According to Asmus Tietchens' web site, "Kontakt Der Jünglinge 1" was recorded in the '"Lagerhaus" in Bremen, Germany in 1999. I've witnessed a number of live improvisations with sound and noise in which some unexpected event outside the performance space occurred, such as an ambulance passing by with a loud siren. The performers would typically accept the additional source material and work it into their piece.
4191 Hits
Die Stadt
Recorded inside of a ship in Germany in 2001, this 42-minute piece is sometimes very quiet, with bursts of static and sounds like gurgling water. Elsewhere it has many layers of distinct sounds from drones to gently crackling static. There's a nice range from low to high frequencies and from droning to beeping/chirping sounds, with the overall feeling of something building in intensity, gently subsiding, then regaining strength in several waves. I knew nothing of Thomas Köner before hearing these two Kontakt der Jünglinge CDs, so by checking his web site (http://www.koener.de) I was not surprised to learn he started as a composer for film. From what I know of Asmus Tietchens, he does not often perform live, as he's primarily a studio-based composer. I would have been curious to learn what equipment he used in this performance, if any. Or did he just play prerecorded bits?
Recorded inside of a ship in Germany in 2001, this 42-minute piece is sometimes very quiet, with bursts of static and sounds like gurgling water. Elsewhere it has many layers of distinct sounds from drones to gently crackling static. There's a nice range from low to high frequencies and from droning to beeping/chirping sounds, with the overall feeling of something building in intensity, gently subsiding, then regaining strength in several waves. I knew nothing of Thomas Köner before hearing these two Kontakt der Jünglinge CDs, so by checking his web site (http://www.koener.de) I was not surprised to learn he started as a composer for film. From what I know of Asmus Tietchens, he does not often perform live, as he's primarily a studio-based composer. I would have been curious to learn what equipment he used in this performance, if any. Or did he just play prerecorded bits?
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3984 Hits
I don't know about you, but my first thought when listening to the new Trans Am opus "TA" was not "Hey, this song really could use the remix treatment!" Sadly, that is what has transpired on this, a brief EP of reconstructions of three tracks from that album. The personnel involved are interestingly enough: John Herndon, here as A Grape Dope; Dan the Automator, he of Gorillaz, Deltron 3030 and Lovage fame; underground hip-hop flavorists Prefuse 73 and Dabrye; and Trans Am's own recording engineer Jonathan Kreinik contributing a remix of his own. Really, though, there is no improvement for these songs.
4215 Hits
Tigerbeat 6
Girl Power gets knocked back back a few steps with Blechdom's latest EP release on TB6. The horrible vocals, detuned music and equally painful subject matter have undoubtedly plunged Miss Kevin's career into unbelievable new lows. The strange thing is that it's all intentional and I love it. While I make no psychological claims, I'm guessing she has probably struggled with but accepted the fact that she will never be an angry (but cute), mousey girl with an acoustic guitar, an anorexic sex kitten, nor a post-punk lipstick lesbian-on-the-four-year-plan fronting a rock quartet who chooses to spell girl with two r's and no i. Her chosen career path is faced with critical obstacles only tightwads like NPR reporters would discuss in depth. First and foremost, she's an entertainer, and until you accept her as such, you're setting yourself up to be soured by the sound. Consider that she's also immersed in a scene dominated by very, very serious men who wear two or three names like they think they're some composer or something. This short but sassy disc compliments her recent live shows with a souvenir of said entertainment. Listening, I recall the fond memories of when I first asked myself, "did she just say 'my pussy getting wetter'," or slipped her some cash during a super-classy rendition of that 1980s hit "Private Dancer," once popularized by Tina Turner (I love that imitation harmonica sound solo). Love it or hate it, it's impossible to take your eyes off of it when it's right in front of you. That, my friends is power. At under 15 minutes, the entertainment is short and sweet and without any fart humor the critics have accused her of playing up in the past. What else are you going to spend your $8 on? Two beers and a bag of chips?
Girl Power gets knocked back back a few steps with Blechdom's latest EP release on TB6. The horrible vocals, detuned music and equally painful subject matter have undoubtedly plunged Miss Kevin's career into unbelievable new lows. The strange thing is that it's all intentional and I love it. While I make no psychological claims, I'm guessing she has probably struggled with but accepted the fact that she will never be an angry (but cute), mousey girl with an acoustic guitar, an anorexic sex kitten, nor a post-punk lipstick lesbian-on-the-four-year-plan fronting a rock quartet who chooses to spell girl with two r's and no i. Her chosen career path is faced with critical obstacles only tightwads like NPR reporters would discuss in depth. First and foremost, she's an entertainer, and until you accept her as such, you're setting yourself up to be soured by the sound. Consider that she's also immersed in a scene dominated by very, very serious men who wear two or three names like they think they're some composer or something. This short but sassy disc compliments her recent live shows with a souvenir of said entertainment. Listening, I recall the fond memories of when I first asked myself, "did she just say 'my pussy getting wetter'," or slipped her some cash during a super-classy rendition of that 1980s hit "Private Dancer," once popularized by Tina Turner (I love that imitation harmonica sound solo). Love it or hate it, it's impossible to take your eyes off of it when it's right in front of you. That, my friends is power. At under 15 minutes, the entertainment is short and sweet and without any fart humor the critics have accused her of playing up in the past. What else are you going to spend your $8 on? Two beers and a bag of chips?
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4898 Hits
Erstwhile
ET is hip again. I'm not really sure why but I'm assuming that it's just being rediscovered yet again by a new generation of creative musicians. But since Extended Technique is in fact old hat I find it hard to get interested in ET per se. Take the woodwind for instance — what's the point, after Bartolozzi, Zorn and the rest have done it all? While ET used to make me think, "Gosh, that's very strange way to play an xyz, how interesting and novel," now I don't. I got over it. It's not that I don't approve of ET. I do. I approve of any effectively deployed technique. But a musicians over-valuation of ET's intrinsic value can be tiresome. Perhaps we all go through that phase, musicians included, so let's charitably ascribe any ET excesses to a passing phase. Meanwhile, Subotnick and Stockhausen, among others, have shown that a tape machine or record player is as much a musical instrument as any other so it's reasonable to think of Jason's approach to tape loops as no less ET than Greg's trumpet playing. But now let's consider the additional aspect of the lamentable challenges faced by the improviser, in particular that editorial judgment cannot be used and the inevitable requirement for novelty, and I think it becomes clear that we really have to cut the brave extended technique improviser a lot of slack. We cannot realistically hope for the extraordinary brilliant results that improvisation can bless us with without expecting some of the rest to be served along side. So I'm very pleased that this CD has much more of the former than of the latter. It's mostly laid back, a bit spooky, film-esque in parts. The brilliance of Jason's sounds lies in his good taste; he concentrates only those that are genuinely good to listen to and works them all the way out without hopping restlessly from one bewildering ET trick to another. In that way it is like Robert Rutman — it's in the finesse, the commitment to beauty. I thought of that because some of the music here sounds a bit like Rutman's. Greg's contribution is sometimes ornamental and at other times it is right in the middle of the generative process. It's at those moments that this CD really impresses. My biggest criticism is that at times the sound of the room it was recorded in is unhelpful and rather distracting but that's an aspect of the paltry budgets these brave adventurers are given to work with. Incidentally, the cover art from Jason's three-year-old Audrey is very attractive.
ET is hip again. I'm not really sure why but I'm assuming that it's just being rediscovered yet again by a new generation of creative musicians. But since Extended Technique is in fact old hat I find it hard to get interested in ET per se. Take the woodwind for instance — what's the point, after Bartolozzi, Zorn and the rest have done it all? While ET used to make me think, "Gosh, that's very strange way to play an xyz, how interesting and novel," now I don't. I got over it. It's not that I don't approve of ET. I do. I approve of any effectively deployed technique. But a musicians over-valuation of ET's intrinsic value can be tiresome. Perhaps we all go through that phase, musicians included, so let's charitably ascribe any ET excesses to a passing phase. Meanwhile, Subotnick and Stockhausen, among others, have shown that a tape machine or record player is as much a musical instrument as any other so it's reasonable to think of Jason's approach to tape loops as no less ET than Greg's trumpet playing. But now let's consider the additional aspect of the lamentable challenges faced by the improviser, in particular that editorial judgment cannot be used and the inevitable requirement for novelty, and I think it becomes clear that we really have to cut the brave extended technique improviser a lot of slack. We cannot realistically hope for the extraordinary brilliant results that improvisation can bless us with without expecting some of the rest to be served along side. So I'm very pleased that this CD has much more of the former than of the latter. It's mostly laid back, a bit spooky, film-esque in parts. The brilliance of Jason's sounds lies in his good taste; he concentrates only those that are genuinely good to listen to and works them all the way out without hopping restlessly from one bewildering ET trick to another. In that way it is like Robert Rutman — it's in the finesse, the commitment to beauty. I thought of that because some of the music here sounds a bit like Rutman's. Greg's contribution is sometimes ornamental and at other times it is right in the middle of the generative process. It's at those moments that this CD really impresses. My biggest criticism is that at times the sound of the room it was recorded in is unhelpful and rather distracting but that's an aspect of the paltry budgets these brave adventurers are given to work with. Incidentally, the cover art from Jason's three-year-old Audrey is very attractive.
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6338 Hits
Just when you think you can predict Low, they toss a curve ball in your direction which ends up coming back and hitting you smack on the noggin' and knocks you out. Without a doubt, Low has recorded their creepiest, most diverse, most intense, and least hit-song-friendly record to date. Once again, I am completely floored.
4634 Hits
Pink Flag
I never thought that #1) I would ever see Wire live or #2) I would be sitting here reviewing new material from the quartet. The method behind the 'Read and Burn' series is to record something and release it to the fans quickly, without loads of promotion and other time-consuming hassles that come along with full-length albums for record company machines. With this approach, the band feels that all fans have access to the recordings while the fence-sitters can just get a full-length recording when it comes out. Take this warning: volume two in this series is out now and will -not- be distributed to stores at all. Instead, due to the success of the first volume, the group is selling it direct from the web and at their shows. Wire reintroduced themselves to the world with their "greatest hits" shows two years ago. The band discovered that it was amazing to be playing together and a "hits" tour wasn't something they wanted to get in the business of doing. 'Read and Burn 01' saw the band tossing a very tasty treat to the bands: six short and fiery songs totalling about 16 minutes, heavy on the guitar and feverishly energetic. On volume two, the band has expanded the sound to include more electronic pieces, like the disc's jaw-dropping closer (their most recent concert-opener), "99.9," and "Nice Streets Above" which could easily please any fan of the 'Bell is a Cup' album. Fans of the first volume will be pleased with the rough and fast tunes "Trash/Treasure" and the song simply titled, "Read and Burn," where the bark-like lyrics take a back seat to a rawkus progression only a band like Wire could pull off. Over two decades after their inception, it's amazing to think that this band is still as fresh, original and true to a sound which has become all their own. I can't wait for the next one in the series.
I never thought that #1) I would ever see Wire live or #2) I would be sitting here reviewing new material from the quartet. The method behind the 'Read and Burn' series is to record something and release it to the fans quickly, without loads of promotion and other time-consuming hassles that come along with full-length albums for record company machines. With this approach, the band feels that all fans have access to the recordings while the fence-sitters can just get a full-length recording when it comes out. Take this warning: volume two in this series is out now and will -not- be distributed to stores at all. Instead, due to the success of the first volume, the group is selling it direct from the web and at their shows. Wire reintroduced themselves to the world with their "greatest hits" shows two years ago. The band discovered that it was amazing to be playing together and a "hits" tour wasn't something they wanted to get in the business of doing. 'Read and Burn 01' saw the band tossing a very tasty treat to the bands: six short and fiery songs totalling about 16 minutes, heavy on the guitar and feverishly energetic. On volume two, the band has expanded the sound to include more electronic pieces, like the disc's jaw-dropping closer (their most recent concert-opener), "99.9," and "Nice Streets Above" which could easily please any fan of the 'Bell is a Cup' album. Fans of the first volume will be pleased with the rough and fast tunes "Trash/Treasure" and the song simply titled, "Read and Burn," where the bark-like lyrics take a back seat to a rawkus progression only a band like Wire could pull off. Over two decades after their inception, it's amazing to think that this band is still as fresh, original and true to a sound which has become all their own. I can't wait for the next one in the series.
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4162 Hits
Originally released on vinyl last year, Anomalous has recently issued an expanded CD version of this magnificent piano-derived piece. The first track, "Period," opens with some plaintive piano notes over the expected low-frequency drone. What is surprising in this piece is the piano—it's up-front rather than altered and hidden like the sounds used in his other pieces. The sound is full and lush, and as each sparse, melodically abstract phrase is played on the piano. Some of the notes are significantly extended, slowly decaying and interacting with the music as some stunning textures emerge.
4799 Hits
Strange Attractors Audio House
You've got to love Landing for being as prolific as they are, and for "spreading the wealth," as it were; releasing multiple projects a year on a host of different labels. 'Fade In/Fade Out' finds them growing into their collective skin even more, and easily stands as one of their finest works. The 5-song EP opens with a quiet energy, building only slightly, and revealing that, at last, Landing have captured and tuned the delicated balance between their wall of echoey guitars and the quieter beauty they can sustain. "Forest Ocean Sound" finishes with such delayed guitar, churning out a melody of intense charm. Then the space sounds and percussion of "Against the Rain" begin, stirring your soul to its very core as you listen, waiting for the crushing crescendo that never comes. Instead, Aaron and Adrienne Snow's vocals blend and intertwine with the music like never before, becoming one with the drone and swell around them. What makes this all particularly stunning is that this EP was conceived through improvisational sessions, with the songs being created and recorded at the same time. They all blend together so well that you realize how tight this band is, and how well they can read each other to create like this. Only on "Whirlwind" is there a hint of the Landing of before, with the drums becoming more pronounced, and the swirling guitars taking a background role to Adrienne's lilting vocals. On "Pulse," the distortion returns in full force, revealing a track almost Kronos Quartet in nature. Awe-inspiring music that will not leave my headphones for some time.
You've got to love Landing for being as prolific as they are, and for "spreading the wealth," as it were; releasing multiple projects a year on a host of different labels. 'Fade In/Fade Out' finds them growing into their collective skin even more, and easily stands as one of their finest works. The 5-song EP opens with a quiet energy, building only slightly, and revealing that, at last, Landing have captured and tuned the delicated balance between their wall of echoey guitars and the quieter beauty they can sustain. "Forest Ocean Sound" finishes with such delayed guitar, churning out a melody of intense charm. Then the space sounds and percussion of "Against the Rain" begin, stirring your soul to its very core as you listen, waiting for the crushing crescendo that never comes. Instead, Aaron and Adrienne Snow's vocals blend and intertwine with the music like never before, becoming one with the drone and swell around them. What makes this all particularly stunning is that this EP was conceived through improvisational sessions, with the songs being created and recorded at the same time. They all blend together so well that you realize how tight this band is, and how well they can read each other to create like this. Only on "Whirlwind" is there a hint of the Landing of before, with the drums becoming more pronounced, and the swirling guitars taking a background role to Adrienne's lilting vocals. On "Pulse," the distortion returns in full force, revealing a track almost Kronos Quartet in nature. Awe-inspiring music that will not leave my headphones for some time.
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4161 Hits
Tyondai Braxton has an intimate relationship with his guitar pedals. Every sound Braxton makes on this CD - primarily using guitar and voice - is processed through various combinations of a bevy of effects. The nine tracks on this disc are surprisingly diverse, and I imagine there's a good deal of improvisation going on.
6310 Hits
With the recent passing of keyboardist Gareth Williams and the newly ignited interest in the post-punk era, This Heat's seminal 1981 masterpiece 'Deceit' has been re-released in a limited edition digipack. Williams was largely responsible for the band's loose, improvisational nature and the intellectual force behind much of their experimentation.
3480 Hits
Tarwater's third full-length release finds them very much in the same headspace, exploring the same musical themes and capturing some truly beautiful melodies. This time, the concentration seems to be on composing and creating music that would work for films, theatre, and other performing arts.
The arrangements on this release are shorter, building and ending sometimes before you even know what hit you. The mixture of electronic and traditional instrumentation is even more complete, as the two feed off of each other and work together to achieve the desired effect. There is more of a pop song structure on 'Dwellers,' as well, as each song seems to have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Also present seems to be a more concerted effort on the part of Ronald Lippok to have his vocals follow the melody slightly, even in their dry delivery. It's an incredibly personal record, with several songs having an emphasis on memories of the past ("Metal Flakes," "1985" particularly). 'Dwellers' also features some rather impressive guests, including Stefan Schneider of To Rococo Rot (of which Lippok is also a member) and Norwegian performance artist Tone Avenstroup. By the time you hear the graceful, frenetic double-shot power of "Be Late" and "Tesla" in the middle of the record, you'll be so enveloped by the melodies and beats, they may never leave your head. I found myself often desiring more out of the vocals, particularly with the short track lengths, but that instrumental tendency has always been one of the many charms of Tarwater, so why change now? Plus, the sparse guest vocals here and there add enough flavor. A completely enthralling listen.
 
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3445 Hits
Malignant Records
German drone artist Troum and the American dark ambient project Yen Pox collaborate on one of the best albums released so far this year. Some might say that ‘Mnemonic Induction’ would make a great soundtrack for a film, and while that may be true, it would totally ruin the album. Other people’s images associated with this cd would never do it justice. Like they say, nothing can be worse (better than?) your own imagination, and such is the case here. The four long, untitled tracks have one thing in common, a deep brooding low end drone that gave my subwoofers a much needed work out. Layered over top are eerie wails and moans stretched out to inhuman lengths while bleak rumblings phase in and out. The best thing about this album is the way in which it is able to capture and hold your attention. Rather than becoming just good background music, it stays active, alternating between soaring expansiveness and claustrophobia. The slick digipack contains a paragraph about dreams and the separation of mind and body, but to use this cd as a dream aid, something to fall asleep to, would be a mistake. What the album does best is not to conjure strange dreams, but to evoke one’s waking memories, and associate the album with one’s own experiences. But try not to dwell on your bad stuff, this album deserves better.
German drone artist Troum and the American dark ambient project Yen Pox collaborate on one of the best albums released so far this year. Some might say that ‘Mnemonic Induction’ would make a great soundtrack for a film, and while that may be true, it would totally ruin the album. Other people’s images associated with this cd would never do it justice. Like they say, nothing can be worse (better than?) your own imagination, and such is the case here. The four long, untitled tracks have one thing in common, a deep brooding low end drone that gave my subwoofers a much needed work out. Layered over top are eerie wails and moans stretched out to inhuman lengths while bleak rumblings phase in and out. The best thing about this album is the way in which it is able to capture and hold your attention. Rather than becoming just good background music, it stays active, alternating between soaring expansiveness and claustrophobia. The slick digipack contains a paragraph about dreams and the separation of mind and body, but to use this cd as a dream aid, something to fall asleep to, would be a mistake. What the album does best is not to conjure strange dreams, but to evoke one’s waking memories, and associate the album with one’s own experiences. But try not to dwell on your bad stuff, this album deserves better.
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12919 Hits
Warp
For those who didn't get the breakthrough one-sided 12" single from Squarepusher earlier this year, the complete CD edition is now available. This version is fully-realized and takes the form of a double-CD package: disc one featuring seven new or unreleased tracks wile disc two was recorded last year at a concert in Japan. The release which asks a question leads me to one of my own (which has plagued me for years): how come Tom Jenkinson can record such monotonous and sucky albums while having a wealth of variety on compact, yet fantastic EP releases? For the opening title track, I can safely say I haven't been this excited about a Squarepusher song since "Come on My Selector," as it merges both his low-cool funk obsession and choppy cut-up beat tendencies. Bad English rap gets chopped up on track two, "F-Train," while drum and bassheads can pretend to be stuck in a video game for "Anstrommm-Feck 4." The re-editing of cymbals and gongs on the first ten minutes of "Mutilation Colony" can almost be interpreted as an homage to Coil's "How to Destroy Angels" while the disc ends with an unexpected, cringeworthy cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart." (Please don't sing next time, Tommy, especially if you don't know the words or choose to take as many 'artistic liberties' with the lyrics.) The live recording on disc two is only marginal, however. Littered with crowd-pleasers, hits, the occasional shouting of "give it up for Squarepusher," and an onslaught of noise at the end, it only sounds like a fair-quality live audience bootleg without the inclusion of a line mix. At 67 minutes, it's a good bonus to have for fans who couldn't catch any shows last year due to his cancellation, but it's certainly nothing like actually being there and experiencing the big sound. While it does compliment the disc one EP, I honestly don't feel its inclusion is worth charging a double-CD price for the package.
For those who didn't get the breakthrough one-sided 12" single from Squarepusher earlier this year, the complete CD edition is now available. This version is fully-realized and takes the form of a double-CD package: disc one featuring seven new or unreleased tracks wile disc two was recorded last year at a concert in Japan. The release which asks a question leads me to one of my own (which has plagued me for years): how come Tom Jenkinson can record such monotonous and sucky albums while having a wealth of variety on compact, yet fantastic EP releases? For the opening title track, I can safely say I haven't been this excited about a Squarepusher song since "Come on My Selector," as it merges both his low-cool funk obsession and choppy cut-up beat tendencies. Bad English rap gets chopped up on track two, "F-Train," while drum and bassheads can pretend to be stuck in a video game for "Anstrommm-Feck 4." The re-editing of cymbals and gongs on the first ten minutes of "Mutilation Colony" can almost be interpreted as an homage to Coil's "How to Destroy Angels" while the disc ends with an unexpected, cringeworthy cover of "Love Will Tear Us Apart." (Please don't sing next time, Tommy, especially if you don't know the words or choose to take as many 'artistic liberties' with the lyrics.) The live recording on disc two is only marginal, however. Littered with crowd-pleasers, hits, the occasional shouting of "give it up for Squarepusher," and an onslaught of noise at the end, it only sounds like a fair-quality live audience bootleg without the inclusion of a line mix. At 67 minutes, it's a good bonus to have for fans who couldn't catch any shows last year due to his cancellation, but it's certainly nothing like actually being there and experiencing the big sound. While it does compliment the disc one EP, I honestly don't feel its inclusion is worth charging a double-CD price for the package.
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3973 Hits
Sub Pop
Would somebody please give Mudhoney their due? Otherwise, they're going to eventually make that quintessential rock record that has the potential to destroy us all. It's rare that a band can continue to flourish and put great material to tape, not change the basic formula, and make a decade-plus career of it, and Mudhoney has done just that. There have been casualties, of course. After their last LP, 'Tomorrow Hit Today,' they were dropped from Reprise, without ever securing a hit album. Shortly thereafter, founding member Matt Lukin announced his displeasure for touring, and left the band. The hiatus that followed found the other members pursuing interesting side jobs, with Mark Arm even writing reviews for the now defunct Wall of Sound website. Now, the wait is over, as Mudhoney return to Sub Pop for their sixth LP. Thank goodness not much has changed in the process. The album's opener, "Baby Can You Dig the Light," is over eight minutes of noisy noodling goodness, and a sign that: 1) Mudhoney is back; 2) You can expect more of the same; 3) Their sense of humor is intact as always. Elsewhere, the arrangements are as blistering and loud as always. Mudhoney's influence on the grunge sound has always been clear, only now they seem to have so much more fun with it. Both "The Straight Life," with its laments on how a girl has been changed by the world around her, and "Where the Flavor Is" with, pardon me, its tongue-in-cheek lyrics, are straightforward rockers in the classic sense. The horns on several tracks are a fantastic choice on this record, making the atmosphere more loose and fun. Another accomplished work from one of Seattle's finest, if you're into that sort of thing.
Would somebody please give Mudhoney their due? Otherwise, they're going to eventually make that quintessential rock record that has the potential to destroy us all. It's rare that a band can continue to flourish and put great material to tape, not change the basic formula, and make a decade-plus career of it, and Mudhoney has done just that. There have been casualties, of course. After their last LP, 'Tomorrow Hit Today,' they were dropped from Reprise, without ever securing a hit album. Shortly thereafter, founding member Matt Lukin announced his displeasure for touring, and left the band. The hiatus that followed found the other members pursuing interesting side jobs, with Mark Arm even writing reviews for the now defunct Wall of Sound website. Now, the wait is over, as Mudhoney return to Sub Pop for their sixth LP. Thank goodness not much has changed in the process. The album's opener, "Baby Can You Dig the Light," is over eight minutes of noisy noodling goodness, and a sign that: 1) Mudhoney is back; 2) You can expect more of the same; 3) Their sense of humor is intact as always. Elsewhere, the arrangements are as blistering and loud as always. Mudhoney's influence on the grunge sound has always been clear, only now they seem to have so much more fun with it. Both "The Straight Life," with its laments on how a girl has been changed by the world around her, and "Where the Flavor Is" with, pardon me, its tongue-in-cheek lyrics, are straightforward rockers in the classic sense. The horns on several tracks are a fantastic choice on this record, making the atmosphere more loose and fun. Another accomplished work from one of Seattle's finest, if you're into that sort of thing.
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3549 Hits
Moonshine
I can remember the day that 'Polydistortion' was released, and it seemed like a whole new bridge between experimental electronic, post-rock, dance music and indie rock was built, as well as a foundation for a wave of Icelandic electronic music to flourish. I wouldn't have to bring up the group's breakthrough debut if I didn't feel it necessary to assure any reader that this was, at one point, a truly incredible collective. At the time, Gus Gus consisted of nine people: three singers, four musicians and two responsible for visuals. The music varied from pumping dance beats to slower-paced tunes, percussion-free ballads and shining instrumental tracks, all with a subtle twist of dementia to keep the sound from ever being mundane or tired. Their songs equally utilized everything in their ability, without over-saturating the mix. In the five years since, the group has gone through lineup changes, record label changes, and is now primarily a dance band. While the band's lyrics were never something to write home about, in the past they were at least somewhat off-center and interesting to listen to. On 'Attention,' the lyrics are both painful and repeated unnecessarily. Their new female singer lacks a true identity which separates her from a generic singer in a gay discoteque. On certain songs like "David," the music is so forceful, it almost doesn't matter but on songs like the opener "Unnecessary," it's bordering on unbearable. There are some highlights, however, like the guest vocal track from former singer Daniel Ágúst on the Gareth Jones-prodced "Desire," and the slower-paced hopping beats of "Attention" would make it a perfect jam were it not for the vocals. After the first few tracks, the rest of this disc tapers off into even more generic territory and while I can't say it's not pleasant, it's simply not the Gus Gus most people fell in love with.
I can remember the day that 'Polydistortion' was released, and it seemed like a whole new bridge between experimental electronic, post-rock, dance music and indie rock was built, as well as a foundation for a wave of Icelandic electronic music to flourish. I wouldn't have to bring up the group's breakthrough debut if I didn't feel it necessary to assure any reader that this was, at one point, a truly incredible collective. At the time, Gus Gus consisted of nine people: three singers, four musicians and two responsible for visuals. The music varied from pumping dance beats to slower-paced tunes, percussion-free ballads and shining instrumental tracks, all with a subtle twist of dementia to keep the sound from ever being mundane or tired. Their songs equally utilized everything in their ability, without over-saturating the mix. In the five years since, the group has gone through lineup changes, record label changes, and is now primarily a dance band. While the band's lyrics were never something to write home about, in the past they were at least somewhat off-center and interesting to listen to. On 'Attention,' the lyrics are both painful and repeated unnecessarily. Their new female singer lacks a true identity which separates her from a generic singer in a gay discoteque. On certain songs like "David," the music is so forceful, it almost doesn't matter but on songs like the opener "Unnecessary," it's bordering on unbearable. There are some highlights, however, like the guest vocal track from former singer Daniel Ágúst on the Gareth Jones-prodced "Desire," and the slower-paced hopping beats of "Attention" would make it a perfect jam were it not for the vocals. After the first few tracks, the rest of this disc tapers off into even more generic territory and while I can't say it's not pleasant, it's simply not the Gus Gus most people fell in love with.
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15950 Hits
FS Studios/Ministry of Sound
I really can't say enough good things about Fischerspooner's superlative first album. Depending on which of the eight thousand re-releases you've gotten, the album is either called 'Fischerspooner' or '#1' or possibly 'Best Album Ever.' Whatever it's called, it is definitely ear candy—a great mix of druggy technopop, crystal-clear sonics, and dramatic adrenaline rushes of cheap, sleazy production effects. However, I'm not really sure what to say about their newest release: a "DVD single" of their standout track "Emerge". Fischerspooner is first and foremost a performance art piece, and the album was only a soundtrack to the performance. Their show is a spectacular visual assault and violent enforcement of the primacy of aesthetics. Which is why I was very excited about the prospect of a DVD release; perhaps it would contain bits of their stage performance along with a stunningly remixed Dolby 5.1 surround version of their song? No such luck. In fact, all this DVD contains is a rather useless three-minute interview piece with Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner. The interview reveals nothing at all, as the two just sort of mug for the camera and seem pretty reticent to talk about their creation. The interview is interspersed with enticing clips of their filmed performance, but no shot is held longer than two seconds. It's extremely frustrating, as they could easily have included a number from the show, and it would have been infinitetly more entertaining than the MTV-style cut-ups found here. The other two features of the disc are so useless they don't even bear mention, but I'll mention them anyway. A "video" for "Emerge" is actually just a series of stills of the performance. Each still is held on the screen for too long. Totally unremarkable. The other non-feature is the new song "Megacolon," which is a really clever Human League-style song about flatulence and diarrhea. Great song, but why am I listening to this on a DVD? There are no visuals to go along with this new track. What's the point? This pointless artifact has nothing to justify any retail price over 18 cents. Beware.
I really can't say enough good things about Fischerspooner's superlative first album. Depending on which of the eight thousand re-releases you've gotten, the album is either called 'Fischerspooner' or '#1' or possibly 'Best Album Ever.' Whatever it's called, it is definitely ear candy—a great mix of druggy technopop, crystal-clear sonics, and dramatic adrenaline rushes of cheap, sleazy production effects. However, I'm not really sure what to say about their newest release: a "DVD single" of their standout track "Emerge". Fischerspooner is first and foremost a performance art piece, and the album was only a soundtrack to the performance. Their show is a spectacular visual assault and violent enforcement of the primacy of aesthetics. Which is why I was very excited about the prospect of a DVD release; perhaps it would contain bits of their stage performance along with a stunningly remixed Dolby 5.1 surround version of their song? No such luck. In fact, all this DVD contains is a rather useless three-minute interview piece with Warren Fischer and Casey Spooner. The interview reveals nothing at all, as the two just sort of mug for the camera and seem pretty reticent to talk about their creation. The interview is interspersed with enticing clips of their filmed performance, but no shot is held longer than two seconds. It's extremely frustrating, as they could easily have included a number from the show, and it would have been infinitetly more entertaining than the MTV-style cut-ups found here. The other two features of the disc are so useless they don't even bear mention, but I'll mention them anyway. A "video" for "Emerge" is actually just a series of stills of the performance. Each still is held on the screen for too long. Totally unremarkable. The other non-feature is the new song "Megacolon," which is a really clever Human League-style song about flatulence and diarrhea. Great song, but why am I listening to this on a DVD? There are no visuals to go along with this new track. What's the point? This pointless artifact has nothing to justify any retail price over 18 cents. Beware.
samples:
4842 Hits
Idea
The first full-length (non CD-R) CD by Mirror is already in danger of becoming another rarity (like their previous limited vinyl releases) just 4 weeks after its release. [The disc is already sold out from Idea and is in stock at only a few online stores at the time of the publishing of this article.] Christoph Heemann (of H.N.A.S., C93, Mimir, and Nurse with Wound fame) and Andrew Chalk (New Blockaders, Organum, ORA) certainly know how to attract a loyal following. Recorded back in August of 2001, this 41-minute track is a deep space journey without the sci-fi gloss of Star Wars et al. Their drone journeys are more like travelling in some old and lost (maybe Russian) space ship that's unable to change its direction while the life supporting system is running low of energy. The aim of the mission may be forgotten but undefined waves of sound shake through the last remaining passengers. Shades of memories are evoked: isolation, apathy and hopelessness dictates the mood. Any conventional form of communication broke down long ago. 'Solaris' can either be a soundtrack for a late-night listening, an out of mind experience, or a calming, reassuring, post-traumatic remedy (like after your lover left you in anger). As David Sylvian has put it two decades ago, "the doubt inside my mind comes and goes but leads to nowhere".
The first full-length (non CD-R) CD by Mirror is already in danger of becoming another rarity (like their previous limited vinyl releases) just 4 weeks after its release. [The disc is already sold out from Idea and is in stock at only a few online stores at the time of the publishing of this article.] Christoph Heemann (of H.N.A.S., C93, Mimir, and Nurse with Wound fame) and Andrew Chalk (New Blockaders, Organum, ORA) certainly know how to attract a loyal following. Recorded back in August of 2001, this 41-minute track is a deep space journey without the sci-fi gloss of Star Wars et al. Their drone journeys are more like travelling in some old and lost (maybe Russian) space ship that's unable to change its direction while the life supporting system is running low of energy. The aim of the mission may be forgotten but undefined waves of sound shake through the last remaining passengers. Shades of memories are evoked: isolation, apathy and hopelessness dictates the mood. Any conventional form of communication broke down long ago. 'Solaris' can either be a soundtrack for a late-night listening, an out of mind experience, or a calming, reassuring, post-traumatic remedy (like after your lover left you in anger). As David Sylvian has put it two decades ago, "the doubt inside my mind comes and goes but leads to nowhere".
samples:
4760 Hits
While many underground hip hop heads find themselves content with backpacks stuffed with demos of verbose MCs over abstract beats and the latest Def Jux and Rawkus releases, some of the best underground rappers are overlooked for taking their cues from the grimy tales of street hustling and the kings of contemporary radio. Cormega probably couldn't care less what some white kid in an El-P visor thinks of him, because he's been through more bullshit that any of those backpackers can imagine.
5010 Hits
Ms John Soda is the duo of Stefanie Böhm (Couch) and Micha Acher (The Notwist, Tied + Tickled Trio) in a most agreeable and expansive pop environment. The diversity of the four songs on this EP (featuring Böhm's vocals on three of them) makes for an interesting yet all too brief listen, especially when there's a full length release just around the corner.
4482 Hits
