29 July 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

As Glasgow's Tramway building evolved from train station into arts space, Zoviet France were present recording the ambient sounds for use in their commissioned themes for the Scottish Arts Council. Though you'd hardly believe it from the mostly non industrial nature of these very comfortable soundscapes. Five tracks range between five and twelve minutes apiece and the remaining four serve as in-between filler. In "Something Spooked the Horses" a constant warm drone and panning scratchiness are overlaid with yearning strands of pedal steel guitar. "Electron Gate" gently pulsates a bass loop as microscopic bits click and fuzz. "Pyroclastic Flow" is noisier with some possible power tool abrasion honed into layered drones. "Spiiltek" is dancing plastic chips and electronic blips which relinquish to the deep bass waves beneath. "Light Abrasion" closes with a higher pitched wall of sound and occasional cricket like chirping. All in all "Decriminalisation.." is an engaging work of auditory art. And it's as suited for busy high brow art rooms as it is lonely late night bed rooms.

 

samples:

• Pyroclastic Flow
• Something Spooked the Horses
• Spiiltek

 

Read More

29 July 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Did you get that last Múm release reviewed here a couple months ago? Ifnot, what's the hell's wrong with you? "Yesterday,..." was their debutfull-lengther, and without blinking or thinking twice, a new 45-minutedisc has surfaced. This time around, Morr Music in Germany brings usthe release, which consists of two band new Múm originals and sixremixes from various Morr musicians. The irresistable bliss begins withthe first moments as the group presents the opener: a delicate chiminglooped melody set against broken vocal maniplations and various otherrandom noises. While I hate to draw comparisons, the second track couldalmost be a tribute to an era which has long passed for Autechre, asthe pace picks up and the electronic glitchery becomes more prominent.From there, the remixes begin, at the hands of Styrofoam, ISAN, Phonem,Christian Kleine, Arovane and Bernhard Fleishmann. Tastefully andtactfully, the mixes on the whole expand on the original two songsenough to the point of distincion, but aren't so haphazardly assembledso the disc sounds like a various artists collection. The pace doesn'tstray and the prettiness only lends itself to the occasional creepy'Children of the Corn' child-like feel. Spooky yet attractive, like thelast disc: when it's playing in the car or in the house, friends willalways ask "oooh, what is this?" Sadly enough, that's often followed bya disappointing trip to a local shop which will come up empty-handed.It can be found, I've seen it advertised, it just takes a little moreeffort, and the rewards are worth the work.

 

samples:

• On the Old Mountain Radio
• Please Sing My Spring Reverb (i.s.a.n. catena remix)
• Please Sing My Spring Reverb (B. Fleishmann remix)

Read More

29 July 2001

Albums and Singles

This compilation of ancient out takes, b-sides, live versions andremixes leaves one amazed as it's still stunning material, nearby 20years later. There's somehow no logical progression in the runningorder; neither chronological nor from the developing mood whilelistening. Play it on shuffle (or random) mode and you'll get the samewild mixture of all which Shriekback once where famous for;Unconventional use of all styles and instruments, sound explorations,brilliant lyrics chanted or spoken in a nearly hypnotizing manner, awhite funkiness with punk attitude and transforming the song-writinginto a track shaping (alongside The Slits, This Heat, 23 Skidoo, ThePop Group and others).
Captured here is the non-polished side of the early line up : BarryAndrews (Vocals, Keyboards), Dave Allen (Bass), Carl Marsh (Guitar,Vocals) with Martyn Barker (Drums, Percussion).From their well-know material included is only the flip side version of"My Spine Is The Bassline" with complete different vocals layered uponthe basic track, from the 15 cuts here most have never been releasedbefore and only a few in different versions.
It's by no means an alternative "best of" - there already have beenseveral, busy repacked and redesigned during the 90's ( mostlyincomplete as the rights to their recorded output are spread between YRecords, Arista, Island and World Domination ) - more an addition whichcould also serve as an introduction, especially as Marsh and Andrewswhere asked to comment all the tracks which makes it even moreinsightful.
This is actually great stuff, get it while you can as double packincluding the nearly lost 'Naked Apes & Pond Life' album (even ifyou have to search shriekback.com for further details as no bookletcomes along with it). A very unspectacular one at first but it puts adifferent spell on you after a while, not to be compared with their1992 masterpiece "Sacred City" - an album I can't recommend too much.Dave Allen got lost again and Lu Edmonds came back for Guitar and Saz.Naked Apes & Pond Life originates arround 1995 but was not finallymixed nor published until 1999 (as no Record Company ever made too muchmoney with the approach of the Shrieks) when Martyn Barker took overand got involved in label work.
You can't say it's too long clicking in with a barely traditional LPlength of 42 something and a content of just 6 'proper' songs in midst8 mostly short instrumentals, but listening to the perfect 4:26 of"Everything's On Fire", shaped with elegance, sensuality and magic youknow that very well known acts would kill for songs like these and it'snot the total length that makes a release worthwile to obtain.
Don't expect anything. Discover.

 

samples:

• Everything's On Fire
• Despite Dense Weed
• Grapes Into Lettuce

29 July 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

It's the same story we've all heard countless times. Band has hitsingle on MTV Buzz Bin. Band's album does reasonably well in US,selling a couple hundred thousand copies. Label wants new record tocapitalize on success. Band goes into studio, records album farsuperior to first record, but artistically more challenging. Label saysthey don't hear a single. They want a song that sounds a lot like thebig hit single. Band balks, and asks to be let out of contract. Labelagrees, but holds on to rights to album, making it hard for band torelease it. It seems the label in this story always seems to beElektra, by the way, and it is in this case. The band this time is NadaSurf, and the album is the recently released "The Proximity Effect,"originally scheduled for release in 1998. The album was available onimport for a while, as, curiously, Elektra DIDrelease it in Australia. But now, the record gets it's domestic debut,with a few changes. It's missing their cover of "Why Are You So Mean ToMe?" that was on the import, but they add an original bonus track totake its place. It also features some multimedia content. But whatabout the songs? Nada Surf's big hit, the quirky and funny butotherwise totally forgettable high school anthem "Popular," gave noindication of where this band could go musically. "The ProximityEffect" is a tour-de-force record, showing off the strengths of theband members brilliantly. From the opening track, "Hyperspace," thelistener is introduced to the new Nada Surf. More high-energy thanslacker, more melodic than speakeasy, and better songwriting thanbefore, the band is musically light years beyond "high/low." andMatthew Caws' voice sounds great. They do it all here: high speedrockers, angry tell-offs with loud power chords, gorgeous slow powerpop, and mid-tempo rockers with a message. It's a fantastic album, andwell worth your hungry ears. Since the band released it on their ownlabel, it may be hard to find, but that just makes you appreciate itmore, doesn't it?

 

samples:

• Amateur
• Hyperspace
• Robot

Read More

29 July 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Coil fans may have been a bit taken aback when Thighpaulsandra's releases started to surface on Eskaton. The music was a mishmosh of genres from improv jazz to neo-clssical and glam rock, unpolarized over the course of an overwhelming 2½ hours. This compact extended-play single lifts the title track from its 30-something minute surroundings and extracts all overbearing drones into a comfortable well-focused 3½ minute ambiguous yet infectious pop tune which could easily be about An American Scenester in London, Miami DJ or Danny McKernan.

 

Eskaton

For the three remainding tracks, TPS is joined by familiar crew from the album's sessions on very synth-heavy and structurally bound pieces. The tunes are considerably shorter, less clouded with showoff musiciannery, while still being aurally challenging. "Paralysed" features guest vocals from percussionist Siªn Orgon in a very Tangerine Dream-esque analogue sequencer bisque. Coupled with "Hovercar Von Dusseldorf," the tracks are strongly remeniscent of the Cold War influenced instrumentality of the less popular 80s synth popsters. For the EP's closer, "Fouled", John Balance's shrieks gets added to Thighpaulsandra's in a nine-minute psychedelic bass guitar-heavy, live drum, guitar and synth mix which would easily appeal to any fan of the Last Man to Fly-era Tear Garden. Once again this Thighpaulsandra release might not be for all Coil fans, but it's worth the listen.

 

samples:

• Paralysed
• Hovercraft Von Düsseldorf
• Fouled

Read More

29 July 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Here we have a digipacked pair of ~scape label related various artistsdiscs. Both feature many of the usual suspects (and several lesserknown ones) who labor in the labs where electronic, jazz and dub musicscollide and coagulate.
"Komfort" is a 58 minute mixer by Stefan Betke, aka Pole and head of~scape, for WMF Records. Betke doesn't transform everyone into Polewith his mix, but he does seem to dull down much of the sharp edgeswith an odd murkiness, as well as weaving in barely discernible tracesof a Nils Oekland string melody throughout. Lazily progressing throughalmost indiscriminate glitch-click and bass by the likes of VladislavDelay, Kit Clayton and Process, it slowly builds a head of steam upinto the echo chamber house of Maus & Stolle. The mid-section ofFarben, Dr. Rockit and Cinematic Orchestra mellows things out againwith some diffusive pads and slow motion jazz rhythm. Flanger continuesthe jazz tip with erratic beats and keys, gradually simmering down intothe sax augmented deep dub of The Private Lightning Six. Pole's owndigi-dub "Rondell 2" comes leaping out of the speakers, almost as ifBetke intended for his own composition to overshadow all the others. Asolo performance on a stringed instrument of some sort by Oekland wrapsit all up, oddly enough, and oddly enough, it works. But altogether,despite the talent involved and effective track selection, something isstill lacking. Clarity perhaps.
On the other hand, "Staedtizism 2" resonates with digital precision.And same as the first volume, this one has only a few artists actuallyfrom the label's roster - Jan Jelinek, Burnt Friedman & The Nu DubPlayers and Kit Clayton - along with System, John Tejada, Process,Nolte, Bus, Beige, Sad Rockets, Headset and Low Res. While there'sstill some glitch, it seems to no longer be as in vogue these days asthese tracks refer more to easy listening jazz and dub, electronicallyof course. Jelinek's "The Village Vanguard" churns through microscopicbits of old jazz records while Headset's "Dustmite" uses passages ofsquawking horn. The liquid keys of Nolte's "21st Century SchizoidMan.." remind me of the jazzy runs in Coil's "The Snow". Tejada's "AWorld So Wide" is bright and airy, coupling easy going bass and cleanguitar melodies. Bus' "Tamed Lion" and Friedman's "Xyz (Our Version)"dip furthest into the dub end of the spectrum while Clayton's "PaintingBetween Numbers" is probably the most experimental, looping andlayering electric piano notes into oblivion. Though all these artistsare of a similar mindset, they also remain on separate if not paralleltrajectories.

 

samples:

• Burnt Friedman & the Nu Dub Players - XYZ (Our Version)
• Cinematic Orchestra - Continuum
• The Private Lightning Six - Baby FM
• Headset - Dustmite

Read More

29 July 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Any band that sets out to deconstruct rock on its releases isimmediately going to turn off some listeners. US Maple don'tnecessarily turn off listners, they lambast them with their loud guitarattack and, sometimes, annoyance, and yet dare them to listen more. Itstill turns some listeners off. I'm still on the fence. Don't get mewrong: this is the best US Maple release yet. If you were going to buyone, make it this one. Previous releases have seemed disjointed, tooimprovisational, even, with moments of brilliance. "Acre Thrills" islike the band's mission statement. They are here to break the rules ofrock. They are here to lead the way. And every moment is well executed.The start of the album with "Ma Digital" shows us the familiar twoguitar whine assault and what Spin magazine once called the "UnholyWheeze" -- Al Johnson's voice. It really is original in its completedisregard for a unifying structure, and the collective band members areproficient, even deadly with their respective instruments. And it'sheavy, menacing as all get out on some tracks. The Wheeze even soundssexy, if you can believe that, going from low growl to CraigWedren-like vocal magic. One song even features the most fascinating ofscientific myseteries: real cat purrs. And Brian Paulson, that indierock king of clean, loud sound, does a great job bringing the band'ssound out to play. It's just not all that thrilling to me. It's a goodthing that the lyrics are in the book, too, because I sure as hellcouldn't tell what was being said on some songs. But it works on manylevels, creating a soundscape that is worth listening to, even if itdoesn't grab you all that hard. US Maple succeed in deconstructingrock. But if it's deconstructed rock, what is it, exactly? And will youlike it? Give it a try, especially "Acre Thrills," their best effort todate.

 

samples:

• Make Your Bedroom Great
• Total Fruit Warning
• Untitled

Read More

29 July 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

"Augmented Lines" is Somatix's second CD album after more than thirtyvinyl releases on labels across the globe. Originally coming from thebreakcore/hardcore techno scene, their debut on Hymen, "Circumflex,"garnered them lots of new fans and a much more broadened knowledge oftheir sound. Therein lies the album's problem. "Their sound" is sospecific that one can recognize a Somatic Responses release easily,regardless of which it is, and to my ears, it ends up getting stalepretty quick. "Circumflex" was great because it was polished, evil, andit was the first Somatix I had heard; it filled the gap that had beenleft by the steadily-increasing-inanity albums Panacea was putting outafter "Low Profile Darkness." I gradually picked up a couple more 12"sand although they were good, I found them to be little different fromeach other. "Augmented Lines" plays out like, well, Somatic Responses.To their credit, it is more mellow and features some different moodsthan "Circumflex," but if anything, I'd have preferred them to goharsher and noisier. Though it's not a bad album, it is far from beinganything new, and this is Somatix's greatest downfall. If you're new tobrothers John & Paul Healy, purchase "Circumflex" and decide fromthere if your thirst is quenched: if yes, stop; if no, purchase some12"s and this second album and see how you feel.

 

samples:

• Strangers in the Night
• Critical Path
• Engine of Desire

Read More

29 July 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Was that Kosmik Kommando? Merzbow? Pan Sonic? No, it was twelve littleold gameboys strung up on gallery walls and singing their scoredbattery powered noises through cheapo cheapo speakers. Matt Wand, he ofStock, Hausen & Walkman and Hot Air records, has been performingsolo recently on gameboys and has been collecting the old machines fora while. Like Philip Jeck's 'Off The Record' installation with racks oflooping record players, part of the idea was to walk around and hearhow the sounds shifted and crossed and complemented and deadened eachother as they burbled, squealed, whooshed and crackled. Mr Wand hasmade available a souvenir of this event in the form of a tiny little 3"CD with 21 minutes of edited highlights. He's known for his humourousapproach to music though, and even after going to a private view of thegameboy orchestra after this was recorded, I can't work out if thenumbered sequences on the insert really relate to the score or if he'spulling our legs. Apparently the game Tetris was an inspiration for theinstallation. Whatever, the results here make strangely compellinglistening and don't sound like anything else he's done before.

 

samples:

• 1
• 2

Read More

29 July 2001

Administrator

Albums and Singles

Loud. Before I describe or review this CD in any length, one word can describe it perfectly: loud. This is probably the loudest album I've ever heard, and certainly raises the bar on intensity more than any other power electronics album I've ever heard.For you PE freaks out there (anyone? anyone read the Brain and give a shit about power electronics? We'll see, I guess), you may know the French Propergol from his previous two CDRs, limited to 99 and 200 copies respectively - they weren't bad, but I didn't listen to either of them more than once. He has much improved on his latest release, and actually, it's quickly becoming one of my favorite PE albums released recently. It starts off quite well, with "Swat-police," a mash of found sounds, distortion, and movie samples. That's where the album's only (possible) downfall comes into play. For those of you who hate movie samples (I usually don't mind them, and I think the ones used on this album are used pretty well), "United States..." will be intolerable. Movie samples are used judiciously and frequently, and apt listeners will quite easily discern their origins. As the album progresses, it gets louder, louder, and louder (although I've found that the lower in proximity your ears are to the floor, the quieter the album gets. Does bass rise?), climaxing somewhere around the sixth track. Certainly not for everyone, but if you're into it, get it now.

 

samples:

• Niky Braun
• Outburst
• United States...

 

Read More