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Ampersand Etcetera – 2002_19
Ambient & microwave & electronica & experimental lowercase & postclassical
& minimal & techno & etcetera
Some regionalism – starting with New Zealand, then an Australian compilation
followed by some Absurd Greek gifts to be aware of, we then Cut to France for
a finale. An interesting minimalism to the music this time.
Then, sooner or later nehill/jgrzinich, a Karate Joe compilation, Geurra and other
things which are winging their way to the mail box.
jeremy@pretentious.net
&
http://ampersandetc.virtualave.net/ampersand.html
&&&&&&&&&&&&
Polio: Gemini
A.M.: Episteme
Peter Wright: Distant Bombs
Apoplexy 13, 14 and 15
http://www.go.to/apoplexy
Various Artists
Strch Prst Skrz Krk
KRkRkRk kRk127
http://www.go.to/krkrkrk
New Zealand, or Christchurch, is a hotbed of activity: 2002_01, 08 and 017 have
looked at other Apoplexy and kRkRkRk releases from Wright, Khan and more. Here
we have another batch of impressive musics, presented in folded paper sleeves
and inner sleeves in plastic bag: simple to produce and also aesthetically appealing.
&
Polio is Peter Wright (as is Peter Wright): under his own name he composes with
guitar, violin, electronics, bottles and voice, Polio uses 'digital abuse of analog
sources'. The three pieces on Gemini are an exploration into the deeper reaches
of your head as tones echo through that empty inner space. The first piece opens
with a slightly unstable buzz that long tones (organ?) develop over and chopped
drilling. High ringing, eases, almost spectral as it fades right down to a soft
high buzz-ring, pulses, resonant feedback emerges into layered of resonating high
tones into a shimmering gong fade. The next starts with a building percussive
sound, like a train or wind, with very high ringings, pulsating, waves, a deep
burr cuts through. A physicality to it, despite the basis on tones; drilling into
your head, are there voices?, new tones weave through, an organ plays briefly,
there are mysterious depths you catch 'sight' of below the forefront of resonance,
through brief softenings. These two Gemini trips were around 10 minutes, and focussed
compressed. The final one is 27 minutes, and is more relaxed in its development
and less intense: a soft tone builds (it sounds almost like a piano – an
analog source?) softly suggestive with a light whoosh. After some minutes a single
tone enters and fades, then more emerge slowly and gently – some are still
head-ringers. A deeper rumble and a brief keyboard pulse, the evolving sequence
of descending tones seems to almost breath. Banshees join in about halfway through
– perhaps they were always there and I have finally recognised the source
– and a deep rocket liftoff, dense panning. High tones ease, gentle build
into another rumble, ease back then a chiming rolling series of layers to a slow
fade. A very intense album, especially at louder volumes (more ambient noise at
lower ones – ringing away), great handling of the complex sound layers, and
very satisfying. (It easily incorporated some percussive workmen outside, and
the distant barking dogs are weaving through subtly).
As himself, Wright list more standard instrumentation such as guitar, violin,
electronics and voice, but also includes bowed gas bottle and suspended bottles.
Chopped organ-like loops with a backward humming over are 'The subtle vibrations
of distant bombs' into which rapid-pick and melodic guitar and longer tones slide.
All is harmonious (possibly even harmonium) that weaves to a lovely tonal end.
The guitar is prominent in 'Sprawling like an open field' which is indeed a sprawling
ambience, layered swelling tonal work (a la Fripp), ringing and pulsing, and probably
including some other instruments. In 'Deflection' we hear the violin, squeaky
adjuncts shifting in to solo-improv emerging through a high pulsing tone, which
returns as shimmers and then a pushing pulse into a resonating high tone (perhaps
the bottle). Is that a train bringing tones (perhaps the 'Sumner wives wheeling
prams on the esplanade'; but on further listening it sounds as much like some
Alan Lamb-like whipping wires) and then a twangy echoed melody that is joined
by wavering pulses, lustrously vibrating. Briefly, layered metal drones with scrapey
crashing noises over are 'Claymore'. A shifting across the length of 'Harsh reflection'
travelling from a soft unstable tone with metal taps, light drones and squeaky
puffs that drift gently into a more stable bowed centre before becoming a delightful
piano tones and click piece. Simple guitar and voice reveal the 'Undertow' an
understated conclusion. The changing moods of this album are melodic and appealing,
and reflect a real difference between Polio and Wright. Both are skilled and enjoyable
releases.
&
A.M. is Antony Milton and presents a mixed bag. 'Salt prayer' is a combination
of the sounds of long wires bowed and struck to create varied pitch drones and
struck to create chimes (anyway, something metallic for drones and ringings) together
with big metal sheet percussion to create a combination of rhythm and melody that
rolls along for its 11 minutes. A similar 'perpertual motion' mood underlines
'Waihopai' as long bell percussions and a scrabbling noise are joined by a whistling
and a guitar line (plus some distant piano). There is a sample in there (which
emerges to take the final fade clearly), deep tones, interference buzzing, radio
wooos (almost Theremin) as the foregrounded guitar becomes more insistent and
the balances change, with the guitar becoming more strummy near the end before
it fades down to the talk about US intelligence. A short recording that sounds
like it is in a machine with a constant droning, with banging, tapping, squeaking
and more (if it is a 'Sea shack' it was a very stormy time!) Semi-random drums
and an aeolian harp (I think) in 'Green wine', ending in a lock groove of a drone-line
from the harp. 'A taut whirling' is a noisy layering that is almost a mirror of
'Salt prayer' – the tones are edgier and distorted over a wavering harsh
base, and sounds like a tune that is trying to emerge or is being interred, the
deeper tones a voice, with other instruments making a play particularly a violin.
'Fallow' finally, very quiet soft buzz, clicks and taps in, and then some guitar;
it fades to become a buzz-humm and mike tapping and clicks, distant tones; fades
again to high whine, guitar and bass; and on through a series of miniatures around
a theme of closely observed small sounds – guitar, bass, white noise, clicks.
An appropriate end to the album – A.M. is obviously working a range of sound-fields,
and is successfully farming in each of them, leading to the diverse produce heard
here. And like many diversified industries, the various arms provide support to
a vigorous company. Plant this one in your collection. (Ahem – sorry).
&
kRkRkRk move away from cd-r to a professional release – an 18 track compilation
featuring this diverse Christchurch alternative scene: comprised of a mind boggling
intercombining syncytium – there are solo projects (by name or pseudonym)
plus groups combining various of the individuals (too numerous to mention –
and I won't try to name them all in the following (ove/r/e)view neither).
* Brainlego: distant voice, rubbing crackle, wavering buzz-pitch, slow guitar,
samples somewhere in there – music on the edge of becoming.
* MiG-21: Khan's new romantic vocals focus this semi-industrial post pop –
very fast drum loop, guitar, driving bass and noises as it slowly powers through,
imprinting itself in your brain. The chorus keeps pumping through mine.
* Wormwood: a weird pop-song about doing nasty thing with knives, over a jaunty
analog synth, voice/mouth tones and a right rhythm. Reminded me of Neck Doppler.
* Antibody: layers of electronics – a deep pulse tone, scratch tap, pongs,
shimmer keys and chords, a light delicate searching that briefly mutates into
a polka at the end.
* Nick Hodgson: some harsh bursts, then low rumble, organ sustain, long rising
tone, noise to a big whooshes and organ.
* Lahar: what sounds like a brief window into a continuous piece for slow drums
and lovely melodic fuzzy guitar solo that builds and fades away. But you feel
somewhere it is still playing.
* Strap ons: drum then bass then guitars the female voice (reminding me a bit
of Patti Smith – into a dense post-punk vocal call of each line and loud
group semi-noise response. Some electronics in there, very dramatic as it slows
briefly before bursting dissolution.
* NoTV – pounding toy piano riffs, kazoo, clackers in a rhythmic, oddly melodic
and joyous piece that builds some tension
* KYN - abstract electronica with piano, scraping rocks and dragging metals, buzzing,
a voice slowly intoning, an oblique dirge rhythm
* Megan Gallacher – echoed string instrument (possibly dulcimer) with a deep
tonal underlay and environmental sounds around, providing an ambient centre to
the album.
* Drawing room: lovely song from David Khan's album reviewed earlier.
* Placenta cookbook – a soundtracky mood-piece with bass and electronic squiggles
and woobly tones, guitar joins on a melody, there are soft percussive loops, subtle
vocals, chugging along multilayered and melodic
* Full force loving machine – simple three piece thrash grunge noise post-punk
rock.
* Sirlordme – drums/bass/guitar and distant/distorted/echoed vocals in a
twisted pop song with a twangy guitar solo, retro punk (almost Joy Division)
* Early bioneers – a jazzy improv on drums, bass, dirty guitar, horns –
with beat, melody and an interesting sound.
* Peter Wright – a long tone bed on which looped and layered guitar builds
a dense pulsing tone with longer tones through. The tones pulse in yer head. Then
a guitar emerges and the drone fades to allow a prepared solo with some tone colour
additions.
* Ed Wilson – a noise piece as a gentle humm-buzz is interrupted by various
loud and edgy sounds: chopped voices, a party, a cd, improvised guitar, cracks
– confronting juxtaposition.
* Laudanum – a jolly hula-night conclusion: pedal steel, gentle drums brushing
out a beat, a hint of washing oooh-aahs, a lightness.
I am not going to be conclusive: this is a very varied album from noise through
electronica and fine guitar to pop and ambiences. They are all strong individual
tracks, but some people may be confused by the range. However, we have broad and
eclectic taste here at Ampersand and enjoyed this album immensely. Incidentally,
all but 4 tracks are specifically recorded for the album, and most have albums
available from kRkRkRk, so it’s a nice tester/taster.
(As to the title – beats me: an anagram of absent vowels? I can see christ
in the first part, but … David Khan has given me half an answer – its
in a language other than English.)
&&&&&&&&&&&
Various Artists
Variable Resistance (ten hours of sound from Australia)
23five/SFM 903
http://www.23five.org
From 7-17 September this year the San Francisco MoMA had a listening room presentation
with this title. Following a concert on the first night a rotating series of one
hour programs (7 available each day) provided visitors with an introduction to
a wide range of Australian sound artists, combined under various themes (microphonics,
flutter + flux, soundhackers, improvised composition, and more) curated by Philip
Samartzis. The booklet lists the 86 pieces and the artists, and I must admit to
not having heard (of) many of them – it would be nice to have a similar festival
here! Anyway, 23five have put out an accompanying cd with new pieces from the
show (plus one which wasn't) and a booklet with Samartzis' notes on the themes
and an essay by Csaba Toth on noise around the Pacific, but which is also a more
generally interesting discussion of the genre.
Not all themes are represented on the cd – Residue wins hands down followed
by Microwaves, collisions + noise – and I guess a ten cd box set was out
of the question (probably never actually a question) so we have this sampling.
Oren Ambarchi's 'Staticedit' is from the 'suspended time + expanding space' section
and does just that – a choppy bloop melody has popping clicks and a deep
underpulse for a couple of minutes, after which the melody drops and the pulse
continues with the crackle and other soft sounds joining occasionally – things
like subtle tones, an accordion sound, possibly piano, wistful descents –
some of them take a brief foreground but the are mainly distant echoes, before
a high tone sets in and spirals to a little more active end: time has indeed been
stretched. 'Impulse control disorder' (Robbie Avenaim) sees a high feedbacky tone
and various percussions (bells, drums, tapping) seemingly random though there
are some riffs and sequences.
A hyperactive Philip Samartzis piece ('Soft and loud') is appropriately named
as it shifts between gentler tonal parts and trains or trams rushing through,
together with some cut/chopped electroacoustic effects, periods of stasis and
snatches of music. David Brown also moves around a lot in 'Were holes mended?'
with various sequences – clattery percussion, big guitar chords, slow bow
scraping, and straight improv guitar – sequentially with some electronica
between and periods where the layers overlap. After a while you begin to realise
that all the sounds are probably guitar based and then messed around (this is
from the digital-Musique Concrete section).
After these four long pieces (over 40 minutes) Jim Knox (xonk) has a sequence
of 3 short pieces: 'Never mind the ruddocks', 'F*ck to mandatory detention' and
'Prophylactic liquidation of our pig government' whose titles indicate a response
to our refugee issue. The first is a surprisingly delicate tonal ambience with
some echoey ringing, then bursts of harsh industrial noise, bursting through silence,
and finally another ambience, hollow metallic with suggestions that it is voice
based.
Two from the Residue section: 'Violation' (Thembi Soddell) is some soft shimmering
hiss with high hammondy-tones joined by teletype percussion, through which a whooshing
rumble builds to crash in waves to the end. Then Darrin Verhagen offer 'P2' a
lovely concoction of clicks that swim around, rumbles, scraping wind, mysterious
and emergent tones sliding to a more static period, that resonates and entices.
The only non-installation track is Pimmon's 'Steps. Gaps. (Flicker)' that opens
with chimey tones with a rumbling ringing metallic stasis behind them, joined
by a whoosh and pulsing breaks and then fades down to a conclusion, bells through
the final part. And then Delire with 'FXCR_2_i2' from the Soundhackers section,
and it is a rapid fire electroacoustic assault of blurty squirty noises.
Variable resistance really says it all – depending on the listener and the
mood the acceptance/resistance to these pieces will change (Delire or Samartzis
don't go well with feeling tense!) As an indication of part of what's happening
in Australia it is a useful document, but more importantly it works very nicely
as a compilation of complex confronting and satisfying soundworks.
See also
Liquid Architecture 3 (2002_13)
Dorobo Document 03 – Diffuse (2001_10)
Dorobo Limited Editions (2002_13)
&&&&&&&&&&&
Costis Drygianakis & Nikos Veliotis: 28/04/2001 (#11)
Nikos Veliotis & Dan Warburton: VW (#22)
Absurd
http://www.anet.gr/absurd
Back with Absurd, these two related releases come in the unique bilingual circular
cd-cards and see cellist Veliotis working with recordist/manipulator Drygianakis
in one long live piece, and a pair of tracks with violinist Warburton
28/04/2001 is one of those wonderful albums that come my way surprisingly regularly,
which are innovative, musical, attractive and unique (to me). Recorded in Athens,
'Veliotis improvises with his cello, Drygianakis records him and plays with the
resultant tapes'. The result is a wonderful combination of two instruments played
in surprisingly similar ways – dragging a bow across strings or tape over
a head – with variations: the combination is striking. Both players get solos
– they are equal partners in this piece – and they bounce ideas of each
other and through the sound space. The cello works through various styles –
long wavering tones, pizzicato attacks, atonal excitements, plucking: variously
delicate, aggressive and angular. The tape component at times is a supporting
background of almost unchanged tones, at others they waver woozily, then there
are short electroacoustic attacks and strange buzzing sounds, together with a
percussive aspect as buttons are clicked and pressed. The 65 minutes is nicely
structured moving through ambiences to squeaky and atonal on through a noisey
period then a more ambient interplay before a complex (but not big) conclusion.
Within the overall frame there are local variations and echoes – a period
of rising cello tones recurs through the tapes, dueting with plucked strings,
and there seems to be more than one tape player running at times. Part of the
beauty is that you lose awareness of which is cello and what is tape as similar
distortions and sounds are produced by both. A thoroughly enjoyable and intense(ly)
satisfying improv.
When Veliotis and Warburton played in Paris in June 2001 neither was apparently
happy with the recording, so they took it away, extracted their part and played
with the results. Two very different (but equal length) pieces emerged. Veliotis'
is simple and minimal – a gently pulsing drone shimmers with a thinner but
richer partner for some minutes before a deep rumbling throb enters and runs along
with them. After some time the drone drops out and a ringing develops, during
which we hear other tones in there, and then a simpler buzzing drone for the last
few minutes. A gentle and persuasive piece. A more electroacoustic direction is
forged by Warburton – soft tones and cycling clicks, pulses, with drones
behind switches into an active state. Squiggles, buzzes, dropping sticks on either
ear, drills, burrs, swallows and pulsing crackles with drones hidden inside –
lots of sound manipulations and samples. After a gentle central section there
is a long cacophony of multilayered sounds as the violin is surrounded by a swarm
of dits, aggressive, with squeaks in and slashes across, pizzicato affects there
too. Then a final 6 minutes of more mellow lovely playing with a few selected
highlights. To emphasise the diversity there is a short silent track between these
two pieces, and indeed they are surprisingly divergent and work to different moods.
You may want to listen to them separately, but you will want to listen to them
again.
The most recent Absurd releases (these two and Rabbitspeech (see 2002_19) demonstrate
the important role that local CD-r labels can have – Nicolas is presenting
for us some exciting Greek pleasures that we might otherwise miss.
&&&&&&&&&&&
Jason Lescalleet: Matresslessness (cut008)
Repeat: Pool (cut009)
Cut
http://www.cut.fm
Cut returns with 2 new albums, presented in thick folded card sleeves, seen previously
in 2001_20.
Lescalleet delves into subtle sound areas, influenced by a variety of forms. 'Ambidextrous
and half japanese' indicates this it plays around with clicks and sine waves –
a deep tone builds and collapses followed by a combination high and low that bounces
in your head as you move, stepping up before seguing to a machine rumble and clicks,
then low tones and a melody, finally a rainfalling sound dominating to the fade.
A similar shifting through 'Underscore' in which a speckling crackle, running
pop and fuzz play around, slows, rebuilds with a high tone then drop out. The
tone returns with dry crackles and buzzes and a humm, drop again to a soft click
that develops a rhythm, adds sine tones and pulsing wooble for a musical conclusion.
A very soft pulsing in 'Clay tapes' develops into a tennis match , falls to a
softness that crackles and patters, white noise and drips swap with a building
machine-humm, clicks and a fading tone. (Reading a little bit randomly, but when
listened to it holds together well.) Then 'Straight no chaser' layers rapid rising
fallling building click tones through a rubbery tone, long tone and finally rapid
fire tones shifting through stages. After the more glitchy stuff to date, 'Ineinandergreifen
– 08 dezember 1912' is a strange eerie song with a tonal melody loop, rainsticks
and deeper tone through which a wavering tone becomes foregrounded, and for the
next 14 minutes it seems to get slower and slower, without losing its structure.
The final track, 'General electric' starts softly with white noise and little
blips then suddenly becomes a big hiss with metallic ringing and an internal pulsing
tone, crackling and spattering. After a couple of minutes silence (Lescalleet
plays around with the track start point to create some long silent negative counts
between some tracks) an unnamed piece which is more musical – a soft resonant
note sequence (possibly sung) is layered over a vinyl lock groove crackle. A pleasant
end to an album which (like a few here) crosses stylistic boundaries to build
a varied and compelling work.
&
Repeat is Jason Kahn (label boss) on percussion and electronics and Toshimaru
Nakamura using a no-input mixing board (I have no idea what that is) and this
is their fourth album (my first, though Kahn's solo album was reviewed last year.
This is an album of haunting delicacy, especially in the first five tracks mixed
by Kahn. The first piece is all slow pulses, fading resonances, soft clicks and
white noise shudder/beats that is restrained and subtle minimalism. The next track
has a continuous pulsing resonant bell tone weaving through which other sounds
engage with – other tones, a deep whoosing, pulses and jittery shimmers –
with a passing sound that could be a flock of birds, and gradually building. Three
flows with a modulated high tone, tapping metal, pops clicks and soft puffs, a
less active ringing. There are more obvious bells, pops that pan through the sound
space and clouds of little sounds. A fast rain of pop-crackle dominates the fourth
piece with extended tones under, then shimmers and a high cycling as it starts
to build lightly, before a chittering machine and undertone takes a long fade.
Kahn's final piece is fuller as a deep mysterious rolling starts, chimes and longer
tones build, sounds emerge including a white noisey hiss, clicks and other sounds,
shimmeringly. These tracks have woven a sublime hypnotic minimalism, while Nakamura
seeks a more narrative trajectory. His first piece is the longest on the album
(13 minutes) and opens with a series of single struck bells allowed to fade before
another is struck; other tones eventual begin to run with them, then little clicks
and silent pauses as the tones pulse and layer and a more active pulsation builds
with rollicking tones, rapid clicks and a whirr, growing and then suddenly cut
off. The final track layers faster ringings in a dense fabric with an almost morse-base,
a strange susurrus joining, more bells, a shimmer-hiss as the piece incorporates
more effects before a lightly ringing finale.
This is a beautiful album, the delicacy within contrasting with Kahn's bright
woodblock cover. From the original percussion material Repeat have integrated
the acoustic material with electronic processing and manipulation to create an
album that will entice you.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&
And of course, all past issues, with hundreds of reviews, on site.
Copyright for these reviews remains with me, Jeremy Keens. Artists and labels
are free to use and quote them as long as they acknowledge Ampersand and don’t
mess with my words (But you can correct typos)! And if anyone else happens to
mention one of these reviews, do pass on the web address or my email address so
new readers can find me. Thanks.
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