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Tigerbeat6 presents "$" vols. 1-4
It's times like this I'm happy to be a turntable owner and cackle with glee at all the dumb sods who got rid of theirs. Yes, exciting things can still happen in the world of vinyl. Kid 606 and a tiny assortment of fiends have all contributed to a series of four brand new seven-inch singles on the Tigerbeat6 label. Of the eight sides represented here, 606 appears on three, the rest filled by usual castmembers Cex and Electric Company along with some newcomers Com.A, Timeblind and Joseph Nothing. For each track, the said artist has taken large chunks of rap and hip hop tunes, (much like the now legendary "Attitude" release) and fucked them up beyond the point of commercial acceptance. The end result is much to my liking and would be for anybody else who prefers the comical dementia in which the tb6 crew and v/vm hacks excel in. There's a bonus however, and here's the magic of the vinyl medium: at the end of each side, as the main track falls into silence the needle falls into a locked groove — in order to hear the bonus bits, you need to get up and manually nudge the needle into one of two bonus locked grooves per side! These grooves ain't nothin like that noise stuff Non was doing over 20 years ago, as quite a large portion are carefully and mathematically precise beat loops. Charming, tasty and ever-so-rewarding. - Jon Whitney
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:ZOVIET*FRANCE: "THE DECRIMINALISATION OF COUNTRY MUSIC"
As Glasgow's Tramway building evolved from train station into arts space, Zoviet France were present recording the ambient sounds for use in their commissioned themes for the Scottish Arts Council. Though you'd hardly believe it from the mostly non industrial nature of these very comfortable soundscapes. Five tracks range between five and twelve minutes apiece and the remaining four serve as in-between filler. In "Something Spooked the Horses" a constant warm drone and panning scratchiness are overlaid with yearning strands of pedal steel guitar. "Electron Gate" gently pulsates a bass loop as microscopic bits click and fuzz. "Pyroclastic Flow" is noisier with some possible power tool abrasion honed into layered drones. "Spiiltek" is dancing plastic chips and electronic blips which relinquish to the deep bass waves beneath. "Light Abrasion" closes with a higher pitched wall of sound and occasional cricket like chirping. All in all "Decriminalisation.." is an engaging work of auditory art. And it's as suited for busy high brow art rooms as it is lonely late night bed rooms. - Mark Weddle
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MÚM, "please smile my noise bleed"
Did you get that last Múm release reviewed here a couple months ago? If not, what's the hell's wrong with you? "Yesterday,..." was their debut full-lengther, and without blinking or thinking twice, a new 45-minute disc has surfaced. This time around, Morr Music in Germany brings us the release, which consists of two band new Múm originals and six remixes from various Morr musicians. The irresistable bliss begins with the first moments as the group presents the opener: a delicate chiming looped melody set against broken vocal maniplations and various other random noises. While I hate to draw comparisons, the second track could almost be a tribute to an era which has long passed for Autechre, as the pace picks up and the electronic glitchery becomes more prominent. From there, the remixes begin, at the hands of Styrofoam, ISAN, Phonem, Christian Kleine, Arovane and Bernhard Fleishmann. Tastefully and tactfully, the mixes on the whole expand on the original two songs enough to the point of distincion, but aren't so haphazardly assembled so the disc sounds like a various artists collection. The pace doesn't stray and the prettiness only lends itself to the occasional creepy 'Children of the Corn' child-like feel. Spooky yet attractive, like the last disc: when it's playing in the car or in the house, friends will always ask "oooh, what is this?" Sadly enough, that's often followed by a disappointing trip to a local shop which will come up empty-handed. It can be found, I've seen it advertised, it just takes a little more effort, and the rewards are worth the work. - Jon Whitney
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shriekback, "aberrations 81-84 ( + naked apes & pond life)"
This compilation of ancient out takes, b-sides, live versions and remixes leaves one amazed as it's still stunning material, nearby 20 years later. There's somehow no logical progression in the running order; neither chronological nor from the developing mood while listening. Play it on shuffle (or random) mode and you'll get the same wild mixture of all which Shriekback once where famous for; Unconventional use of all styles and instruments, sound explorations, brilliant lyrics chanted or spoken in a nearly hypnotizing manner, a white funkiness with punk attitude and transforming the song-writing into a track shaping (alongside The Slits, This Heat, 23 Skidoo, The Pop Group and others).
Captured here is the non-polished side of the early line up : Barry Andrews (Vocals, Keyboards), Dave Allen (Bass), Carl Marsh (Guitar, Vocals) with Martyn Barker (Drums, Percussion).
From their well-know material included is only the flip side version of "My Spine Is The Bassline" with complete different vocals layered upon the basic track, from the 15 cuts here most have never been released before and only a few in different versions.
It's by no means an alternative "best of" - there already have been several, busy repacked and redesigned during the 90's ( mostly incomplete as the rights to their recorded output are spread between Y Records, Arista, Island and World Domination ) - more an addition which could also serve as an introduction, especially as Marsh and Andrews where asked to comment all the tracks which makes it even more insightful.
This is actually great stuff, get it while you can as double pack including the nearly lost
'Naked Apes & Pond Life' album (even if you have to search shriekback.com for further details as no booklet comes along with it). A very unspectacular one at first but it puts a different spell on you after a while, not to be compared with their 1992 masterpiece "Sacred City" - an album I can't recommend too much. Dave Allen got lost again and Lu Edmonds came back for Guitar and Saz.
Naked Apes & Pond Life originates arround 1995 but was not finally mixed nor published until 1999 (as no Record Company ever made too much money with the approach of the Shrieks) when Martyn Barker took over and got involved in label work.
You can't say it's too long clicking in with a barely traditional LP length of 42 something and a content of just 6 'proper' songs in midst 8 mostly short instrumentals, but listening to the perfect 4:26 of "Everything's On Fire", shaped with elegance, sensuality and magic you know that very well known acts would kill for songs like these and it's not the total length that makes a release worthwile to obtain.
Don't expect anything. Discover.
- Carsten S.
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Nada Surf, "The Proximity Effect"
It's the same story we've all heard countless times. Band has hit single on MTV Buzz Bin. Band's album does reasonably well in US, selling a couple hundred thousand copies. Label wants new record to capitalize on success. Band goes into studio, records album far superior to first record, but artistically more challenging. Label says they don't hear a single. They want a song that sounds a lot like the big hit single. Band balks, and asks to be let out of contract. Label agrees, but holds on to rights to album, making it hard for band to release it. It seems the label in this story always seems to be Elektra, by the way, and it is in this case. The band this time is Nada Surf, and the album is the recently released "The Proximity Effect," originally scheduled for release in 1998. The album was available on import for a while, as, curiously, Elektra DID release it in Australia. But now, the record gets it's domestic debut, with a few changes. It's missing their cover of "Why Are You So Mean To Me?" that was on the import, but they add an original bonus track to take its place. It also features some multimedia content. But what about the songs? Nada Surf's big hit, the quirky and funny but otherwise totally forgettable high school anthem "Popular," gave no indication of where this band could go musically. "The Proximity Effect" is a tour-de-force record, showing off the strengths of the band members brilliantly. From the opening track, "Hyperspace," the listener is introduced to the new Nada Surf. More high-energy than slacker, more melodic than speakeasy, and better songwriting than before, the band is musically light years beyond "high/low." and Matthew Caws' voice sounds great. They do it all here: high speed rockers, angry tell-offs with loud power chords, gorgeous slow power pop, and mid-tempo rockers with a message. It's a fantastic album, and well worth your hungry ears. Since the band released it on their own label, it may be hard to find, but that just makes you appreciate it more, doesn't it? - Rob Devlin
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thighpaulsandra, "michel publicity window" ep
Coil fans may have been a bit taken aback when Thighpaulsandra's releases started to surface on Eskaton. The music was a mishmosh of genres from improv jazz to neo-clssical and glam rock, unpolarized over the course of an overwhelming 2½ hours. This compact extended-play single lifts the title track from its 30-something minute surroundings and extracts all overbearing drones into a comfortable well-focused 3½ minute ambiguous yet infectious pop tune which could easily be about An American Scenester in London, Miami DJ or Danny McKernan. For the three remainding tracks, TPS is joined by familiar crew from the album's sessions on very synth-heavy and structurally bound pieces. The tunes are considerably shorter, less clouded with showoff musiciannery, while still being aurally challenging. "Paralysed" features guest vocals from percussionist Siªn Orgon in a very Tangerine Dream-esque analogue sequencer bisque. Coupled with "Hovercar Von Dusseldorf," the tracks are strongly remeniscent of the Cold War influenced instrumentality of the less popular 80s synth popsters. For the EP's closer, "Fouled", John Balance's shrieks gets added to Thighpaulsandra's in a nine-minute psychedelic bass guitar-heavy, live drum, guitar and synth mix which would easily appeal to any fan of the Last Man to Fly-era Tear Garden. Once again this Thighpaulsandra release might not be for all Coil fans, but it's worth the listen. - Jon Whitney
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"[KOMFORT.LABOR] PRESENTS ~SCAPE" & "STAEDTIZISM 2"
Here we have a digipacked pair of ~scape label related various artists discs. Both feature many of the usual suspects (and several lesser known ones) who labor in the labs where electronic, jazz and dub musics collide and coagulate.
"Komfort" is a 58 minute mixer by Stefan Betke, aka Pole and head of ~scape, for WMF Records. Betke doesn't transform everyone into Pole with his mix, but he does seem to dull down much of the sharp edges with an odd murkiness, as well as weaving in barely discernible traces of a Nils Oekland string melody throughout. Lazily progressing through almost indiscriminate glitch-click and bass by the likes of Vladislav Delay, Kit Clayton and Process, it slowly builds a head of steam up into the echo chamber house of Maus & Stolle. The mid-section of Farben, Dr. Rockit and Cinematic Orchestra mellows things out again with some diffusive pads and slow motion jazz rhythm. Flanger continues the jazz tip with erratic beats and keys, gradually simmering down into the sax augmented deep dub of The Private Lightning Six. Pole's own digi-dub "Rondell 2" comes leaping out of the speakers, almost as if Betke intended for his own composition to overshadow all the others. A solo performance on a stringed instrument of some sort by Oekland wraps it all up, oddly enough, and oddly enough, it works. But altogether, despite the talent involved and effective track selection, something is still lacking. Clarity perhaps.
On the other hand, "Staedtizism 2" resonates with digital precision. And same as the first volume, this one has only a few artists actually from the label's roster - Jan Jelinek, Burnt Friedman & The Nu Dub Players and Kit Clayton - along with System, John Tejada, Process, Nolte, Bus, Beige, Sad Rockets, Headset and Low Res. While there's still some glitch, it seems to no longer be as in vogue these days as these tracks refer more to easy listening jazz and dub, electronically of course. Jelinek's "The Village Vanguard" churns through microscopic bits of old jazz records while Headset's "Dustmite" uses passages of squawking horn. The liquid keys of Nolte's "21st Century Schizoid Man.." remind me of the jazzy runs in Coil's "The Snow". Tejada's "A World So Wide" is bright and airy, coupling easy going bass and clean guitar melodies. Bus' "Tamed Lion" and Friedman's "Xyz (Our Version)" dip furthest into the dub end of the spectrum while Clayton's "Painting Between Numbers" is probably the most experimental, looping and layering electric piano notes into oblivion. Though all these artists are of a similar mindset, they also remain on separate if not parallel trajectories. - Mark Weddle
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US Maple, "Acre Thrills"
Any band that sets out to deconstruct rock on its releases is immediately going to turn off some listeners. US Maple don't necessarily turn off listners, they lambast them with their loud guitar attack and, sometimes, annoyance, and yet dare them to listen more. It still turns some listeners off. I'm still on the fence. Don't get me wrong: this is the best US Maple release yet. If you were going to buy one, make it this one. Previous releases have seemed disjointed, too improvisational, even, with moments of brilliance. "Acre Thrills" is like the band's mission statement. They are here to break the rules of rock. They are here to lead the way. And every moment is well executed. The start of the album with "Ma Digital" shows us the familiar two guitar whine assault and what Spin magazine once called the "Unholy Wheeze" -- Al Johnson's voice. It really is original in its complete disregard for a unifying structure, and the collective band members are proficient, even deadly with their respective instruments. And it's heavy, menacing as all get out on some tracks. The Wheeze even sounds sexy, if you can believe that, going from low growl to Craig Wedren-like vocal magic. One song even features the most fascinating of scientific myseteries: real cat purrs. And Brian Paulson, that indie rock king of clean, loud sound, does a great job bringing the band's sound out to play. It's just not all that thrilling to me. It's a good thing that the lyrics are in the book, too, because I sure as hell couldn't tell what was being said on some songs. But it works on many levels, creating a soundscape that is worth listening to, even if it doesn't grab you all that hard. US Maple succeed in deconstructing rock. But if it's deconstructed rock, what is it, exactly? And will you like it? Give it a try, especially "Acre Thrills," their best effort to date. - Rob Devlin
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Somatic Responses, "Augmented Lines"
"Augmented Lines" is Somatix's second CD album after more than thirty vinyl releases on labels across the globe. Originally coming from the breakcore/hardcore techno scene, their debut on Hymen, "Circumflex," garnered them lots of new fans and a much more broadened knowledge of their sound. Therein lies the album's problem. "Their sound" is so specific that one can recognize a Somatic Responses release easily, regardless of which it is, and to my ears, it ends up getting stale pretty quick. "Circumflex" was great because it was polished, evil, and it was the first Somatix I had heard; it filled the gap that had been left by the steadily-increasing-inanity albums Panacea was putting out after "Low Profile Darkness." I gradually picked up a couple more 12"s and although they were good, I found them to be little different from each other. "Augmented Lines" plays out like, well, Somatic Responses. To their credit, it is more mellow and features some different moods than "Circumflex," but if anything, I'd have preferred them to go harsher and noisier. Though it's not a bad album, it is far from being anything new, and this is Somatix's greatest downfall. If you're new to brothers John & Paul Healy, purchase "Circumflex" and decide from there if your thirst is quenched: if yes, stop; if no, purchase some 12"s and this second album and see how you feel. - Chris Zaldua
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MATT WAND, "1½ VOLT MUSIC"
Was that Kosmik Kommando? Merzbow? Pan Sonic? No, it was twelve little old gameboys strung up on gallery walls and singing their scored battery powered noises through cheapo cheapo speakers. Matt Wand, he of Stock, Hausen & Walkman and Hot Air records, has been performing solo recently on gameboys and has been collecting the old machines for a while. Like Philip Jeck's 'Off The Record' installation with racks of looping record players, part of the idea was to walk around and hear how the sounds shifted and crossed and complemented and deadened each other as they burbled, squealed, whooshed and crackled. Mr Wand has made available a souvenir of this event in the form of a tiny little 3" CD with 21 minutes of edited highlights. He's known for his humourous approach to music though, and even after going to a private view of the gameboy orchestra after this was recorded, I can't work out if the numbered sequences on the insert really relate to the score or if he's pulling our legs. Apparently the game Tetris was an inspiration for the installation. Whatever, the results here make strangely compelling listening and don't sound like anything else he's done before.
- Graeme Rowland
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Propergol, "United States of..."
Loud. Before I describe or review this CD in any length, one word can describe it perfectly: loud. This is probably the loudest album I've ever heard, and certainly raises the bar on intensity more than any other power electronics album I've ever heard. For you PE freaks out there (anyone? anyone read the Brain and give a shit about power electronics? We'll see, I guess), you may know the French Propergol from his previous two CDRs, limited to 99 and 200 copies respectively - they weren't bad, but I didn't listen to either of them more than once. He has much improved on his latest release, and actually, it's quickly becoming one of my favorite PE albums released recently. It starts off quite well, with "Swat-police," a mash of found sounds, distortion, and movie samples. That's where the album's only (possible) downfall comes into play. For those of you who hate movie samples (I usually don't mind them, and I think the ones used on this album are used pretty well), "United States..." will be intolerable. Movie samples are used judiciously and frequently, and apt listeners will quite easily discern their origins. As the album progresses, it gets louder, louder, and louder (although I've found that the lower in proximity your ears are to the floor, the quieter the album gets. Does bass rise?), climaxing somewhere around the sixth track. Certainly not for everyone, but if you're into it, get it now. - Chris Zaldua
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queen of japan, "nightlife in tokyo"
I honestly don't know what Austrians find so amusing about pretending to be Japanese. The humor wears incredibly thin on the current release from Hans Platzgumer and friends on the Angelika Köhlermann label. The disc features ten cover tunes, in an effort which seems to imitate a fictitious Japanese karaoke group. Included are versions of Kiss' "I Was Made for Loving You," Soft Cell's "Seedy Films," The Who's "Acid Queen" and Frank Zappa's "Bobby Brown." While it begins on a mildly entertaining note, by track 6, the disc actually becomes painful to listen to and screams to be ejected, as their version of "Get Down Make Love" mimics the NIN version moreso than the Queen original. Even more irritating is the inclusion of their take on Olivia Newton-John's "Let's Get Physical" — something I never ever want to hear again, not from Goldfrapp nor fucking Revolting Cocks. Platzgummer has worked with a whole host of others including Gerhard Potuznik, who has mastered a similar genre of Austrian camp with his G.D. Luxxe outfit. Queen of Japan, however, fails. I mean, come on, who buys this crap? There's better cover versions circulating around on childrens discs and more entertaining jokes on the V/Vm records. - Jon Whitney
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