Unter den linden / Und transit
The 'Grundton' of this 30-minute composition is the recording of the concert given at SND Studios Sheffield (UK) in March 2009, entitled 'Why is there something rather than nothing?' by Mark Fell and powered with d&b speakers by Tony Myatt (MRC, University of York). The sounds of planes have been recorded in Mallorca (Spain) in 1987, and in Pilat (France) in 2009. This music comes after HCDC, composed in November 2008 after the death of Daniel Charles Ð his last days were darkened by brea…
347
'Tim uses several boxes of speakers and Seijiro uses a snare drum as a resonance box, with microphones. They put boxes for their music in another box = the space. They create different levels of universe within the space. From micro to macro. Always with one clear intention: to improvise listening and to organize sonic space together in a very delicate way.Thanks to La Comète 347, Paris. 'Wherever we are, what we hear is mostly noise. When we ignore it, it disturbs us. When we listen to i…
Primitive North
A mighty split release from two of today's most progressive underground metal bands, bringing together the formidable post-doom of Brooklyn's A Storm Of Light and the luminous sludge of Canadian duo Nadja. The real question here is whether or not the music can come anywhere close to the awesome sleeve art, and while that may not even be possible, the twenty-two minute epic from Nadja has a decent go at it. While A Storm Of Light throw everything at their plodding, Wagnerian outings 'Bro…
Cymbals In The Night
Heavy solo release from deep as Marianas Trench Swedish drummer Sven-Ake Johansson. Johansson is primarily known in the US as the drummer on the two hugely influential Brotzmann recordings: For Adolphe Sax and Machine Gun. However, the Berlin-based percussionist/composer/filmmaker/performance artist/painter -- all of which he is remarkably adept at -- also has numerous FMP releases and a well documented relationship with Alexander Schlippenbach. Notable contributions to the canon of exper…
And In The Endless Pause There Came The Sound Of Bees
It probably wouldn't surprise most, but the Type label was originally formed with soundtracks in mind. The moody music that usually accompanied their favorite independent films was a starting point for the label, so it seems perfect that nearly seven years on, they are going back to their roots, if you like, with this album from acclaimed Icelandic musician/composer/producer Jóhann Jóhannsson. Jóhannsson emerged on the influential Touch label with the genre-defining Englabörn (TO 052LP) album in…
Returnal
LP edition: 'Returnal' is the fourth album from Daniel Lopatin's Oneohtrix Point Never project, after 'Betrayed In The Octagon' (Deception Island, 2007), ÔZones Without People' (Arbor, 2009) and 'Russian Mind' (No Fun, 2009). All 3 albums being superbly compiled on the 'Rifts' double CD set (No Fun, 2009). It sees Lopatin fine tune his craft for creation of deep atmospheres and texture even further. Starting off with the mind blowing triptych of 'Nil Admiari'-'Describing Bodies'-'Stress Waves', …
skls
S K L S are Joachim Nordwall & Henrik Rylander, the key members of Swedish noise-rock band The Skull Defekts. That’s their debut release under the name S K L S, which seems to be a kind of side-project for darker, electronic minimalistic sounds. As opposed to the full guitars & drums line-up of The Skull Defekts follows the traditions of motoric Kraut-style (Can or Neu! — like), S K L S is defenitely oriented mostly on spacey-psychedelic-electronic-meditation of Cluster or Popol Vuh. It’s…
Sunburst Lux
Both compositions on that record related to (more or less) to the “tape music”. The piece of Argentinian experimental master Anla Courtis is solely based on manipulated sounds of geyzers, recorded in South America. Ukrainian Edward Sol works with weird cassette loops, lo-fi oscillations and some primitive tones from his vintage USSR-made analogue synth Polyvox. Generally speaking, the sound of this record belongs to the monolith dark drone music.
Drive Home With A Hammer
This is the first full-length CD release by Norwegian noise artist Andreas Brandal. He has been making music with various bands and projects since the late 80's and released a several 7" and LPs on famous Norwegian label Smalltown Supersound as solo artist, as well as a participant of improv-noise duo Larmoyant. "Drive Home With A Hammer" is not "just another noise record". Once you hear it, you will be unexpectedly surprised by unique sense of Andreas in manipulating with interesting close-to-r…
VII
The seventh album from Montreal's harbinger of blackmetaldoompsychedelia appears on Important. Of the two sides of Aun's bi-polar output this falls into the cataclysmic doom zone, full of downtuned scorched-earth riffage and ominous ambience. The inclusion of drummer Away from Voivod lends a thunderous motorik propulsion to 'Falcon' and punctures 'Broken Bill' with neck snapping weight. For fans of Earth, Sunn 0))), Pelican, Gnod - Recommended.
After Before
Fantastic document of higher-minded drone ritual from a trio that features Taketo Shimada. Shimada is a shadowy figure in fringe minimalism. He worked as Henry Flynt’s assistant, put together the Yoshi Wada week at the Emily Harvey Foundation, was involved with Herbert Huncke, Alison Knowles and a bunch of other Fluxus artists. Messages is an extended investigation into the eternal music concepts of Wada, LaMonte Young, Charlemagne Palestine, Pandit Pran Nath et al, with Shimada on bass a…
Emanations of a New World
Vivian Wang and Leslie Low, both of The Observatory, recount childhood memories of mythological fantasy theme park called Haw Par Villa. First called Tiger Balm Garden, the odd but colorful attraction contained a strange mix of characters and familiar tales from Chinese mythology and folklore, mixed in with earthy depictions of modern life and the Chinese concept of hell. The mutual love and dread of the park is told over eight recordings. Voice, guitar, percussion and other traditional i…
Mort aux vaches
MINBLOWING EDITION! 'This might very be the first time that Staalplaat repeats a cover for their Mort Aux Vaches: the metallic cover for this one was also used for the Mitchell Akiyama release (unless of course one states that a lot where printed on paper), but with a different pin. Musicwise of course Vernon & Burns are something different than Akiyama. What many perhaps don't know is that perhaps the whole Mort Aux Vaches enterprise started with VPRO and Staalplaat was by asking people to deli…
Mort aux vaches
New Ignatz cd out now on Staalplaat ´Mort Aux Vaches´ series. Live session at Berry Kamer´s Dwars program at VPRO. KRAAK is working on a new Ignatz lp as well, compiling the best tracks of his cassette releases. Will be released after summer...On Friday Ignatz plays at the Kinky Star in Ghent. On May 22nd his new band Beautiful Band plays at the RTT in Brussels with The Psychic Paramount and Das Os. ´Beautiful Band [Laurent of Rot (guitars), Bram Devens of Ignatz (vocals & guitars), Paul Labrequ…
A handful of automation
First solo audio only release by Melbourne based sound and laser artist Robin Fox and first solo release since the mind melting 'Backscatter' DVD on Synaesthesia (2005). Taking time out from his duo with Anthony Pateras, 'A Handful Of Automation showcases Fox's unique and highly individual take on the usually misunderstood Extreme Computer Music genre, and is a pleasurably disorientating ride. Alongside chaos trips such as 'Boundary Layer Skin Friction' and the stunning title track, sit b…
3 Track 12\"
Written and produced by Florian Hecker. Cut by Rashad Becker at Dubplates & Mastering, Berlin, April 2010. Cover: Florian Pumhösl, Modernology 15, 2007, Courtesy Galerie Daniel Buchholz. Typesetting by Tina Frank. 3 track 12' features pieces produced on occasion of a Comme des Garçons HOMME PLUS fashion show held in Paris, January 2009. A1 (5'12), A2 (2'40 + 0'48) and B1 (23'32) This could be seen as some of Hecker's most accessible work to a date, and a fine addition to any serious elect…
Sferics - Music for solo performer
'Sferics is the shortened term for atmospherics, natural radio-frequency emissions in the ionosphere, caused by electromagnetic energy radiated from nearby or distant lightning. These signals - resonant clicks and pops, called tweeks and bonks by scientists - occur in the audible range of humans and may be picked up by antennas and amplified for listening. They are best received at night, far from power lines. Occasionally, certain sferics get caught on and travel long distances along the magnet…
Tranquilles Impatiences
Alga Marghen proudly presents the first record edition ever by Brunhild Meyer-Ferrari, a very refined and talented german composer, wife of Luc Ferrari with whom she collaborated for over 40 years in creating some of the most beautiful sound works ever created in the past decades. First there was "Et tournent les sons dans la Garrigue" that Luc Ferrari composed in 1977 before "Exercises d’Improvisation" in the same year (a previous unreleased work, soon to be issued on the Planam label). These t…
Ephemere I & II
Alga Marghen presents Éphémère I & II (for tape, or to be played with various instruments) -- two previously-unpublished masterpieces which represent for several reasons a very specific moment in the creative life and catalog of Luc Ferrari. Even if Ferrari's perfect skill in creating some of the most beautiful sonic works ever is now well known to the large audience appreciating his music, the undetermined character marking the two works presented here is quite surprising. Luc Ferrari was tempt…
An Anthology Of Noise and Electronic Music: Volume 2
Finally available on vinyl for the very first time - featuring exclusive and never before available material from the likes of Autechre, Tod Dockstader, Luc Ferrari and so much more - in a super heavyweight and deluxe gatefold package* This second volume of this excellent compilation series from Sub Rosa features an exclusive/previously unreleased Autechre track 'Bronchus 1' from 1991 - an alternate version of the track on 'Incunabula'. A second chronology of pioneering sound artists cove…