconstructed anarcho-punk artrocky stuff from Berlin. They started the whole Berlin scene along with Einstürzende Neubauten and DAF and they are just as great, but more in a chaotic No Wave style à la DNA and Teenage Jesus. What is more, they are also pleasantly disturbed. Has also one of those titles you cannot pronounce, but only read, which I think is another plus. They once released two records that you could play at the same time and then get a third record, the so-called Invisible LP, which even had a catalogue number of its own. I like those antics! Crazy as fuck and anti-everything, sounds like a Fire in the Mind kinda group.
Shining - Grindstone
Thanks for the tip, Bas! Totally freaked out mix-up of gothic, progressive, jazz, hardrock, electronics and what the fuck do I know. Audacious, ambitious, inventive and completely succeeding where others fail. With operatic vocals, always a big plus at the Fire place.
Glenn Jones - Against Which the Sea Continually Beats
Classic instrumental twangy sounds from Cul De Sac-member. Recommended for the John Fahey and Jack Rose lovers. This guy can play a mean tune.
Ibliss - Supernova
This group is what remained when Hütter and Scheider left the one-off project Organisation to start up Kraftwerk. And Ibliss in turn turned out to be another one-off. But it is a beauty. Very funky and with lots of exotic and ethnic sounds, these four tracks are among the best and most accessible the Krautrock movement ever yielded. Although titles like 'Athir' and 'Marga' promise otherwise there is nothing much psychedelic about Supernova. It sounds more akin to early disco and late jazzfunk actually, a bit like Miles Davis circa Agharta and Pangaea, but a lot tamer of course. Nonetheless well worth checking.
Moebius Neumeier Engler - Other Places
A mix-up of tribal, industrial electronics and that mighty unique Krautfeeling. And 'Sumplige Wasser' sounds like it could have been released on Kompakt, or something by the current incarnation of The Orb. Essential listenening.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Rather Raving (about)
Circle - Tower
And they noodled on. Beautiful and going nowhere in particular. But to be honest, I like everything this lot does.
Circle - Tyrant
Another Circle, another style. This one's more NWOFS (New Wave of Finnish Shoegaze).
Tod Dockstader - Electronic
There are actually two volumes with exactly the same name. Pretty far removed from the abstract musings of the Aerial series this lies somewhere between the musique concrète experiments of the GRM, krautronics à la Cluster, sci-fi dramatics and industrial. I was absolutely flabbergasted by it.
Edgar Froese - Aqua
Pretty difficult to find something worth listening to in Froese's solo discography. This one's closest to Tangerine Dream circa Phaedra.
Pan American - For Waiting For Chasing
Atmosphere, nothing but atmosphere. Americana ambient, if there were such a thing.
Aphrodite's Child - 666
I confess: I am a prog lover. And this concept album from Roussos and Vangelis about the Apocalypse is as prog as they come. With incredible opera styled vocals from Irene Pappas as a bonus. Only for the brave!
Pentangle - People on the Highway
Folkrock from Bert Jansch's group. With lots of high-pitched girl's voices singing about Albion, snow and sun, wedding dresses, mountains, sweethearts and such. Flowerchildren ahoy!
Sacrificial Totem - Hurqalya
Pagan black metal noise that would scare away even Satan himself. Disturbing shit. For those who can dig the universe-being-born aesthetics of Cluster '71.
Boredoms - Super Roots 9
One track, 40 minutes long, of totally over the top extravaganza. Including insane sampled choirs. Carmina Burana meets Japanoise.
Acid Mothers Temple - In C
Terry Riley sounds like Neu! in these hands. Grooved out!
Keiji Haino - Book of Eternity Set Aflame
Scorched earth style guitar noise rules on this one. Wouldn't be amazed if it turned out Stephen O'Malley has this one in his collection. Louder than Wolf Eyes and more unnerving than Sunn o))). Haino is The King.
And they noodled on. Beautiful and going nowhere in particular. But to be honest, I like everything this lot does.
Circle - Tyrant
Another Circle, another style. This one's more NWOFS (New Wave of Finnish Shoegaze).
Tod Dockstader - Electronic
There are actually two volumes with exactly the same name. Pretty far removed from the abstract musings of the Aerial series this lies somewhere between the musique concrète experiments of the GRM, krautronics à la Cluster, sci-fi dramatics and industrial. I was absolutely flabbergasted by it.
Edgar Froese - Aqua
Pretty difficult to find something worth listening to in Froese's solo discography. This one's closest to Tangerine Dream circa Phaedra.
Pan American - For Waiting For Chasing
Atmosphere, nothing but atmosphere. Americana ambient, if there were such a thing.
Aphrodite's Child - 666
I confess: I am a prog lover. And this concept album from Roussos and Vangelis about the Apocalypse is as prog as they come. With incredible opera styled vocals from Irene Pappas as a bonus. Only for the brave!
Pentangle - People on the Highway
Folkrock from Bert Jansch's group. With lots of high-pitched girl's voices singing about Albion, snow and sun, wedding dresses, mountains, sweethearts and such. Flowerchildren ahoy!
Sacrificial Totem - Hurqalya
Pagan black metal noise that would scare away even Satan himself. Disturbing shit. For those who can dig the universe-being-born aesthetics of Cluster '71.
Boredoms - Super Roots 9
One track, 40 minutes long, of totally over the top extravaganza. Including insane sampled choirs. Carmina Burana meets Japanoise.
Acid Mothers Temple - In C
Terry Riley sounds like Neu! in these hands. Grooved out!
Keiji Haino - Book of Eternity Set Aflame
Scorched earth style guitar noise rules on this one. Wouldn't be amazed if it turned out Stephen O'Malley has this one in his collection. Louder than Wolf Eyes and more unnerving than Sunn o))). Haino is The King.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Rather Raving (about)
Islaja - Ulual YYY
Goddess! Goddess!! Goddess!!!
Colleen - Les Ondes Silencieuses
Out of time beauty on authentic instruments.
The Young Gods - Superready / Fragmenté
So there was nothing coming out of Switserland besides the cuckoo clock, Harry?
Hermann Nitsch - Harmoniumworks Vol. 1-12
Hypnotizing endless organ loops from the Vienna Actionist.
Alexander Tucker - Old Fog
Psychedelic folk with an atypic but rewarding voice.
Khylst - Chaos is My Name
Messages from the darkest pits of hell.
Frankie Valli - Beggin' (Pilooski Edit)
Frankie 'Four Seasons' Valli gets a postmillenial update.
Motor - Unhuman
Stomping electro-tech to set the dance floor alight.
Nico - The Frozen Borderline
What can I say? Even the demo versions are great.
Efterklang - Under Giant Trees
Another enchanting episode of the Efterklang fairytale.
Goddess! Goddess!! Goddess!!!
Colleen - Les Ondes Silencieuses
Out of time beauty on authentic instruments.
The Young Gods - Superready / Fragmenté
So there was nothing coming out of Switserland besides the cuckoo clock, Harry?
Hermann Nitsch - Harmoniumworks Vol. 1-12
Hypnotizing endless organ loops from the Vienna Actionist.
Alexander Tucker - Old Fog
Psychedelic folk with an atypic but rewarding voice.
Khylst - Chaos is My Name
Messages from the darkest pits of hell.
Frankie Valli - Beggin' (Pilooski Edit)
Frankie 'Four Seasons' Valli gets a postmillenial update.
Motor - Unhuman
Stomping electro-tech to set the dance floor alight.
Nico - The Frozen Borderline
What can I say? Even the demo versions are great.
Efterklang - Under Giant Trees
Another enchanting episode of the Efterklang fairytale.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Rather Raving (about)
Pantha Du Prince - This Bliss:
The most beautiful techno I have heard in quite a while.
The Field - From Here We Go Sublime:
The most beautiful techno I have heard in quite a while, part 2
Psalm Alarm - Blk Paintings Vol. 1:
Actually sounds like an evil version of Coil's How to Destroy Angels. And, yes, that is a mighty good thing.
Battles - Mirrored:
To art rock or not to art rock? Fuck that! It rocks!
Ignatz - Ignatz II:
Belgian has the blues. Big time.
Religious Knives - Remains:
Not just another collection of drones.
Wolf Eyes - Black Wing over the Sand:
Yes, they have done it again. And again. And again...
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity:
Supreme pop madness rules supreme.
Gudrun Gut: I Put a Record On:
Sehr gut, ja, danke!
Throbbing Gristle: Part Two, The Endless Not:
Still gets my gristle throbbing after all those years.
The most beautiful techno I have heard in quite a while.
The Field - From Here We Go Sublime:
The most beautiful techno I have heard in quite a while, part 2
Psalm Alarm - Blk Paintings Vol. 1:
Actually sounds like an evil version of Coil's How to Destroy Angels. And, yes, that is a mighty good thing.
Battles - Mirrored:
To art rock or not to art rock? Fuck that! It rocks!
Ignatz - Ignatz II:
Belgian has the blues. Big time.
Religious Knives - Remains:
Not just another collection of drones.
Wolf Eyes - Black Wing over the Sand:
Yes, they have done it again. And again. And again...
Deerhoof - Friend Opportunity:
Supreme pop madness rules supreme.
Gudrun Gut: I Put a Record On:
Sehr gut, ja, danke!
Throbbing Gristle: Part Two, The Endless Not:
Still gets my gristle throbbing after all those years.
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