For connoisseurs of uncommon music the Lactamese 10" series fromPortland based Beta-Lactam Ring Records has been quite a treat. Thedozen records, each limited to 500 copies, come on direct metalmastered audiophile vinyl so they sound as great as they look. 'GuessThe Birds' is the 8th installment and surely one of the mostanticipated. It's of an attractive dim gray vinyl and comes with a Dadameets Dali cover, big glossy inserts, signed art postcard and labelstickers. Dada meets Dali is probably a good way to describe VTB'smusic too. Track titles will give you some idea: "Urchins At the Harp","There In the House of the Moon", "Millipede for the Little Boy", "Allthe Paint I Can Breathe". The six tracks are relatively subdued andsomewhat sluggishly unfold. Sounds include ambient shuffling about,some odd vocalizations and intercom talk, snoring, electronics andplenty of blown, bowed, plucked and struck stuff. Arabic overtones arepresent on a few songs thanks to vocal wailing, contemplative droningand percussion pastiche. Yes, it's uncommon music alright, but it's farfrom difficult listening. In fact, it's rather pleasant and alwaysinteresting. Coming soon is 'The Mountains Among Us' LP, also fromBeta-Lactam.- 

samples:

• Millipede for the Little Boy
• There in the House of the Moon
• Urchins at the Harp

Damn that title! I keep reminiscing irrelevantly about the days ofRobert Smith's big hair for some reason, and gosh darn if the firstOcsid didn't beat 'em to it anyhow! Remember that dream you're alwayshaving where you're being fucked up the ass with a candle and thenGenesis P. Orridge walks in and pulls it out and licks off the shit andbuggers you with a twenty foot ceremonial dong whilst mincing baboonsare whistling tunes in the jungle and morbid angels sing death hymns tocharred homonculi? Well this CD might just be the perfect soundtrack!And if it's not then might I recommend you seek out the blue version ofV/Vm's 'Good Things'?Released by the appropriately titled Deafborn label, this Skalpell CDpursues harsh looped noise that owes a large debt to industrialpioneers, but shifts it all up a gear with modern computer edits. Thisis immense and as cutting as the bastard spawn of a sharp surgicalinstrument should be. Facts? Who needs 'em? OK, OK, its a couple ofSwiss fellas called Harry and Henry who are just trying to symbolisethe suffering and disease of the 'mentally over-evoluted human race'(as one does). The kind of thing you can hear down local bars nearwhere I live, but maybe not where you live so maybe you'll need tosurrender to the ebola mindscrape and the raging fires of stomachcancer encoded into this small chunk of aluminium. Skalpell areavailable for frozen microbe apocalyptic nightmares, deadings and farhiss shards. I daresay it could put a swell in the leather jodhpur ofBoyd Rice! Prolonged exposure to this noise may well encourage cancercell growth. - 

samples:

• Mindscrape
• Stomach Cancer
• Turn Into Stone

Let's get this out of the way right now - the music of Gregg Gillis'salter ego "Girl Talk" is a direct descendant of the idea begun withKid606's 'Attitude' compilation - violently cut-up and processedhip-hop songs and top 40 hits, a digital blender of blatant copyrightinfringement. Now that I've made that comparison, I'm going to try andnot mention Kid606 again, and instead focus on the positive. In lessthan forty minutes, the ten tracks on this disc disembowel everythingfrom Destiny's Child to the New Kids on the Block to Cyndi Lauper tothe Price Is Right theme, and the result is admittedly, pretty damnfunny - for instance, splicing Joan Osborne together with some hip hoptrack that I'm not hip enough to recognize, to create "What if God was/ One that don't give a fuck?" or "All the prophets / Gave me headbehind the wheel" and other adolescently clever reconstructions. Gillisis at his best when he lets the humor overrule the desire to simplymake noise, and he's got that humor in spades. Since most of the tracksare rooted in overprocessed sound, listening to the entire disc can geta littile grating, and at the worst, a little boring; one of thereasons 'Attitude' was so damn good was because it had a strong theme(N.W.A worship/destruction), the 14 artists each had a differentapproach, and, most importantly, it was short and sweet. (Technically,I'm not mentioning Kid606 here...oops i just did). But even if the discis a little long, Gillis mans his laptop (or whatever) fairly well, andthere are a few really worthwhile moments - like "Jumpin[g]," a3-minute "de-mix" of Destiny's Child that (I'm really sorry) echoesKid606's "Straight Outta Compton." And the first track, "Let's StartThis Party Right," is pretty hilarious in it's opening sample (which Iwon't give away, but check out the clip below). - 

samples:

• Jumpin'
• Let's Start This
• What if

For their third release, this Montreal-based quartet continue to boldlytry and walk the seldom-attempted line between improvisational noiseand instrumental jam band antics. There's a good reason why this lineis seldom attempted. Their noise skills aren't quite up to anything ofinteresting note yet while the backing the bassist and drummer providerarely, if ever, stray from the monotonous one-bar melodies repeated adnauseam. It's almost as if I'm listening to a high school band beforethey split in half, with the rhythm section forming a funk outfit andthe guitarists heading off to art school. Maybe I'm being a bit harshhere, and in fact I wouldn't run screaming from the ice cream shoppe ifit was playing on their speakers, but there is a strong need for adominant focal point: a lead instrument. Even a rhythmic vocalist orfeverent trumpet could move this album from the "interesting" categoryto actually being enjoyable. More than that, the melodies really need abit of a forward motion so it doesn't feel like I'm in a running carwhose tires are spinning in place. They're onto something, however. Thedrones, found sounds and tape recordings build decent atmospherics butpost-production audio editing and digital manipulations aren't verycompelling. The energy levels are high but too much repetition resignsthis album to being sonic wallpaper for a mindless aerobicise sessionor fixing dinner in a hurry to. Chop chop, click click glitch, gottarun! - 

samples:

• Rompere l'Indifference de l'Inexitable Avant Que l'On Vienne Rompere le Sommeil de l'Inanime
• Partially Sabotaged Distraction
• Erreur; Errance; Interdits de par Leurs Nouvelles Possibilites

Denali reportedly formed after the decision of singer Maura Davis notto pursue an education in opera. She had some songs she'd been workingon, it seems, and she came to her brother, bass player Keeley Davis, tohelp her flesh them out. And flesh them out he did; and with drummerJohnathan Fuller and guitar player Cam Dinunzio, the foursome becameDenali, a name derived from the Athapascan word for Mt. McKinley, notthe GMC truck. The band has so enamored audiences and musicians alike,and for their debut they were joined by Alan Weatherhead on theengineering side, and Mark Linkous on producing two tracks (both fromSparklehorse). The results are worthy of praise for a debut record.Opera's loss is rock's gain, as Maura Davis' vocals are empassioned,soaring, like an indie rock Bjork, while she pains away on Rhodes pianoor guitar. The band certainly knows how to use samples well, as theeeriest qualities on the album are created around them ('Relief' and'Function'). It's where the band rocks out that the sound truly comestogether. On 'Gunner,' Maura's voice takes on a near Jeff Buckleyquality, as the band produces soaring, glorious music below her. It isthe apex of the release, and it is her voice that drives these songs,but the band is not to be discounted. The elder Davis adds capablebacking vocals on most tracks, too, and his bass combined with Fuller'sdrums make for a rousing, driving rhythm section. There isn't a badtrack here, and not one below the three-and-a-half minute mark. Davis'lyrics prove just as haunting as her voice: on 'Function' she wails'Something strange is coming'; and on 'Gunner' she's going to 'get youbefore you get me.' It's horrbily affecting music, and with Denali on awest coast tour in June, I look forward to seeing how it translateslive. I'll have to settle for the CD until then, and I suggest you do,too. - 

samples:

• You File
• Prozac
• Relief

The title translates as 'The Edge of Noise' which is very appropriateas this New Zealand based electroacoustic composer takes the everydaysounds of swings, rainfall and breath through magnified journeys andthorough transformations. The inherent noise in all these sounds ishoned and clarified to its limit and then stretched and pulled into newelastic shapes, but there's always a compositional rigour and exactnessthat keeps this far from chaotic onslaught."Pythagoras's Curtain" starts with what sounds like chalk on ablackboard colliding with door knocks. Lots of creaking, low squeakingand rustling follow, panning from speaker to speaker. The sounds aredeployed with precision and meticulous attention to stereo picturedetail. Sudden drones burst out and rupture against nature. The titlerefers to the way in which Pythagoras would lecture from behind acurtain and draws a parallel to the way in which acousmatic musicrequires deep attentive listening divorced from other senses. Similarbrutal yet focused transformations occur in the other pieces. "Inner"takes sharp intakes of breath and overly dramatic exhalations on anasthmatic nightmare trip which opens up gaping windswept canyons fromthe human lung before collapsing it into wheezing asphyxia andabstracted whirling vortices. There's a very claustophobic feel to muchof this breathscape. "Virtual" takes recordings of wind through asimilar if predictably more violent ride, but the feeling here is ofopen vastness. The squeaking swing that "Time, Motion and Memory"hinges on instantly recalls Pierre Henry's 'Variations Pour Une Porteet Un Soupir' but takes on forms far beyond the capacity of old tapesplicing, as Young reimagines the swing as a giant pendulum cuttingback and forth through other environmental sounds. There's a thick fogof nostalgic childhood memory gathering for the most moving andhaunting track here. It's soon washed away by the rain falling from the"Liquid Sky," in crisp drenched drain swilling eddies. This is perhapsthe most varied and violent track by default as the different surfacesthat rain hits flood wide sonic spectra. Through academic studioalchemy enabled by Empreintes Digitales, John Young makes explicit thedrama and strangeness of everyday sounds, and draws deep shadows in thespaces between them. - 

samples:

• Inner
• Time, Motion and Memory

To start off on a blunt foot, this album was probably not worth the $30I paid for it. My expectations were high - Alio Die, whom I regard asan ambient guru, a new sublabel of Amplexus ("Weird" Amplexus ...clever, huh?), "special packaging" (which ended up being a foldoutcover with three inserts), etc. etc. So I was hyped up. I eagerlysnatched it up at an exorbitant limited-double-vinyl-import-price fromSoleilmoon, and though it's certainly a competent album, it's probablynot what I expected-slash-hoped for. This is a very repetitive album -all the songs are based upon more or less the same formula:infinitesimally quiet-but-slowly-loudening drones accompanied byoccasional light percussions or drifting melodies and samples. Thisisn't necessarily a bad thing... but I ached for something somewhatdifferent. Despite the repetition, it's all pulled off quite well - thealbum is very soothing and meditative and some of those drones resonatebeautifully. But the album leaves me wanting more... especially for$30. It ends in precisely the same way it began. If you're a realhardcore fan of this stuff, you might want to grab it, but if you needa little variation in your ambience, be wary. - 

samples:

• 3
• 6
• 10

The increase in one-man bands in recent years is staggering, and notjust because the advent of technology makes it possible. It's alsostaggering because so many of them are so good. David Bazan tried Pedrothe Lion as a full band, but eventually opted to do it all himself. On"Control," Pedro the Lion's third full-length, Bazan is joined by CaseyFoubert, and the songs are more powerful and raw than anything the bandhas recorded yet. Bazan's lyrics continue to improve, and on "Control"he examines the affect of modern life on human relationships indifferent scenarios. It's been opined in various publications (and onthe Jade Tree Bulletin Board - Pedro the Lion's label) that these songsgreatly reflect Bazan's Christianity, and that such beliefs should notbe present in music of the indie punk genre. They couldn't be morewrong. True, the opening lyrics of the album describe a person whocannot divorce their mate, but that doesn't necessarily have to be theprofession of Christian beliefs. This album is all about the failure ofmodern culture, and how that failure affects our dealings with others.Corporate structure is taken to task on the back-to-back power hit of'Penetration' and 'Indian Summer' - "If you aren't moving units thenyou're not worth the expense' and 'If it isn't penetration, then itisn't worth the kiss' on the former, with talk of kids being taughtearly to love the taste of 'corporate cum' on the latter. The seeminglychemical breakdown of the family unit is examined on more than onetrack, but the most frightening is 'Rehearsal,' where the narratorchooses to make his lover pay for her motel meetings with anotherrather than break it off with her ("You are so unoriginal/You'll seethat I can be so unoriginal just like you"). It's a big step for Pedrothe Lion, one that will hopefully remove the stigma associated withthem and increase their audience. - 

samples:

• Penetration
• Indian Summer
• Rehearsal

I may as well admit this before I go on: Miss America is one of my favorite records of all time. I remember I saw her perform as part of Nick Cave's Meltdown two years ago. I got so excited when she came onstage that I shouted "Mary - I miss you!!". She replied "Well, I don't miss you...I see you every day." That probably tells us a little of the expectation she has felt in the intervening 15 years since Miss America, and why she has chosen to put this out as a soundtrack rather then a 'proper' album.

Word to the wise: do notlisten to this, Spokane's fourth release, if you are already depressed.It will make it worse. Seriously. It's a fine record, with gorgeouslysimple guitar work, minimalist drumming, and sinewy strings featuringtwo members of the string section of Papa M. But it is not acheery record in any means. "Able Bodies" seems to want to convey thestrain of the average man - the worker who slaves all day long for notmuch pay, and goes home at the end of the day to a meager existence ina substandard housing project. It is a haunting work, capable ofraising chills in many areas as well as burying you in its beauty. Thevocal harmonies and staccato strings on 'Quiet Normal Life' lead youdown a deceptive path, making you think the whole track will be airy,cold. Shortly after their appearance, though, the track gets morespirited, more uplifting, and the drums and strings spring forward withan almost wanton pace. It's not a shocking twist, but it is a welcomeone. And there's a similar break in the languid pace on the fifthtrack, 'In Houses,' which moves along at an even pace. But besidesthat, it's a very mellow affair. Not that it's a surprise for Spokanereleases to be this maudlin. The only departure here is the spookynature of the majority of these songs. But the addition of the strongsection does give an added punch to these proceedings, allowing KarlRunge to concentrate on violin, while Ben Swanson relieves RickAlverson and Courtney Bowles, of vibraphone duties. Spokane's mostmoving work, while also their most chilling, "Able Bodies" is a welcomeaddition to their already rich catalog, considering it's also theirfourth release in two years. - 

samples:

• New Days Close
• Quiet Normal Life
• In Houses

It'd be easy to dismiss up-and-cummer DJ /Rupture as a product of theTigerbeat6/Kid606/Ambush/DJScud/distortion/glitch/people-who-sample-Missy-Elliot hype scene. It'dbe easy to say that he begins his CD with 'Get Ur Freak On,' goesthrough a Kid606 and Venetian Snares track followed by Cannibal Oxfollowed by Rude Ass Tinker's (Mike Paradinas's) reconstruction of 'UCan't Touch This' and say: yeah, he's just another one of the gang. Orsay he's brilliant for subversively using popular hip hop in anunderground-electronica mix CD. But the truth is a lot more complicatedand interesting than that. The first glimpses of that truth can be hadby looking at the complete tracklist on this, /Rupture's debut mixdisc: a gamut of sounds which include the obligatorydouble-aforementioned Missy Elliot track, Nettle (Spanish breakcore on/Rupture's own label), musique concrete and contemporary classical,lots of ragga and rap (which I love in small doses, as it appears onthis mix), the also-obligatory once-aforementioned reconstruction of an80s/90s mainstream hit (Rude Ass Tinker), as well as large doses oftraditional Indian and African samples and musics. And the whole thingends with Muslimgauze-cum-Paul Simon-feat. Ladysmith-Black-Mambazo. Soas much as anyone would like to, it's difficult to pigeonhole DJ/Rupture. That's not to say this mix doesn't have its weak moments -part A doesn't flow as smoothly as part B and the several-seconddropout during Dead Prez's "Cop Shot" (which may or may not beintentional, it sounds rather like a mistake to my ears) is disruptiveand annoying. Alas, these are but minor quibbles which don't tarnish anotherwise excellent and diverse journey through DJ /Rupture's musicaloeuvre. (If you download/buy this mix and like it, be sure to watch outfor his next mix, 'Minesweeper Suite,' on *grin* - wait for it -Tigerbeat6...) - 

samples:

• complete mix may be downloaded/purchased at http://negrophonic.com/goldteeththief.htm

Manuela Krause is a Berlin-based club DJ and vocalist forCopenenhagen's electro/jazz group Electrazz. Here she teams up withStefan Betke, aka Pole, for this seriously thick 7" from MonikaEnterprise. The A-Side is a cover of Alexandra's 1968 cult hit "MeinFreund Der Baum" (My Friend The Tree), a tune I'm sure Germans areinfinitely more familiar with than I am. It's a pretty pop poempresented here by Krause's husky yet feminine vocal and Pole'selegantly refined production. Betke does a wonderful job of recreatingthe song with bass pulses and hi-hat, tastefully accentuated by dubmelodica and effects. He really should consider a parallel career pathin electro-pop. The "Balalaika" dub on the B-Side delves deeper andadds a bit of piano but isn't nearly as satisfying minus the vocal. Alovely little record well worth the five bucks.

samples:

• Balalaika
• Mein Freund der Baum

Danish musician Jonas Munk is 1/4 of the group Limp, and this, hisdebut full-length release from Morr, would please anybody captivated byLimp's recently released debut EP, 'Orion'. Much like 'Orion', 'Ascend'features a number of lush soundscapes and swirling, spaced-out,sometimes slightly out-of-tune keyboard-driven melodies with theoccasional sprinkling of a sparse acoustic guitar riff. Unlike the Limpstuff, however, all the beats contained herein are electronicallygenerated, often hacked up, but never straying terribly far off-course.The cover art may suggest a more earthly focus but Munk is definitelylying on his back, looking up to the sky, tinkering diligently in hisbasement for hours after the nighttime hurrah, before the crack ofdawn, while the sound of crickets fucking fills the outside air. Headout onto the lawn for a breath of fresh air, lie on the grass and lookup, doze off and you're awoken by the repetitive pitters of theneighbor's sprinkler only moments before the sun rises. Get some sleep,you've got work in a few hours. Time to listen to the fruits of theovernight sessions on the subway ride in. Have a sip of morningcoffee,... very nice.

samples:

• Astoria
• Cassy
• A.M.

Although the latest album from Alex Gimeno came to me highlyrecommended, its tacky, garishly-colored cover artwork almost preventedme from buying it. However, my appreciation of silliness prevailed, andfortunately, I was not disappointed. 'Kinda' Kinky' samples everythingfrom Bollywood to Bond films, and revels in all things funky, groovyand sexy, while throwing some of Gimeno's own break beats into the mix.Ursula 1000 certainly doesn't do anything that Towa Tei or Dimitri fromParis hasn't done in the past, but the passion for music that the manbehind it is evident. Although none of the tracks stand out stronglyfrom the rest on their own, 'Kinda' Kinky' is extremely listenable, andeffective as a whole. This album is just the kick in the pants that theretro cut-and-paste DJ school of music desperately needs. It's anincreasingly rare formula of being dance-inducing without lapsing intokitsch or mindlessness. What's more, it's just plain fun.

samples:

• The Kindu That You Do
• Continental Break Fest
• Riviera Rendezvous

Synesthesia serves as a companion to Chemical Playschool Volumes 11, 12 and 13, with eightindexed tracks, 57 minutes total, and 28 minutes worth of Premonitionssmack dab in the middle. Niels and Martijn are credited with horns,guitars and violin but there's certainly an absence of evidence toprove it. Like Ka-Spel and The Silverman's solo efforts, the dominatingsound is electronic via synths, samples and programmed drums and themajority of the album is instrumental sound pieces. 'Shining Path' and'The More It Stays the Same' are the two lyrical songs, delightful onesat that, but even they dissolve into audio experimentation. ThePremonitions are, as always, fantastic escapes. Numbers 26 and 28 rangefrom the faintest stirrings of mist and found sound to angry resonanceand rhythmic clickety-clack. The closer, 'Kalos Melas', features thecutest marching melody you'll likely hear this year. To my ears"Synesthesia" sounds very polished, much more so than the CP set,possibly negating the theory that these were the outtakes. It's justfurther proof, as though more were even needed, of two things: the Dotsare both song crafters and sonic sculptors and they're as creativelysound as ever.

samples:

• Kalos Melas
• Premonition 28
• Shining Path

Orchestra leader J. Swinscoe and bassist P.J. France penned thisbeautiful, heavy hearted ballad/title track, featuring the legendaryAmerican jazz/gospel vocalist Fontella Bass ("Rescue Me") and dedicatedit to her late husband, Lester Bowie (Art Ensemble of Chicago). Theswirling harp, lush string samples, thick bass lines and percussion arein keeping with the Orchestra's direction of cinema for the ear, with asublime vocal performance from Ms. Bass. The track appears on the ep ina video edit version, album version, and two IDM remixes which are verycool. Also included is the Quicktime video, which shows the bandperforming in an empty supper club style venue with Ms. Bass seated ata table. Very noteworthy is that Swinscoe has expanded the band into afull rhythm section, thus presenting live piano, bass and drum grooves,but still maintaining samples and turntables to continue pushing theboundaries of modern music in relation to jazz. The disc also includesa live version of "Kalima" (from 1999's "Motion") which captures thefull band in action before a London audience. With this ep and the bandwebsite showcasing a new track each day for the last week, the muchanticipated full length "Everyday" is bound to please.

samples:

• All That You Give (feat. Fontella Bass) - album version
• Kalima (live)
• All That You Give (feat. Fontella Bass) - radio/video edit

In the dichotomy of silly versus serious that has emerged recently inelectronic music, a few artists have managed to strike a happy medium.DAT Politics is no doubt one of the most talented of these. Adding adose of subtle, cartoonish humor to their laptop-based antics issomething at which the French quartet has become particularly adept.Their goofy, but never sloppy approach is best heard in tracks like"Re-Folk", "Allo! Pepperberg", and "Nitpickers". So it strikes me asodd that on their new album (on Chicks on Speed's label, no less), theband feels the need to recruit the assistance of Blechtum fromBlechdom, Kid 606 and Matmos. The (mostly vocal) "guest appearances"these artists make on 'Plugs Plus' only makes what is otherwise ahighly entertaining and polished record, seem overcrowded. No doubttheir contributions will likely please fans of Matmos and theTigerbeat6 camp, but DAT Politics were perfectly good without whatseems a gratuitous and unnecessary push into the spotlight.

samples:

• Re-Folk
• Allo! Pepperberg
• Nitpickers

So, Paul Westerberg releases his first new album in 3 years—on indie Vagrant Records where he knows very few of his labelmates—and embarks on a small in-store tour to support it. Unfortunately, at the San Francisco show, a malicious heckler decided to spoil the fun by making loud comments throughout the set and throwing jibes at the stage whenever he could. Those who were in the audience grew increasingly impatient, and Westerberg eventually lost it, reportedly entering the crowd, grabbing the heckler, and smacking him across the mouth to teach him a lesson.

When a band loses a member or two, and the band decides to soldier onwithout them, sometimes the results can be catastrophic. There alwaysseems to be something missing, even in the smallest way, that affectsthe soundscape. In the case of Kilowatthours, who craft pop songwonders of the expansive variety, paring down the members hasn't costthem anything in the sound department. In fact, it's improved it. "TheBright Side" is Kilowatthours' second full-length, after 2000's "Strainof Positive Thinking," which the band recorded at Trevor Kampmann's(hollAnd) studio in Washington, DC. And compared to their earlier work,"Side" is just as sure, sparser than before, but wholly a step in theright direction. Vocals are more of a center piece, not blended asmuch, and there isn't an overwhelming urge for the band to loudenthings up like there seemed to be in the past. Kilowatthours still showthe propensity for "rocking out," though, as they do on several placeson the album, most notably "Last Thursday" and "Almost Airtight." Therealso seemed to be more effects on this record, which is a worthwhileaddition, and makes for some interesting backing noise. And, as always,the use of varying types of electric piano is a fantastic base forthese songs. This is just straightforward, catchy, hooky, with the headslightly cocked to the side pop. The addition of a few guests (formerband member Ryan Compton and Sonna's Jeremy deVine) creates some trulypretty moments ("The Only Good Thing About Pollution," "A How-toBook"), and the longer numbers don't disappoint, as they often can withthis genre. A great release, and a great continuation of their sound.Try it on.

samples:

• A How-to Book
• Last Thursday
• Almost Airtight

A long awaited reissue attempt of Frieder Butzmann's first album from1981 is now due for release in May. Sadly, however, it's taking theform of a vinyl edition, limited to 333 copies only, whichmathematically would make it rarer than the original issue. Butzmann, aself proclaimed "spokesman of the people," more specifically of theBerlin underground, published his debut album after the famous"Waschsalon" 7" (not included here) at a time when electronic music wastaking over punk, dada and new wave replacing teenage angst. While DerPlan made fun of Düsseldorf and DAF cultivated their homoerotic machomilitary style from their London exile, Butzmann's work threw longerand more disturbing shades out of the Berlin behind the wall—not unlikeDie tödliche Doris or Minus Delta T.
Caring less for technical finesse, a raw and sometimes disturbing quality emerges here. Whilea dadaistic influence shines through in the semi-naive use ofelectronics, piano, vocals and undefined sound sources, the basic ideais always more important then the perfect realization. This approachmight explain the then-surprising guest appeareance by ex-TG memberGenesis P. Orridge in the closing track "Just Drifting / Tales OfDeath". At least this one made it recently to CD on the self-titled'90% Wasser' label compilation issued late autumn last year—a good buyon it's own actually with a wide selection of current electronica,spoken words etc.
The diversity on 'Vertrauensmann des Volkes,' is comprised mostly ofshort songs until the album reaches its dominating 9 minute piece,"Zivilisation." It's an uncomfortable amount of pressure built-up whileButzmann stands up against moral weakness and mental decay due tocomfort and ignorance. Butzmann's lyrics are well crafted and used inunconventional ways to reach intense results. "Competition and sadism /that is the German mechanism" ("Sadismus und Konkurrenz") sung withAngelika Maisch sounds like an old French tune of the golden twentiesamidts odd sounds, while the opening track "Gefluester" deals withcommunication and the passing of digital signs and numbers.The whole album should be treasured as a cornerstone of the Germanexperimental and electronic scene. I hope it will get a CD reissue(along with the preceeding single) to be enjoyed not only bycollectors.

samples:

• Gefluester
• Sadisms und Konkurrenz
• Zivilisation