Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Experimental. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Experimental. Mostrar todas las entradas

lunes, 14 de enero de 2013

CLXXXII. Love Cult | Fingers Crossed





















LOVE CULT
Fingers Crossed
©Public Information. UK, 2012.


"En el Noreste de Rusia (aquel inmenso país atrapado en la historia −para bien o para mal−) se encuentra la ciudad de Petrozavodsk, más cercana a la península escandinava que al centro de Rusia, esta región es conocida como República de Carelia. Y como esta no es una lección de geografía debemos decir que desde ese lugar viene uno de los proyectos musicales que (sobre todo este año) nos ha mantenido alerta en el laboratorio esquimal, me refiero a Love Cult, dúo (sentimental además) formado por Anya Kuts e Ivan Afanasyev, claro que era necesaria toda esa intro cuando estamos frente a una cración sonora aislada y distintiva a lo que solemos recibir. Por ahí en mayo reseñamos 2 de sus casettes anteriores, "Sobaki, Volki" (2010) y "Nebulaes" (2011), extasiados disfrutamos de esa oscuridad distante que sale del aparataje manipulado y de la voz-ondina de Anya que hipnotiza y te lleva de exploración por las honduras más alucinantes.
Ahora toda esa magia vuelve con este flamante primer LP, "Fingers Crossed" publicado por el sello londinense Public Information, el formato largo ayudará sin dudas para una mayor propagación del mantra drónico que nos proponen. Un trayecto que no es fácil de buenas a primeras, hay que estar paciente y agudizar bien las antenas, los espacios auditivos son siempre deformados, ya sea por grabaciones fantasmales (tomadas de alguna escucha en onda corta de madrugada) como en "Wall Rug", o por esa creatividad austera y repetitiva sacada de las sombras y el frío ártico ("Kantele"), el asunto es que la música de Love Cult se encuentra envuelta bajo un manto onírico, abstracto, como una visión borrosa de vivencia casi inconciente, perdida en los avatares de las estaciones, sin embargo la clarividencia sonora de la pareja nos sorprende con arrullos tan sútiles como la titular "Fingers Crossed", cercanos a este lago nos sentimos como en casa, de vez en cuando uno imagina un ambiente que extienda calma y plenitud, y los Love Cult lo consiguen en este nimbo ocultista y maquinal, el ruido como fuente de pureza profunda.
La última parte del disco se abre con el bajo palpitante de "Knoeledge", el canto de Anya flota en la ventisca de circuitos esparcidos por Ivan y las grabaciones espectrales de otro tiempo, cuanto tiempo en la aldea nortina viendo pasar los años y las acciones, alejados de las multitudes flagelantes, procesiones y fragmentos que siguen tras la lentitud de "Palinode", la desfiguración, el diseño no comunicado, el noise congelado de "Place To Get Lost In" nos despide sin temor al colapso penitente, sino que siendo parte del tornado, girando, soñando despiertos en la habitación de cristal."

Raúl Cabrera H.





domingo, 29 de enero de 2012

CLXXXI. Naked On The Vague | The Blood Pressure Sessions



















The Blood Pressure Sessions
©Siltbreeze. US, 2008.


‟Desde la isla de los malditos, cuna de agrupaciones marginales como The Birthday Party, The Church o The Triffids, hoy se desprende este nuevo engendro encantador.
Destinados a enfermar cada uno de los caminos acá cubiertos, este dúo de Sydney, Australia, formado por Cliche Cliche y 'The Worm' no dejan tiempo entre sus miniaturas ruidistas, en esa delgada línea en que cuelgan cada una de sus interpretaciones, siempre corriendo por bordes que dan hacia un gran despeñadero.
Armados de un a bajo, teclados y una caja de ritmos le dan vida a un disco debut espectral, "The Blood Pressure Sessions", muy alejado del sonido actual, ellos se ocultan tras un espacio atormentado y oscurecido.
Abren el disco con un tema que ya se quisiera Michael Gira para sus nuevos proyectos, "Old Leader" desprende un hedor antiguo como tomado del tiempo de la No Wave neoyorkina de comienzo de los 80's, primitivismo lacerante junto a unas voces de ultratumba que desconciertan, los temas suelen ser cortos, pero para que más, si todo se concentra allí, alma y corazón flagelados.
Pasando a "All Aboard" que debe ser el tema más 'alegre', pero anormal con esa percusión marcial y ese ruido infernal diseminado por un bajo quebradizo sonando como una guitarra distorsionada a mil, a esto sumemos el canto de Lucy Cliche que podría asociarse a la más hiriente Kim Gordon de "Confusion is Sex".
De aquí en adelante todo se vuelve más turbio cayendo a ratos en el post-punk aterrador de los Mars, hasta que aparece esa joya de tema "The Horse, He's Sick", te imaginas las guitarras depresivas de The Cure en "Pornography" junto a los ritmos de Death in June, cuesta respirar y es muy probable que este disco no suene en ninguna parte, por su abrasividad y porque para cualquier persona normal no pasaría de ser un mal rato que tuvo que aguantar.
Pero hay carne y hueso en el aire acá manifestado y eso es imprescindible en cualquier obra maldita que se precie de tal, con pista experimental y de distinción libertaria en este caso.
De hecho les cuento que este disco apareció originalmente el 2007 en Australia por el sello independiente Dual Plover y este 2008 lo tenemos con nosotros gracias a la etiqueta norteamericana Siltbreeze, especializada en editar noise, circuitería, drone, sonido deslavado y demases.‟

Raúl Cabrera H.



jueves, 26 de enero de 2012

CLXXIX. Paavoharju | Yhä Hämärää




















Yhä Hämärää
©Fonal. Suomen Tasavalta, 2005.


‟My notion of "Christian music" was built from my experiences in church sermons and Christian summer camp and it's agonising acoustic sing-alongs about some deep philosophical insight about a cloth made out of rags. Thankfully Paavoharju doesn't take cues from that most of the time, but more from traditional finnish hymns, without the soul crushingly boring sermons.

Yhä hämärää is like listening to a cassette you found lying inside a table drawer inside a lone abandoned wooden house somewhere in the Finnish Carelian countryside on a cold autumn day. A soundtrack to some old loner's melancholic memories. From touching lo-fi post-rock - "Valo tihkuu kaiken läpi" being a prime example and top pick - to folk acoustics with glitch electro sprinkled on top. What comes to comparisons, Xinlisupreme comes closest with their more calmer tunes. (Indeed, some surfing on Paavoharju reveals them as a confessed influence.)

The album doesn't have any real flaws, some tracks maybe being a bit too vague to make them memorable. But as a whole, it's definitely an experience, the album also not suffering from "let's cram stuff in this CD to it's full capacity" syndrome, which is always a plus in my book. And it sure beats those annoying sing-alongs. Something even a confessed atheist can enjoy.‟

Cthulhu




viernes, 13 de enero de 2012

CLXXII. Various Artists | Neue Deutsche Post Avantgarde





















Neue Deutsche Post Avantgarde
©Goethe-Institut Brasil. Brasil, 1988.


‟This here is a wonderful Industrial various that has a bit of a back story.  This was made in Germany in 1988 for the Goethe Institute in Brazil (Sao Paulo). A pressing of 2950 was made for them.  150 copies remained for sale, while the rest was sent, and apparently "lost" (according to Monographie Asmus Tietchens)

Artists on this are S.B.O.T.H.I., Cranioclast, P16 D4, Gerechtigkeits Liga, Graf Haufen, Mullah, H.N.A.S., Cinéma Vérité, Frieder Butzmann / Thomas Kapielski and Werkbund. 

Neue Deutsche Welle!‟

Luca



viernes, 6 de enero de 2012

CLXVI. Altar Of Flies | Permanent Cavity



















Permanent Cavity
©iDEAL. Sverige, 2010.


‟'Permanent Cavity' is the latest, and some may say the best, in a long line of noise recordings from the prolific Mattias Gustafsson. It was recorded to tape between 2007-2008 at his studio in Sweden and contains seven articles of controlled experiments in the art of structured noise designed to unsettle and scare. His tactile approach and appreciation of silence and space would place his work closer to that of Kevin Drumm in some respects, than say the butchery of Prurient, and there's also the sense of doom dub dystopia that made BJ Nilsen's 'Death Dub' 7" so vital. Half way through the album we reach the most tranquil spot, where he conjures imagery of Philip Jeck and Helge Sten communicating under heavy skies and the scorched, spherical tones of the title track bear a resemblance to Mika Vainio's mastery of circuit-hewn brutality.‟

Boomkat









jueves, 5 de enero de 2012

CLXIV. Joy Of Life | Enjoy / Hear The Children





















Enjoy / Hear The Children
©Hyperium. Deutschland, 1992.


‟Joy Of Life were a London based post-punk four piece initially influenced by Joy Division and early New Order.
Their debut LP, Enjoy was released in 1985 on Death In June's New European Recording's label and produced by Douglas Pearce. At the time the band were seen as a DIJ copyist act although their sound was more conventional with considerably milder Germanic overtones.
Joy Of Life were never a neo-folk act like Death In June, but did suffer a great lack of credibility from their affiliations with the other bards of Woking.
Following flirtations with major labels, no actual recordings just presumably lots of tapes and discussion, Joy Of Life did not release the follow up album until 1988 on their own Cadre label. This was a much darker affair with Gothic overtones, though the bass line on opener Liberty sounds very familiar. The band split shortly afterwards, but have reformed several times since to play Goth Festivals in Germany.
Both albums were had very limited runs and are long deleted, though German label, Hyperium reissued them as a single CD and limited edition CD box in 1992 from which these tracks are ripped. Joy Of Life were never an important band and were never really a good band, nobody will really ever miss them, though 20 years on their output does make interesting hearing for those inquisitive enough to listen.‟





lunes, 2 de enero de 2012

CLIX. Cabaret Voltaire | Mix-Up





















Mix-Up
©Rough Trade. UK, 1979.


‟Cabaret Voltaire were the grim Northern counterpart to Throbbing Gristle's London screech and squallor, and it is well known that these kindred spirits both birthed and pioneered the Industrial music genre.  Whereas TG were willfully repellent and menacing, the Cabs had a more seductive element to there menacing music, which seemed to slither with a subtle sexuality.

This was achieved mostly by their incorporating of funk and dub reggae, which would gradually move to the forefront of their sound as their career progressed.  Another influencial musical factor loomed much larger during this, the initial stages of their discography: German Krautrock.  They would willfully admit a heavy debt to both Can and Faust and the improvisational techniques both bands employed.

With these influences in mind, it's much easier to grasp the mindset and intent of their debut full-length Mix-Up.  What may sound like aimless experimentation for the sake of it, will reveal itself as hypnotic and instinctual, yet disciplined and thought out musical innovation.  This album takes multiple listens to penetrate, but after getting past the initial murk and haze, you'll discover:

1) Another stellar example of their knack for creating compelling cover versions of songs which are excitingly unrecognizable, or at least severally distorted from the original.  In this case it's done to The Seeds' "No Escape."

2) A completely engrossing and absolutely terrifying description of the LSD experience in the harrowing "Heaven and Hell."

3) One of their musical peaks and the only song on the album to feature live drumming, "On Every Other Street" is Cabaret Voltaire firing on all cylinders and engulfs the listener in a wave of lurching, trippy, robotic funk for the paranoid.

Ultimately, while this album does lull in some places and is not a masterpiece, it holds up extremely well when compared to all of their follow-ups and when taken as a whole, is quite an awesome experience.  A landmark of the Industrial and Post-Punk genres, as well as the legendary label Rough Trade, it is well worth seeking out and is also a good place to start with this band, if you aren't a fan of "best of" compilations.  It's also worth noting that Cabaret Voltaire released excellend singles and EPs and some of their best and most well-known material is not included on their studio albums.  So in addition, I would highly suggest tracking down the Living Legends compilation, which collects all the early singles and EPs.
‟

Bennyshambles



sábado, 24 de diciembre de 2011

CLVI. Psychic TV | Pagan Day



















Pagan Day
©Cleopatra. US, 1994.


‟This recording was first ever released as catalogue number TOPY 003 on thee 23rd december 1984 as a Picture Disc limited edition ov 999 copies. One side was a full colour photograph ov Caresse P-Orridge as a baby, thee other side had text in red on white. It was only available to shops and distributors between 11am and 12am on that actual day! Rough Trade co-ordinated this through their telex lines for us. All thee music was recorded on a 4 track cassette machine under thee guidance of Alex Fergusson, thee original co-founder and partner, with Genesis P-Orridge, ov Psychic TV. "Pagan Day" was subtitled "Pages From A Notebook" because that is precisely what it was. Thee revealing ov thee process itself. Most PTV songs in their earliest era began life as these kinds ov cassette sketches often recorded in Alex's room at thee YMCA over coffee. "Pagan Day" is not therefore a "finished" recording in thee commonly accepted sense, it is an intimate glimpse into a place where "Source Are Rare". However, thee simplicity and privacy of it's evolution onto a record makes it appealing in quite a special way. Some songs were never intended to be heard outside our own living rooms but to conceal thee frailties would we felt, compromise thee integrity and honesty ov this chronicle. Due to popular interest, and extremely high "collector" prices being paid for thee original Picture Disc, "Pagan Day" was re-issued on normal vinyl, in a card sleeve as part ov Temple Records Library Series as a matter ov completeness, and as a matter ov fact.‟









 

martes, 13 de diciembre de 2011

CLI. Nurse With Wound | Chance Meeting On A Dissecting Table Of A Sewing Machine And An Umbrella





















Chance Meeting On A Dissecting Table Of A Sewing Machine And An Umbrella
©United Dairies. UK, 1980.


‟En el año 1980 apareció el disco de Nurse With Wound llamado "Chance Meeting On A Dissecting Table Of A Sewing Machine And An Umbrella".
 
Cuenta Steven Stapleton : "Dos meses antes Throbbing Gristle sacaron su álbum debut "Second Anual Report" y lanzaron 'Industrial records' - el de estos eran semimprovisados ruidos electrónicos e imagenería oscura-. A través de una debil lógica, en el surgimiento de "Chance meeting..." fue etiquetado de industrial. Una macana."
 
"Nosotros fuimos asociados con la 'industrial music' debido al hecho que nosotros surgimos en el mismo tiempo y que la tapa de nuestro álbum era 'dark', no importaba como sonaba la música. En realidad nuestra música estaba mucho más cerca de la libre improvisación. No hay comparación entre la música industrial y Nurse With Wound. Para mí la música de Nurse es música surrealista. Es un desplazamiento de algo ordinario a un montaje extraordinario, tomo cosas ordinarias - instrumentos, solos, y los coloco en un montaje inusual, dándole un ángulo completamente diferente en la manera en que instrumentos y composición son mirados habitualmente".
 
Así como el Surrealismo funcionó como una ruptura o una avería en el teleología de la realidad empírica, una exhumación del subconsciente, para que 'el ruido' exponga el caos sónico a la base de toda música. El surrealismo de NWW es una ruptura maliciosa e impetuosa, un ataque al orden y la forma, atado con el más negro de los humores.
‟




martes, 6 de diciembre de 2011

CXLVI. His Name Is Alive | Livonia





















Livonia
©4AD. UK, 1990.


‟His Name Is Alive evolved dream-pop for the new decade. Thus, set in a far more electronic landscape, "As We Could Ever" brought the Cocteau Twins into the 90's. Then the ghostly soprano vox and desolate loops of "E-nicolle" occupied a haunted dimension. It wasn't surprising that "Some And I" embraced dark-punk atmospherics, a la Siouxsie And The Banshees (circa A Kiss In The Dreamhouse). In the meantime, their dream-pop seized a disassembled futurist structure in "Fossil". Even more ambitious, the reprise of "E-nicolle" was built around a future-primitive dance in a void - raising memories of Jon Hassell.

In contrast, "Caroline's Supposed Demon" was more or less medieval folk. But then "Reincarnation" was comprised of industrial loops in it's entirety. As if troubled by turmoil, and never staying somewhere for too long, "You And I Have Seizures" displayed a baroque and dream-like neoclassical dream-pop. Then the stark and desolate distortions of "How Ghosts Affect Relationships" followed a parallel course as the Slowdive of the first EPs. In a final great touch, "Darkest Dreams" embosomed the subconscious grand folklore of the fairy-tale element.

A very intriguing album by Warn Defever Aka His Name Is Alive.
‟

Ily

 


sábado, 3 de diciembre de 2011

CXLIII. Test Dept. | Proven In Action





















Proven In Action
©Ministry Of Power. UK, 1991.


‟Another live Test Dept. album, recorded in 1990 in Montreal, Canada. This disc includes compositions from Pax Britannica and shows Test Dept. successfully augmenting their pounding percussion with bagpipes, organs, a live choir, and classical accompaniment with thundering and rousing results; Siege Of Quebec and Emigrant (aka From The Land / As An Fherann) in particular are worthy of attention.‟

We.Have.Esplosive




CXLI. Auto Da Fe | The Spectre





















The Spectre
©Secret Eye. US, 2006.


‟In these heady days of Winter 2006, the tide seems to be turning against the folk renaissance that's been growing for the last two or three years. Joanna Newsom's Ys seems to be the most visible target, and I've seen fellow pioneer Devendra Banhart oft disparaged in print. So perhaps the scene, if it ever was such a thing, is coming to it's close. If so, it's remarkable that in these late days, there are still albums being produced from the genre that can surprise with their originality.

The thing is, folk these days tends to tread in two separate camps. There's the blisfully mellow and melancholy, such as Iron & Wine and Sufjan Stevens, then there's the weirded-out "I take acid, me!" zanier, more experimental variety. The Spectre could be said to have emerged from the wellspring of the latter style, if it weren't for it's upbeat pop sensibility. Except that it isn't really pop. Imagine if The Residents had taken on folk, rather than blues and '60s pop. That video of Third Reich and Roll doing the rounds on youtube, the speeded up footage of pointy headed clowns hammering away in joyous abandon, that's how I imagine the recording session of this album. A studio strewn with eclectic and exotic instruments, and the participants running amok, plucking, stumming and battering with wild-eyed, joyous enthusiasm.  How the hell they manage such enthusiasm, such a bewildering array of instrumentation, and such an ear for a sublime melody line, is utterly beyond my ken.

Somehow, the whole thing works. The aformentioned pop sensibility, the knack of finding an inescapably catchy hook, is counterpointed by Tara Tavi's magnificent vocal style. Beautiful, capable of a splendid sultriness, but there's something underlying that's just off-kilter, world-weary, and just a little sour. Even at her most up-front and vibrant, as when hollering over the poundings of "Just Now", there's such a sense of ... well, not quite bitterness, but a wryness, a voice expressing past disappointment.

What really glues the album together as a whole though, are the instrumental tracks. Breaking up the immediacy of the album, which could quite frankly be too catchy to bear without these gorgeous instumental breaks. They also provide a perfect form of navigation between wildly varied styles. For instance, the gorgeously rendered "Mao Meow" manages to take the listener from the off-kilter pipes of "Isittle Alili", to Child of Typhoon's Oriental pickings without missing a beat.

This release seems either to have flown under the radar of publicity, or just not been well received at all. Perhaps it's the ambition of the work. Perhaps it's because it seems so separate from what everyone else is doing. Whatever the reason, I can see the profile of this band rapidly rising. A very special release indeed.‟

Drunkenfish



  

CXXXIX. Mushy | Faded Heart



















Faded Heart
©Mannequin. Italia, 2011.


‟De las ruinas de Roma, un sonido oscuro y fantasmal florece como una figura arquitectónicamente construída de naturaleza sacra y de pesadilla a la vez. Valentina Fanigliulo de 26 años bajo el pseudónimo de Mushy ofrece en su debut "Faded Heart" un ecosistema lo-fi que nos introduce a un mundo encantador y espectral.
Mujer italiana que durante 7 años ha vivido de cerca la escena experimental underground local, con un historial artístico notable que enlista actos en vivo, producciones CD-R y tapes para labels como Blake, Clan Destinie y Cold Current, así como colaboraciones con Thierry Müller y Mater Suspiria Vision.

"Faded Heart" combina percusiones análogas, loops, layers de un drone frío, cantos espeluznantes que de lo profundo emergen a la superficie, ruido tempestuoso y un particular efecto resultado de una grabación de guitarra acústica de cuatro cuerdas; la artista en sus propias palabras describe este trabajo, que se regocija en cuentos de amores perdidos, como una respuesta al magnífico "The Spoils" de Zola Jesus.
Obsesiva en la integración de esta melancolía synth wave desesperada y psicodélica con sonidos rituales que esbozan sus marcadas influencias como Cocteau Twins, Hope Sandoval, Grouper, Minimal Compact, Crime & The City Solution y Nico.
La también arquitecta y diseñadora gráfica presenta su personal segunda lectura del soul en Mannequin Records, LP en vinil, CD y versión exclusiva con remixes de Soft Metals, Crossover, Newclear Waves y Heinrich Dressel.‟
 
Felinno





viernes, 2 de diciembre de 2011

CXXXVII. Genesis P-Orridge & Column One | Vis Spei





















Vis Spei
©Cut-Up-Construction Rec. Deutschland, 1995.


Notes:
words by Genesis P-Orridge
For synchronization column one was:
Tom Gruschwitz – bass guitar
Silke Volland – violin
Rene Lamp – keyboard, drum, organ whistle
Ulrike Grittner – flute, Tibetan bell
Hilke Schalinski – flute
Robert Schalinski – tape, voice, keyboard, drum,
sample, xylophone, organ whistle, hohner-imp.,
piano
H-Exile was recorded in “dark room” in 1993
and in “library” in 1994 / mixed and produced
by R.Schalinski and Column one.
 
 



domingo, 27 de noviembre de 2011

CXXXIII. Current 93 | Earth Covers Earth





















Earth Covers Earth
©Durtro. UK, 1992.


‟As most of you know by now, I'm a wee bit of a C93 obsessive.  Well this album is to blame for that I'm afraid, this was my introduction to their warped and twisted world.  Not an album I'd recommend as a starting point, but a damn fine listen nonetheless, this album was released when C93 were still trying to find their folky feet, and David Tibet was trying to discover his true voice.

The original release is only 6 tracks long, starting with versions of "The Dilly Song", a simple nursery rhyme, sung unaccompanied.  "Hourglass" makes two appearances, one narrated/sung by David Tibet, one narrated by a child's voice.  The lyrics are from a 17th century poem by John Hall, showing that Tibet yet wasn't really confident in using his own poetry, but also using Hall's words perfectly to deliver his message.  The only genuine C93 classic from this original set of tracks, is "Rome (for Douglas P)", a live favourite still, a folky singalong of a song, which would have graced an album such as Thunder Perfect Mind.

The additional tracks on the CD version, really make this release the 5 star release that it is.  The two versions of "At the Blue Gates of Death" are both essential, beautiful recordings.  One version is a shorter, paranoid vision of a song, with grinding backwards bass, the other, a gorgeous happy ode to a life well lived, you can feel the sun shining on your face as Rose McDowall's backing vocals perfectly complement Tibet's relaxed delivery.  "God Has Three Faces and Wood Has no Name", "She is Dead and all Fall Down" are two more slightly bonkers tracks, which would both fit perfectly on TPM.
Final track "The Dream Moves of the Sleeping King" really has no place on this, or any other C93 album.  That's not to say it's worthless, far from it, but it really is a Nurse with Wound style track, a long surreal melange of sounds, I can't see Tibet having had much input on it, it sounds practically all Stapleton to me.
‟

DarknessFish



 

jueves, 17 de noviembre de 2011

CXXI. Skin | Blood, Women, Roses





















Blood, Women, Roses 
©Product Inc. UK, 1987.


‟The World Of Skin was a project springing out of the American group Swans, and was a collaboration between the core Swans members Michael Gira and Jarboe.
The project was initially called Skin, with the first two albums being released under that name, the last one being released under the name the World of Skin. The musical style was similar to "The Burning World" and the other later Swans releases, although it shed most of its rock influences to play a mostly acoustic goth-folk style with electronics.
In the UK, the first two albums were released by Product Inc., an imprint of Mute Records, while the last was released on Gira's own Young God label.
"Blood, Women, Roses" (1987) was the project's first release and featured vocals entirely by Jarboe, who had previously mainly been performing backing vocals. Many of the tracks on this album were covers of show tunes and other popular songs (for example "Cry Me a River" and "The Man I Love").
"Blood, Women, Roses" was followed in 1988 by Shame, Humility. Revenge, which featured vocals by Michael Gira (although Jarboe did perform some backing vocals).‟





domingo, 13 de noviembre de 2011

CXVIII. Crescent | Electronic Sound Constructions





















Electronic Sound Constructions
©Snapshot. UK, 1997.


‟Crescent is a project launched by Matt Jones of Bristol's Movietone. Their debut singles, 'Lost' (Planet, 1994) and 'Sun' (Planet, 1994), sound like stately garage-rock played by Spacemen 3. Jones plays guitar and fronts a rock quartet on 'Now' (Atavistic, 1996), that serves more convoluted compositions, such as 'Exit and Light Will Pour From Our Eyes'. The aim of the band is not clear, though, as their noise-rock does not coalesce in a "style". And Jones' vocals are not exactly engaging (a dull imitation of Joy Division's Curtis).

The question mark remains after listening to 'Electronic Sound Constructions' (Snapshot, 1997), which is de facto Jones' first solo album. Jones plays all instruments and employs tape loops, but the music is amateurish and pointless, especially for ambitious tracks like the 14-minute 'Philicorda Loops' and the industrial mess 'Quince Flowers'.‟
 
Scaruffi





lunes, 31 de octubre de 2011

CVIII. Elli Riehl | Die Herren Des Waldes





















Die Herren Des Waldes
©Hau Ruck!. Österreich, 2004.


‟Limitiert auf 250 Stück. Dark atmospheres, stirring strings and deep, wood instrumentation. Very interesting, slow pace that gives the whole record a very moody, sort of ominous, creepy feel to it. Throw in some strange, high pitched German vocals and you’ve got quite a unique record. On a side note, Elli Riehl is an Austrian Lady famous in German speaking Europe for her doll museum in Villach/Austria.‟





viernes, 28 de octubre de 2011

CIII. Death In June | Something Is Coming



















Something Is Coming (Croatia Live! + Zagreb Studio)
©NER. UK, 1993.


‟A good live album inluding songs from up to 'But, What Ends When The Symbols Shatter?' (1992). The setting of the band is Douglas and Simon Norris, so the sound is quite minimalistic, but nonetheless is't quite powerful. The song picks are very good, it's fun to hear the old favourites in new verions. The release is in form of a double cd, one cd with a live performance and one cd with live studion performance from croatian radio. This release features new good versions of old favourites like "Fall Apart", "Runes And Men", "Leper Lord", "Torture By Roses" and "Heaven Street". I think this record will appeal as much to new Death In June fans as old fans. For a Death In June release it's very easy lisenable. Summa summarum, a very worthwile album if you like Death In June.  
Recorded live in Zagreb 1992. Benefits from this album were given to The Bolnicki Clinic, Zagreb, Croatia.‟




 

domingo, 23 de octubre de 2011

C. Fursaxa | The Cult From Moon Mountain





















The Cult From Moon Mountain
©Self-released. US, 2004.


‟The fourth full-length release from Philadelphia's Fursaxa finds Michael Gibbons adding guitar and John Gibbons adding drums to her chord organ, flute, and voice on track 4, "Tyranny". Michael returns for more guitar on track 5, "Trobairitz", this time accompanying Tara's casio and voice.

Tara Burke of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania employs voice, guitar, organ, dulcimer, accordion, Casio and more to create her home-recorded acid folk as Fursaxa. Prior to her Fursaxa work she was an active ingredient in Clock Strikes Thirteen, Ted Casterline and his Perfectly Perfect Pieces of Fruit, UN, Her debut album Mandrake was produced, engineered, and released in Japan by none other than Kawabata Makoto of Acid Mothers Temple. She also self released the cd-r's Trobairitz Are Here From Venus, and The Cult From Moon Mountain. She has also contributed to these songs to the following compilations: Free My Mind (V/A Nice Pooper #23, zine 2001), Artemisia (V/A Sound Collector #7, zine 2001), Kniphofia (V/A Surrounded By Sun, Fonal 2002), Porpoise Wings (V/A Hand/Eye, Hand/Eye 2002), Chartreuse My Green (V/A The Invisible Pyramid, Last Visible Dog 2003), and of course her piece for this issue’s cd as well. Her LP Madrigals in Duos on Time-Lag Records is due any time now, and presents Fursaxa at her finest musically with the gorgeous packaging we have come to expect from Time-Lag. She is also going to be part of the Jewelled Antler Library of 3" cd-r's, which makes perfect sense. Her sound combines folk, lo-fi, hashish smoke mixed with incense drifting out of a cathedral doorway, dreams that skirt the edges of nightmares, hallucinatory droning organic primitive sophistication.‟