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Ampersand Etcetera – 2003_I
roden (x3) & lopez/roden & schumacher & taming power (x3) & amongst
myselves (x2) & dalaba/frith/glick rieman/kihlstedt & fjellestad &
borgo & fjellestad/kowald/reason/robinson & omnid & birds of tin/ene
& ea & baker & krebs
Ambient & microwave & electronica & experimental lowercase & postclassical
& minimal & techno & etcetera
To begin, a brief hardware review. My current desire is for an Archos MP3 jukebox
– while an iPod is more desirable I don't have firewire and I rather like
the idea of the Archos record function (I could then listen to vinyl submissions
in more places) and the control seems better than the Nomad (I would appreciate
any advice). I would have loved to have one on my recent trip – it must be
pretty obvious that I am somewhat musically obsessed. What I did have was a portable
cd and a small collection of disks (another MP3 advantage – not having to
make that decision of what to take). But I am not great with earphones, and when
alone in a motel room you like sound. So I got a TDK 'imaspeaker' cd-carry case
– and was very impressed. This 24 cd case has flat speakers built into the
shell, and they provide a pretty high quality sound of the disks which ranged
from Steve Roden through New Order, Art of Noise, King Crimson to Aube and then
some modern classical. The promo suggests you can carry your player in the case
as well – but that reduces the number of cds available. Battery life was
good, and there is a mono version as well. But it did make seven lonely nights
in a motel room more bearable.
Another bumper issue filled before and after the break. To come – some new
Staalplaat (it is a pleasure to welcome them back), a surprising flow from Sweden
(Lindblad, Hartman, Fylkingen comp and Rozenhall), Undecisive God, TwoThousandand
and Aesova and more.
And a brief erratum – in the last issue I claimed that ' Jeff Surak is part
of V., which was V.V. and is now Violet': obviously (!) VV is Ven Voisey and I
apologise for any confusion.
Jeremy
ampersand@pretentious.net
&
http://ampersandetc.virtualave.net/ampersand.html
&&&&&&&&&&
Steve Roden
Three Roots Carved To Look Like Snow (Sonoris SNS-01)
Resonant Cities (Trente Oiseaux, toc031)
Winter Couplet (New Plastic Music)
Francisco Lopez & Steve Roden
Le Chemin Du Paradis
Fario cd05
http://www.inbetweennoise.com
http://www.sonoris.com
http://www.trenteoiseaux.com
Previously on Ampersand: in 1.07 the first artist based issue was released on
Steve Roden (my goodness, that was September 1999!). This was followed by reviews
in 1.12, 3.09 and 2001_20. Then, an unexpected package and a great surprise –
a set of four disks from him, bringing us pretty well up to date on his discography.
Here at Ampersand we don't play favourites – anyone who has been on the journey
with us will know we have pretty eclectic tastes. But if we were pushed, Roden
would be right up there. His works are intricate, beautiful and simple sound sculptures
– not rocking good time music or noise catharsis, but humble pieces which
enhance your environment. Humble in that he asks you on most to listen at a low
volume presenting them within not in front of the ambience; humble in their creation
from minimal ordinary sound sources; humble in their intricacy that presents as
simplicity. My impulse is just to advise you to get these, and the back catalogue,
but I had better do some descriptive selling.
&
I'll start with the latest – 'Winter Couplet' – which fits the description
above neatly. Created from two small teacups, the installation played the sound
through speakers at the base of long cardboard tubes (both illustrated on the
cover in simple watercolours). This could be considered a continuation in some
respects of the splint.chair.lamp series as we have a piece about the same length
(slightly longer on a 5"cd) from a single source, centred around chiming
notes.
Anyway, this is simply gorgeous (from the cover on). The piece opens with clear
pure notes played on the teacups, semi-random but musical, a percussive improv.
As time progresses notes start to come as electronically echoed streams, as sequences,
within the ground of the simpler notes. Building, ebbing, flowing, the movement
of the music is lightly entrancing, combining the natural sound of the china with
electronic signals that sound like morse code or radar echoes. The density eases
towards the end, and as the sounds fade into a distance an echoed-note loops into
the silent infinity.
Delights in the small things. Joys of sound.
&
'Three roots…' contains three pieces, each from a single source. And perhaps
'Winter Couplet' should be considered an extension of this, as they are all objects
purchased at a Chinatown giftshop. '8 breaths of different lengths' is performed
on a wooden flute and the breaths would appear to be different treatments. There
is a deep resonant sine-like hum that emerges and on which the other aspects are
laid. Then blowy note and a higher drone tone loops, followed by a higher mournful
tone, then a soft rhythm of blows. Some high squeaky distant shakes and a scraping
breath complete the set. They have gradually built over 10 minutes, adding and
cycling, then start to softly fade, the deep original tone seeming louder. The
notes create quite a complex, quite melancholy mood.
Using a wind chime 'Hands moving. slowly. (replication of a field recording)'
presents again a variety of treatments – there is a rumble, gong resonances,
bamboo or flat sounds, a hollow tapping, high pips, scraping and a fast rattling.
These weave their various magic throughout the track as Roden shifts and varies
them, ending with some loops that remind us that this is a construct. Finally
there is the wistful 'Air chamber with 4 holes' in which a paper accordion develops
a soft deep drone that rises and falls, slowly accumulates accordion tones adds
shorter squeeze-box playing and dreamily drifts, some scrabbly noises added, to
a long dronal end.
Designed for an installation in LA's Chinatown it creates a wonderful ambience
wherever with its balance of focus on the minute changes and the larger flows.
&
'Resonant Cities' was created for a radio project, which seems to have influenced
the structure. While it is one long track of 4X minutes, it is more 'active' than
many other of Roden's longer pieces (whether tracks or albums) and is composed
of parts or studies (scenes from a city) which are edited into each other (either
through changes in instrumental balance or cross fading). I identified about 11
different 'bits', although each part is not itself static. Included on the disk
are extensive liner notes as a pdf-file which explains both the aesthetic decisions
behind the interpretation of 'resonant' and the sample sources.
For most of the piece the sounds are typically soft and restrained – there
is a slight theme of subterranean rumbles, but no strong linkage other than the
resonance. I started here to describe (try) each of them and it was absurd. A
different tack – we open underground, hearing rumbles and little taps, occasional
thuds, scraping that drifts away as a tannoy announces over a high whistling.
Then one of a variety of rumbling sequences with scraping and buzzy rumble before
a chiming delicacy, probably created from coathangers. We move through the city,
hearing phone tone loops and rattling cans; tones that become a music box playing
in the wind; active clip-scrape and then voices coming backwards though a blowing
vent. We move back underground (perhaps we haven't left) as a rumbling comes down
passages where hollow winds blow – something rolls towards us, scraping;
an open squeaking as gongs and little taps chime. Is that rain clicking above
us, more whooshings, more obvious cuts to the loops that open out to chiming metal.
A resonant dripping builds as more voices are heard flowing backwards, becoming
chant-like then fade leaving the drips. Then a final, longer section. It is louder
– a vent blows tonally, backward tones play over a chattering (a flock of
birds, people), these sounds slowly receding until they are pulsing throbs. But
a piano note plays, and a metal sound develops in the spaces created by the pulsing
tones. Distant looped voices conclude the final minute of our dreamlike journey.
Which is what this performance becomes – rather than a site installation
like many of Roden's pieces, it reconceptualises a variety of sites within the
imaginary city and takes us to them. The main disappointment is more of a frustration
– it would be great to spend longer at each. But we have to accept the limitations
of the medium (I can imagine a DVD which allows you to stay and listen at sites
for longer) and flow through in the time allotted. It is a varied and interesting
journey.
&
Roden and Lopez – you can recognise their affinities and also their differences.
Both work at low volume on long slowly changing pieces, but Roden is based more
on real objects compared to Lopez's electronic 'untitled' series (although one
can't forget 'La Selva'). On this disk there is a collaboration and two solo pieces.
The title track is the collaboration, and shifts through a number of stages. A
soft electronic low drone with a ringing in it opens, adding a cycling high tone
and scritchy tingle/scrabble that slowly build. Then a squeaky door, though possibly
a flute and bigger rumble with subtle tones in, as a big buzzing grows and rolls
over the other sounds with an open drone (though the scrabble holds on for a while).
Little noises and clangs then a big vent opens which drops rapidly to a soft wind
and then silence. Soft noises and then a rumble ringing and high tone with a fluttering
deep tactile sound (hard to describe) that seems flattened the fades to ahigh
organ sustain and long fade with a flutey hiss. Quite a bit of movement through
here, subtle and intense.
Roden then offers 'Slab/tilt (schindler house 4)' which is obviously related to
the Schindler recording. It builds from scrapey rubbing that shifts around the
sound space, adds a tapping, a hiss and a schlerp and finally a hollow breath-like
scrape. These weave around each other, adding organish tones and a whistling later,
for a more typical static movement.
Then there is Lopez's 'Untitled #129', which really does need the earphones –
on most systems it is largely inaudible unless at high volume. Even then there
are minutes of quiet at the beginning before clicks and woobly rumbles, more quiet
before an almost Roden-like click-scrape and finally a period of puttering activity
before silence again. As with others in the 'Untitled' series it plays around
with expectations and deserves to be heard – somehow! Completing an nicely
contrasted triptych of tracks for fans of both musicians.
&&&&&&&&&&&&
Michael J Schumacher
Room Pieces
XI XI127
http://www.xirecords.org
XI continues its impressive series of artist overviews, following Niblock (2002_15)
and Gen Ken Montgomery (2002_20) we have another double disk of long pieces by
Schumacher.
The first disk is taken up with 'Room piece XI' – these compositions are
apparently largely aleatory, using a range of computer algorithms that control
pitch, density, time and length (somewhat similar I would imagine to the Christoph
Charles' Undirected). Largely aimed at installations with multiple speakers across
rooms, we are given an opportunity to experience a more static version. There
are warm vibrato notes, scraping violin samples which has a dripping associated,
tones, clicking, buzzes which could be organs, manipulated voices, piano and some
other sounds, and also silences. These drift in and out of the soundspace, changed
in pitch etc by the computer either during or between appearances, sometimes in
periods of high activity and at others long periods of more restrained ambience.
It is hard to know who to credit with the output – Schumacher has chosen
the sounds and done the programming, but we assume that the fine balance of busy
and soothing periods, harsh high tones and piano runs, and so on is the computers.
Either way it creates a compelling listening experience that has a similarity
to some improvised music.
On the second disk there are four shorter works. 'Piece in 3 parts' takes plinking
brief samples of Jane Henry's violin and creates a wildly exuberant solo, then
does some work with Tim Barnes's gong in a shimmer before combining the two to
dramatic effect. Then there are three static pieces. 'Still' is a cloud of shimmering
sound, 'Untitled' takes multiple pulsing sines in a much louder piece, building
them into a compound that seems to be on the verge of takeoff, while a second
'Still' has smaller sounds (a keyboard pulse, little animal squeaks, pulses and
putters) that rub against each other moving forward but staying motionless. It
is this kinematic stasis that Schumacher is looking for in these pieces –
beyond ambience but not into rhythm.
With long pieces it is hard to wax lyrical – which is good: I aim to be more
concise from now on – but these works share with Steve Roden the ability
to focus your attention without grandiose gestures. This is another great release
from this fascinating label.
&&&&&&&&&&&
Taming Power
For Electric Guitar And Tape Recorders (EMR10"-009)
For Electric Guitar, Cassette Recorders And Tape Recorders (EMR10"-011)
16 Movements For Electric Guitar (EMR12"-008)
Early Morning Records
Earlymrecords@yahoo.no
Askild Haugland's vinyl adventure as Taming Power on EMR was seen first in 2003_b
and further in 2003_e. And now again. The first two disks are the bookends to
the release for guitar and tape reviewed in b, completing the triptych.
The first part is a wonderful swirling loopy entrancement. Each side opens with
some guitar (similar to that on the album) that then becomes fodder for the tape
processing. Then it is stretched and woobled, echoed and looped into layers that
bend and bend back on themselves, slow down and create dense deep tones. The plain
guitar resurfaces as notes or motifs only to dive deep down again. New notes come
in and dance over the layers, there are grooves pulses and distortions as the
recorder plays playfully with the played notes. Delightfully distorted and distracting,
head swimming and bending, one finds oneself putting the needle back to the beginning
and thinking how to get this onto a broader medium so I can listen other than
in my lounge. I enjoyed it.
&
The third part of the trilogy has a single extended track on the first side where
some jangly guitar makes its way through the processing building rapidly into
a huge cloud of tingling sounds, drifting and ringing, notes coming through occasionally,
to create an impressive ambience.
On the second side there are three shorter pieces, which are simple guitar studies
with quite delicate processing, reminding me quite strongly of some of Fripp's
tape work – particularly the earlier albums. A beautiful album, probably
the most broadly accessible of Taming Power's experiments.
&
And onto the album – which seems to present the electric guitar largely unprocessed
and directly. The movements are divided into four sets – two per side, separated
by an extensive period of quiet, recorded in July 1999. The individual movements
are less obvious. Haugland plays slow contemplative sequences on the guitar, which
has a twangy tinny sound (perhaps jangly is a more positive description) –
not small or dismissive, but not a full rounded one either. There is some suggestion
of looping, but not much – some parts have layering through them, others
seem to have repeated elements. But the overall results is an extended thoughtful
meditation on the instrument.
I have played the album in a number of moods – to listen to, as background
while I mark exams (it is that time of year) – in the one place I can, my
lounge (the dis/advantage of reviewing vinyl) - and have really appreciated and
enjoyed it in these various states.
&
This is a fascinating ever growing vinyl folly that Askild is on. Again, I feel
a sense of pleasure that I have the privilege to be able to hear it. As he plays
there with his guitar and various recorders he is exploring a sound work that
is his own, and that entertains diverts intrigues and confronts those with a turntable.
&&&&&&&&&&&
Amongst Myselves
Still Life
Sacred Black
RMC Records SG-012 & SG-13
http://www.netspace.net.au/~amongst
It is good, as always, to welcome a new local talent – Amongst Myselves hails
from Adelaide, South Australia, and produces a well developed atmospheric ambience.
&
'Still Life' was released in 2000 and impresses as a visual auditory journey.
'Ra's Playground' takes us away with a long spacey ambience, long tones, a distorted
female announcer, swelling, long vent tones, we drift for almost 12 minutes, melody
suggesting itself occasionally, the voice returning (German or Russian) fading
slowly. We keep drifting through 'Shepherds of the rings' with a soft deep melody,
resonances and slicing shimmers and long descending touches.
'The ground melts' briefly as a manipulated voice swaps for a big blasting rumble
tone rising through to 'Ship of dreams' as a twinkling synth sequence is gently
phase/tweaked, deep wells below and a male voice, To slow melody and soft whooshes
as a computer burbles, a melody that gently drives it into big horns and a majestic
drum roll. A simple ear-to-ear percussion that has a shaker edge is introduced
over the soft winds and gentle long tones of 'Safe in narwang baru'. A deeper
thud develops and the percussion opens out into a shimmer as dits and squiggles
join the drift.
The first three quarters of 'Encounter at the bay' reminded me of The Resident's
'Eskimo' (what a classic) with deep low tones, swirls and winds and a long tone
melody pulsing across the waters, developing a more active sense of drama until
the final few minutes where the waters break and crashing waves fill the soundspace.
'Lowell's legacy' is based on strange bent calls, piano and synth swirls swells
and chords that is bleakly stirring. As 'Darkness' opens a gentle hissing continues
(AM segues tracks nicely) with little noises in and a melody from changing notes
(short, modulated, squelched) that is interrupted by interference bursts that
has a skittering aura. A strange voice and frog loops presages a shift to a spacey
dark ambience with voices in. Voicish rhythms of long edgy tones then bloopy pulses
and long tones imbued with a slow upright piano are the drifting 'Relics of an
early universe' that close the album.
&
'Sacred Black' is a the most recent album. 'Dawn 1958' is very much that, a track
of awakening or growth as it swells and echoed percussion emerges into 'Morning
of the earth'. Here slow long layered tones, almost drones, builds and shimmers,
strings, very minimal – a tapping develops, we drift in pleasure, the tapping
builds, there are some twitchy metal noises. There are little animals in the 'Sea
of rains', first a scraper whistling one and then a rising song and smaller squeaks
that cycle. Big waves of musical hiss wash as a synth tunes becomes almost carnivalesque
– then thunders roll providing a sea of pulsing parts, rapid dits, ending
with calls in the wind.
At 'The shores of the cosmic ocean' washing waves bring drums and long organ tones
and twirls, a low electric piano melody and long synth horns. Deeply resonant,
it rises to a semiclimax that twitters before slowly easing. Active, layered buzzing
loops and hollow rumbles provide energy to 'Argo navis' with its twangy notes
and swelling chords, varying components in a twisted musicality. There is an air
of mystery or disorientation in '5am melbourne 1996' as woobly water tones, tinkles,
bowed resonances and zingly metals appear within swirly spacey synths with oblique
cyclings and calls. Perhaps Melbourne is the gateway to the burblings whips and
tones of the disturbed 'The demon haunted world' with a background of emerging
cries. Finally, 'Returning home' takes us into a relaxed world of long tones and
guitar playing rhythm loops and melodies.
This set has a second disk – containing a videoclip of 'Dawn 1958' featuring
polygons emerging from a billowing colour eruption as stars drift by – a
nice addition to an excellent ambient album.
AM is working in an area where there is a lot of competition, much of it very
good - including these. As does any developing artist, he has listened to his
influences, absorbed and reconstructed it and created his own sounds that are
as relaxing, intriguing and enjoyable as any around. I hope he gets heard because
he deserves it.
&&&&&&&&&&&&
Dalaba, Frith, Glick Rieman and Kihlstedt: Dalaba/Frith/Glick Rieman/Kihlstedt
Hans Fjellestad: 33
Accretions ALP030 and 032
http://www.accretions.com
Accretions appears once more, firstly with a four way improv/free form album:
Dalaba on trumpet, Frith guitar, Glick Rieman piano and Kihlstedt violin. As must
be apparent by now, I often approach this style of music with some trepidation
– how harsh atonal and arrhythmic will it be. And usually, as this time,
I am pleasantly surprised.
A laughing trumpet, somewhat treated and echoed dominates 'How light, a potato
chip' with some scrabbling, big dirty guitar and feedback and violin, oh and just
a touch of piano. Suggestive of a lighter touch, continued in 'The distance that
separates dreams' where fast guitar or violin (I think there is picked violin
throughout, and some multitracking making distinctions harder) that quietens to
varying trumpet tones and guitar scrabble, violin scrapes, long piano; a bit of
noise and then softer ending. 'Spicule maneuver' is appropriately titled as little
spicules of sound jangle scissor and squeak and drift delicately.
After these three shorter tracks (2-4 minutes) the album continues with three
double digit and a five, exploring a broader territory. In 'Worm anvils' a drone/scrape
is the base for guitar and trumpet runs, echoed piano and then big electric guitar.
It then shifts into percussive violin and piano rumbles while strange trumpets
call, through to a drifting gentleness with some weird piano, soft percussion
guitar and violin edginess, trumpet vibratos, taking us into a pulsive rhythm
violin loop which the others gradually join softly – long trumpet tones,
piano squalls and a hint of guitar. Through 'Shallow weather' searching twangs
and plops build a rhythm and create a pleasant melody that pumps along, trumpet
joining to an ambientish tonal piece. 'Lucy has a new pet kitty' is a looping
jangly piece that is atonal and arrhythmic that builds to a wild knocking and
stretched notes – delicious madness.
To 'Ant farm morning' which is generally reflective – cycling scrabbles through
which the violin emerges, a slow melody that drifts baehind the playful noises
again. Then some mellow guitar, and the group are exploring percussives and tones,
growing shimmers. The trumpet makes a move to which the guitar responds before
returning to a more considered mood. A thoughtful and restrained ending to a very
impressive album. I really enjoyed the varied tones available through the instrumentation
and the groups enthusiastic journey.
&
Fjellestad has appeared in a number of the Accretions reviews over the issues,
and returns from the soundtrack of his film in &2003_d with a solo album featuring
the piano – on every track but combined with field recordings, nord lead
3, computer and megaphone feedback to produce a much broader album.
'San to san' presents it all in its complexity – simple piano then noisy
field recording, tinny percussion, birds and electronic squarbles while the piano
is percussive in the background. Then some picked strings, abstractly into a dramatic
solo with tones whistles and voices around.
There are some pure piano pieces – 'Hash knife' is the first where the full
on solo escapes from the keyboard and runs into the body hitting strings and sound
boards before returning to the front. Later 'Pica' is a quite modern classical
solo and then 'Mink eyed' is slow, more considered and delicate.
There are ones like 'Don garlica' where the piano seems to gate weird electronic
squiggles and there is more string than key play, some percussive effects and
a deep slow piano later. The building layers of tones, twangy notes and loops
that build and withdraw in 'El cavernario', or the switching between a solo with
breath intakes and honky plonking with computer squiggles and back before a subtle
conclusion in 'Smoke shank'.
Two tracks – 'Kylling' and 'Cabrito' – use piano samples to re/create
a different sound: percussive looping Caribbean in the first and a more musique
concrete constructivism in the second. 'Suit' actually uses accordion for a breathy
resonant washing. A further method is bowed piano. In 'Wriggling call' it shimmers
with some clicks and sqrls, rhythmic and soft, while for 'Phone damage' there
are warm electronic long tones again subtle and delicate but with some computer
playfulness around.
After all that review jumping about, we end with 'Pacifico' which takes a squeal
that could be a monkey or accordion, adds some futsy popping rhythm that dances
as the piano emerges. Fast and pulsey it builds and drops, whizzes and woobles
in, some Theremin and drone which take the loop end.
This is an exciting album – it takes the concept of a solo piano album and
runs rings around it. It is both playful and serious, is not an easy album, but
definitely interesting.
&&&&&&&&&&&
David Borgo: Massanetta Springs
Hans Fjellestad, Peter Kowald, Dana Reason & Jason Robinson: Dual Resonance
Circumvention 036 and 037
http://www.circumventionmusic.com
Circumvention (first appearance 2003_c) appears something of a Yin to Accretions
Yang in the San Diego scene – they share many artists (Marcelo Radulovich
did the art for Borgo's album, Fjellestad is a member of Trummerflora as is Jason
Robinson at Circumvention, and other artists cross over), yet Circumvention is
more jazz to Accretions improv experimental leanings. To grossly simplify –
especially in the light of these two releases.
&
For most tracks on his album Borgo has assembled a traditional quartet –
Sam Wilson on guitar, Pete Spar bass and Mark Ferber drums. While each has some
solo spots they seem to play a primarily supportive role, understated and subtle
to the main lyrical instrument, Borgo's sax – but also essential to the mood
and rhythms. This core is added to on a number of tracks by John D'earth on trumpet/flugelhorn
and Alan Ferber on trombone, creating a broader brass palette (there are a couple
of other guests).
The scene is set with the opening, title track – a sinuous lovely sax solo
before the rhythm comes in with their relaxed support, each get a brief solo before
some more sax. It is melodic and flowing, the guitar in particular is soft and
gentle, light electric. The first duet in 'Only in my dreams' sees the brass in
counterpoint, working briskly together, a bit more spiky, but also driven and
boppy. Sam Wilson wrote 'Heron pool' and gets to open it with one of his solos
before being joined by the brass trio (trombone also) with gentle long melodies.
The instruments take solo turns, then a combo conclusion, mellifluous into puttery
excitement.
'Scomotion' sees the rhythm section set up for a sax solo, simple lines with some
blowing and a guitar solo, and then Kendall Eddy's arrangement of Chales Mingus'
'Duke Ellington's sound of love' has slow sensuous trio brass swings, harmonising
and a bass solo before a big brass conclusion. 'Conference of the birds' (by Dave
Holland) is the first of two live pieces (with Roberto Miranda on bass) and has
a strong sax motif and nice interplay with the trombone.
Up tempo pumping, close to honking, on 'Pomodori' is wilder with some close to
atonal duetting and a joyous percussion solo (David pope on sax). Cool lines through
the brass trio on 'No place like home' in solo, duo and trio formations. Another
live piece 'Oddity' has a more improv feel to it as a slower middle is bookended
by wild rockouts. And the album ends with late night relaxation of 'In this life
till now'
Unusually for &etc this is an album full of melodies, hooks and even hummable
lines – a real joy.
&
The quartet's album came about in sad circumstances. The original tapes were made
over 2 years ago, but it was the unexpected death of Peter Kowald that spurred
the others to complete the project. The original plan for a variety of combinations
has been maintained, many with Kowald but also some trios recorded by the others
as a memorial. As it is we get three quartet tracks, 2 different trios and three
duos including Kowald with 2 tracks each. These are mixed and interwoven, but
I might consider them separately.
On the three parts of 'Dual resonance' the group move from a wild improv of plink
scrape twang percussives attention-grabbing opening to a more relaxed but still
driven section with longer sax lines and more 'playing' to a restrained light
bird-like collation with soft sax and scraped bowing. A trio without Dana Reason
gives us a quite delicate 'Balanced state' and shifting speeds in the lyrical
'Lunar cycle' that flutters at its end.
Fjellestad and Kowald give us wild piano and scraped plucked bowed bass on ''Viscous
matter' and a restrained mellow 'Circulatory status'. With Robinson 'Dark matter'
bubbles and drones with a simmering atonality quite delicately and then some balancing
silliness of blowy grunting scat voices (either electronic or through the sax)
in 'Tomorrow's question'. Then with Reason we have the playful 'Discursive matter'
with sliding bass, colour and texture and the wilder piano and woozy bass of 'Glass
agitprop'.
The main variation in the more recently recorded trio is a more obvious introduction
of synths and electronica – tracks such as 'Axial current' or 'cylindrical
matric' include sliding, dronal and varied electronics that add a dimension to
the analog instruments. There is a driving motion to the piano runs, sax and squealls
in 'String theory', more reflective in 'Torus knot' with waves or car noises,
sinuous in 'Manifold runners' or exciting piano 'Free anomaly'. The final track
'Dual-energy X-ray' opens with slow sax and the inside of a piano played as a
harp, then notes and scritchy soft electronica, watery sounds. While there is
an edge, the track has a very restrained melodic focus, providing an elegiac conclusion.
As with many albums a strength to some could be seen as a weakness – in this
case the 18 relatively short tracks – there is little opportunity for the
group to create long complex pieces, but the benefit to my ears is the change
and variation make this a dynamic and interesting work. This allows for shorter
more focussed pieces, and is both a fitting tribute to Peter Kowald and his playing,
and has a view to the future which is itself a reflection of his influence.
&&&&&&&&&&&
Omnid
Thermo
SPRC002
Omnid@optonline.net
From somewhere an album of electronic minimalism. 'Impulse item' gently puts pops,
static falling crackles and hisses as a soft rhythmic play. Scratching across,
big swashes (possibly field recordings) and scrittles, pops and a denser crackling
base develop but restrained and subdued. A twangy sounds is in there eventually
emerging as some computer bobbling as it builds then fades to a brief second peak
before washes and pops fade. A gentle background. More activity in 'Up with people',
and louder, as drumming whips and a tonal interplay are the background for scrapes
crackles and swizzling swirls in a quite percussive activity.
'Black convex' has an edgy crackling musicality of machine pulsing hisses looped
with fuzzy squelches and radio squirls. Big buzz deep rerverb, quite dense electronic
noise that pulses and buzzes, then eases to a more singing tone, crackles and
cycling high tone. There is almost improv guitar in the plinking plonks and twangy
scrapes of 'White shadow' building and weaving with backward tones (possibly of
itself) and other percussive and tonal play. Sweeping around the air, semirandom,
it gains a subtext of a site recording that then takes more foreground as the
popping continues, then becomes more active again as the site recedes, taking
a long wind down.
Finally 'White shadow 2' comes as a variation of sorts – with clouds of tones,
some backwards, scrapes and ratchets, small repeated notes and possibly short
samples, with a suggestion of something in the background, possibly music. Later
a swooshing and a fade before closure.
An interesting exploration of restrained noise electronica, nicely varied and
able to sustain an ambience through the slowly development of these long tracks.
&&&&&&&&&&&&
Birds Of Tin/Ene: Key Ray
Ea: öL
Aidan Baker: At The Fountain Of Thirst
K M Krebs: The Light Will Fill The Darkness And Obliterate It
Mystery Sea MS01, 04, 06, 07
http://home.planetinternet.be/~chalkdc
K M Krebs suggested that Daniel get in touch with me, so here we have a chance
to catch up on this label – dedicated to 'night-sea drones'. Some intervening
disks have already sold out (they are limited to 100 per issue) but interestingly
all of these artists have appeared in &etc at some time.
&
Birds of Tin's The Label disk was reviewed in 2003_XX, but I haven't heard (of)
Ene – this collaboration was apparently done long distance. Soft suggestions
of texture in the long tones, layered drones and taps of 'Key nell' pulsing and
briefly active at the end, but a minimal introduction to this quartet of night
seas. Relaxed drift in 'Open doors' as a soft note sequence grounds higher notes,
some washes and string notes. Pulses and hisses, vent drones and distance noises
suggestive, then a brief almost-noise at the end. A preacher opens 'Paper lock'
interefered and echoed before the drone replaces, pulses and then a brief eruption
of clarinet loops; ethereal voice drones, broken pulses, machine scrapes. Then
the mood is broken in the final few minutes as scratching needles, some samples,
percussion and venting whooshes takes over.
Another preacher ('Clear passage through' – is the preacher sample becoming
a bit of an easy reflex? The rhythms are interesting, but perhaps Eno/Byrne have
a bit to answer for) crackles into drones with a subsumed site recording, rumbles
and pulses, more crackling but drifting with held tones and alternating with crackling
before a busy final crunch.
The change in structure continues through the brief machine washes of 'Thin walls'
to 'Entry' where big vents with voices in and bird calls transforms to guitars
emerging from static then a pulsing tone and scrape machines, big guitarish pulse
builds then a sine ringing tone. 'Endless empty' is edgy and shifting before a
more consistent tonal pulsing, a buzz interrupts, drones and ear-splitting bursts
eases to shimmering climax and then a dense propulsive burbling whoosh.
A more stable conclusion in 'Key ray' with an organically growing propulsive looping
ringing pulses and clicks that switches to a lovely layered soft close. The album
presents an interesting mix of extended slow development with periods of dramatic
change, which destabilises the listener intriguingly.
&
Ea were introduced in 2001_08 and then featured in the Polish issue (2002_11),
and it seems this may be their last recording. The four unnamed tracks on this
album present a mesmerising combination of deep drones with surface activity.
In the first a throbbing drone and soft tones form the bed for occasional scratching
and tapping, a dripping, shimmers and skitters and bursts of white noise that
gradually build in the shoals of this sea, before stepping back. Then a more venting
drone and chimey blowing has a more active skittering (there is apparently guitar
in this album, but very much playing with) and some machine scrape and puttering
that becomes quite busy. The venting increases as squeaks, cycles and burbles
join. But these are not highly active pieces, don't get me wrong, rather a delicate
balance is drawn between the active surface and the basic drones.
Gradually developing soft hisses and key washes in the third piece (the second
half of the album is longer) then adding a deep vibration that slowly changes.
Febrile soft vent, tones and a watery mood with gentle highlights as the track
seems to vary speed. A deep percussive component grows to a resonant force before
the tide ebbs to a soft fade. In the final track there is an active opening of
cycling guitar percussives buzzing and scrapes which become the basic loop while
the drones ply over this surface. During a brief lull a visceral drone swizzles
in before the percussion rebuilds, drifting through with the drones, leading to
a slow rumbly pulse fade with little highlights.
&
I reviewed Baker's ep on Dreamland in 2003_f, and recently it somehow came to
mind that he had also had a release on Public Eyesore, covered in 2002_17. On
this album he creates four wonderfully slow moving night scapes. Through 'Melusine'
a rounded warm tone loops with hissing puffs, shimmers and echoes and a deeper
bowed note within. There is a suggestion of melody, resonance, yet subdued and
an almost flat sound. The loops are gradually added to and there are crisper touches
before the long fade, but it is a deeply hypnotic glacial development which the
other tracks will share.
A soft calling tone, guitar chime loop and bass pulse run through 'Rusalka', subtly
manipulated and slowly diminishing. A soft slow voicish melody that also gradually
changes plays over the top, with a few chitters and flutters passing through.
There is a sense of slow building as the layers change balance, and in the last
few minutes the surface develops details. Parts drop out to a final looped call.
A contrast is formed in 'Lorelei' between a strumming loop and layers of pulsing
buzzes and gentle tones. Strange little calls run through, some sounding like
manipulated voice samples, echoed and infrequent. Gradually a tone music builds,
recalling a calliope and enticing more activity – scrapes, jitters and machine
rhythms, resonances and sudden brief loudnesses, drifting.
Finally, a different tack with 'Undine' where a rapid guitar pick loop and soft
percussives build to a cloud of sound for guitar notes to ply across – a
fast base and very active. Long tones develop and gain prominence as the base
fades a little, before guitar loops play the fade.
&
K M Krebs (833-45) appeared in 2001_16 in both guises, although his real name
is now his prime persona. This disk is different in a couple of ways to the others
– it has 13 tracks, so more implied diversity, they are mainly mixed in a
flow and water features quite prominently.
'The southern crown' takes us into the sea with drones and hissing, then echoed
percussives before a deep almost-voice drones, alternating with shimmers, then
come waves and big banging echoes changes the mood, relaxing back though to rumble
easing to drone-ring. The ringing continues in 'Sea of nectar' shifting to venting,
deep and high, rumble voice drones and water dripping, running and sloshing, that
becomes waves of 'Folding landscapes' which slowly develops hissing pulsing movement,
resonant buzzing that returns to water gently washing with electrocalls in. Lovely
string samples loop in 'The unassailable and eternal sovereign of the lunar body'
over the water, sliding into machine washes and scrapey boobles, ending with empty
vinyl noises and a rumble-drone ring.
There is more movement in 'The azure dunes of midnight', hollow scraping and active
drones ending in looped percussion, then an almost jazz mood in 'The thousand
dark veils' that fizzes, organ steps and percussive drips, slowly slowing into
a sine pulse in 'None of the things that are can perish' over washes and pulses.
A big chord sustain 'A large and shining gate' grows adding hissing that alternates
the chord with pulses like tides, and a voice loop.
Spooky moods ensue in 'Waters of the fens and marshes' as sonars, backwards loops
and a squeaky layer that could be a voice, but there are voices later and a sustained
note joined by splashing steps through 'Small golden chains extending to the heavens'
and then backwards whips and strumble for 'Father of the minerals'. An enveloping
ringing resonance overawes the tones during 'I came to scoff but stayed to pray'
and later deep bird calls opening out in 'Dissolving into the white horizon' with
warm tones, some guitar loops, waves and squiggles and a long soft crackle fade.
&
These are four quite individual approaches to the Mystery Sea brief, each with
their own attractions and structures. One could wallow in watery metaphors (immerse,
wash over, waves of sound, ebbs and flows, drifting, waves crashing, tides) but
I'll try and avoid them and merely state that they are each intense dark and engaging
– a series to watch: and act before these sell out.
&&&&&&&&&&&&
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