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Disasters of self
I've known Joe for close to 15 years - his audio output for a few more. His composition techniques, recording and editing methods, and persistent refinement and redefining of his aural goals has helped to define a body of work that I firmly believe only few artists could hope to match. After a handful of releases on C.I.P., ranging from full-length CD to one-sided 7, my resolve solidified that Joe was a contemporary artist whose work deserved the focus, breadth, and depth of a multiple LP…
Le désert avance
'With this new album, Melmac reveals a new maturity gained in the course of three French and european tours that have enabled the group to initiate a major part of the ideas presented here through extensive improvisation sessions on stage in the spirit of the instant composing sessions ran by Kraut Rock bands during the psychedelics years. These new experiments have opened the artistic spectrum of the band to new horizons clearly rock, heavy, trippy or noise reminiscent of bands like Sleep or Sk…
Inversions
Latest from Albany guitar duo whose six string damaging has often shred the guitar beyond recognition. For this outing, however, Century Plants plug in, and allow their guitars to be guitars. Psych raga, melting icebergs of roaring drone, metallic strum and clang, oceanic melody and even a helping of pastoral song melody separate this from previous smash ups. Hardiman and Hare create these hypnotic states from the ground up, building their sound out of pure improvisation. Oh yeah, the guitars do…
Metal box
Incredible 3 CD set spanning the years from Text of Light's first gig in 1999 through to 2005. This is the project of Lee Ranaldo, Alan Licht, William Hooker, Christian Marclay, Tim Barnes, Ulrich Kreiger and DJ Olive. They perform live to a backdrop of Stan Brakhage films, and no set is ever the same. The first 1000 copies of this lavish set will be issued in a special Metal Box with the 'ToL' logo embossed on the lid, as both a tribute to, and a pastiche of PiL. The first 1000 copies will also…
Cortical Art III
Boston's best cdr-label is run by a fine gentleman named K., and it's dedicated to reissuing obscure 20th century avant garde electronic music in shrunk down replica sleeves, complete with inserts, etc. Follow up to the brainwave recordings made our fave man in the ivory tower, Pierre. It's also on Creel Pone. This one's a performance of the piece given for French brain doctors, who presumably used similar equipment to track the neurological problems of their patients. In addition, the brain whi…
Chaos 1978-86
First-time ever reissue of rare evil psycho machine-funk from '80s Washington, D.C., including previously-unreleased mixes. Now is not the time to doubt your senses -- the Wicked Witch does exist. Born and raised in the musical magical cauldron of Washington D.C., Wicked Witch combines elements from alchemical mentors Parliament Funkadelic, Sun Ra, ESG, Run DMC, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix to cast a crazed spell on the innocent listener. An evil mass of machine-funk with lashings of rhythm and …
Artefacts of Australian Experimental Music: 1930 - 1973
a new compilation CD documenting the forgotten history of Australian experimental music, beautifully packaged, absolutely fundamental! "one of those rare compilations whose desire to edify is equalled by its unabashed enthusiasm, and whose audio matches and sometimes exceeds expectations. Musically, it answers many questions about our history and poses still more - The Wire, August 2007....represents one of the first serious investigations into the sparse recorded history of experimental sound p…
Fluxsweet
CD audio with the 6 pieces. DVD video with the 5 first pieces. 1. PLAY PAPER by Alison Knowles (2003). 'Consider fragments of onion skins as musical notations. Perform with handmade musical instruments and toys.' Performed by Alison Knowles, Larry Miller and Taketo Shimada. 2. MUSIC BOX (homage to FLUX MUSIC BOX by Joe Jones) by Taketo Shimada (2004). 'Modify two or more music boxes and play them simultaneously with the recording of Joe Jones FLUX MUSIC BOX, if possible use children to play the …
Early Works 1966-1979
Trisha Brown, one of the most acclaimed choreographers of contemporary dance, first came to notice in New York in the 1960s. Along with like-minded artists, Yvonne Rainer, Steve Paxton and Simone Forti, she pushed the limits of what was then considered appropriate movement for choreography, and changed modern dance forever. Founding her company in 1970, Brown developed her own choreography and style with her own unique ideas of movement. The first DVD of this two DVD set presents film and video …
Monographie
Limited edition of 600 copies, 300pp. book with full length CD. Mostly German. This is the second edition of the MONOGRAPHIE ASMUS TIETCHENS - the book about the work of Asmus Tietchens, edited by Kai U. Jürgens. The new edition will have almost 300 pages and will include an updated commentated discography, plus new texts by Jon Mueller, Vidna Obmana, Marcel Beyer, Ditterich von Euler-Donnersperg and Till Kniola. It will also collect Tietchens' essays that appeared in magazines in the last few y…
Alexipharmaca
Alexipharmaca, Mem1’s second full-length album, is a collection of improvised works that capture the allure of the forbidden and dangerous, and the modern fascination with things ancient and shrouded in mystery. The album’s title is taken from a set of poems written by Nicander of Colophon, a Greek pharmacologist (fl. 197-130 B.C.E.), whose text deals with plant and animal poisons and their antidotes. Mem1’s music intoxicates with its rich textures and lavish soundscapes, but — like a beautifu…
Estórias para Voz, Instrumentos Acústicos e Eletrônicos
One composition from 1967 (the first), the rest from the late 70s. Here we have patiently forming compositions of a variety of means, although to be fair, the order in the title is clearly in order of importance. The voice is the most important element in three of the four compositions (the second is mostly ambient and dominated by piano and atmospherics), while the last is most likely where Jocy draws the electronics (although their appearance is fleeting and only used as window dressing). Thro…
Split Sides
Merce Cunningham's Split Sides (2003) captures the iconic modernist choreographer's most radical use of chance procedures. As the title implies, the piece is divided into two parts. Each 20-minute part features one of two options for the different creative elements of the piece: set design, costumes, lighting, music, and choreography. The order in which each element appears during a given performance is determined by an onstage dice roll before the performance, captured on full screen for the li…
Odd Clouds
Picture disk, with artwork by Chris Pottinger & Jamie Easter. Recorded between 2004-2007 in Detroit, Ferndale, and Hamtramck, Michigan. Performers: Chris Pottinger, Jamie Easter, Heath Moerland, Glen Morren, Chris Sprague, Matt Smith, Noah Eikhoff & Free Wade. Their 1st LP that came out a couple of years ago, was among the best things I had heard and seen in the last few years. So I didn't hesitate to get in touch with them. They kindly brought some odd clouds at the Qbico U-nite I did in 2007, …
Stormcock
Without question this is Roy Harper's best studio effort. Sure I can think of some excellent compilations and collaborative output from this legendary folk/prog/rock artist to be reviewed at another time but even the general critics have to agree in Stormcock being right up there in the vintage category. Four lengthy quality tracks make up Stormcock. Released in 1971 at the same time as Led Zeppelin IV and Pink Floyd Meddle, the quality of material compares favourably and comes very close in man…
Theology
"The CD "Theology" contains the source recordings used for the LP "The Religious Experience", and is limited to 450 copies. The two albums and their music should be considered as mirror opposites. Where theology is a completely artificial system of belief, a religious experience is the immediate experience of the thing itself. Likewise, the music on "Theology" is complex and elaborate, while "The Religious Experience" is much simpler, going directly to the heart of the material compri…
IMEB OPUS 30 1970-1983 / Vol 2 1984-1999
colossal 6-disc set of obscure early concrète music: a lovely anthology celebrating the 30 years anniversary of Institut international de musique électroacoustique de Bourges (IMEB), formerly Groupe de musique électroacoustique de Bourges (GMEB). Realized between 1970-83 and 1984-1999
Scalpel
Aidan Baker has tried his hand in many different areas of music and it’s always amazing to here the outcome, as more often than not the results are excellent. There have been records that dabble more in psych, kraut, ambient, drone, and so on. However here on Scalpel, Baker has combined a familiar ambiance within his body of work with folk music for something that is loosely being dubbed as his “folk/drone” album. I really didn’t know what to make of that at first. I suppose a descri…
CULTURES ÉLECTRONIQUES 17
30e Concours International de musique et d'Art Sonore Electroacoustiques, Bourges 2003. With Maurio Mary 'Signes émergents', Laurent Soulié 'Ecorde de lune' for tape and instruments (TM+), Ambrose Field 'One hell of a place to lose a cow', Gerald Eckert 'Offen - fin des terres' for tape and instruments (Aventure). Free with this audio CD, a CDrom around the festival Synthèse 2003.
Til odslig horisont
Til odslig horisont evolves slowly and quietly over forty-five minutes and rewards the listener's attention with a great listening experience, manifold soundscapes and atmospheres melting into one another. As often, describing this work will not do it justice, and so I propose that you make yourself comfortable, close your eyes and simply listen. You will enjoy it without an eloquent description.'B. Günter