Solo release from godspeed you! black emperor/ Silver Mount Zion member/leader. Judging by the tracks I've sampled so far on youtube, well worth a listen.
Hey, that Plays High Gospel thing is something I'll have to look into later this week. A couple months ago, something of his hit emu, and I remember putting it on a list with a plan to hear more and maybe invite him for an AAJ dotd feature date. I remember I couldn't find any contact info, nor any place to hear more music, so I was like, fuck it.
Didn't know about the godspeed connection, though I'm not much of a fan of theirs, so whatever.
But I remember really liking what I heard of High Gospel and being disappointed I couldn't find more. Nice that more stuff is popping up.
The young ensemble updates some of the composers most controversial pieces, exhibiting both fidelity and individuality in concert performances that teem with energy and commitment.
The five pieces on offer are taken from From the Seven Days, penned by Stockhausen just after a domestic crisis. There is not a note of music in the 12 scores; these may be considered prescriptive texts, but even that label does not speak to the poetic and spiritual elements in the verbal compositions.
$4.95 at Amazon. Emusic buyers BEWARE: if you click the "download album" button it's $6.49, but if you get the tracks individually they come to $2.45 (there is no indication that any are album-only but who knows on the new site.)
"Now Again Records is proud to present Grimm Reality, the third album from our favorite Swiss electronic musician. Dimlite incorporates the techniques and artistic attitude of two of his alter-egos (Misel Quitno, a fanatic in low-fidelity electro-acoustic composition; the Slapped Eyeballers, a two-headed, world-rock-folk combo) to color a progressive sonic vision.
Titling his third album Grimm Reality might seem to point to a new autobiographical streak in this Swiss musician, but that would be too simple. Its up to the listener to piece together a version of Grimms reality from mere hints: the wistful romance of XY, the tension and release of New, Better Pain and soon through every perfectly poised moment on this record. Likewise, looking for the remains of a hip-hop influence, or a connection to whats happening on modern-day dance floors, wont yield much here. The precedents that spring to mind are all cherished outsiders Neu, The Residents, Beefheart, Philip Glass footnotes in mainstream music history but, in an altogether preferable parallel universe, titans of the recent past.
This isnt the patchwork of a tasteful record collector though Dimlite eschews samples entirely, imbuing his music with the spirit of his heroes but never once grabbing for their sound. In so doing, he creates music that is highly singular and despite its relatively ancient influences altogether new."
- Now Again Records.
A few years back these guys were one of the better post-EITS post-rock outfits, with a couple of really nice albums. Then they apparently disbanded (unless I am confusing them with someone else) and there was nothing more forthcoming. Suddenly there's a new album. Haven't heard it yet but will be checking it out. Only $3.43 over at the train wreck.
"The core of the band is Berne's '90s quartet Bloodcount: Berne on alto and baritone saxophones, double-bassist Michael Formanek, drummer Jim Black and reed man Chris Speed on clarinet. The rest of the rich ensemble is made up of veteran trumpeter Baikida Carroll and a complement of strings: violinist Dominique Pifar
A few cool releases for the folk-minded:
Lady Maisery
Lady Maisery is an exciting new vocal trio from Hannah James (Kerfuffle, The Demon Barbers), Hazel Askew (The Askew Sisters) and Rowan Rheingans (Fidola). Inspired by folk singing traditions of the UK and northern Europe, Lady Maisery sing songs and ballads both unaccompanied, and with backing from their combined instrumental talents on accordion, harp and fiddle. They are one of the first groups to revive the tradition of diddling or singing tunes, which has nearly died out in the UK, but is still prevalent in Scandinavia and other parts of Europe. Be prepared to be enchanted by rich harmonies and sumptuous clashes as Lady Maisery emerge as one of the most original groups to arise in the UK folk scene this year!
Gorgeous harmonies!
$6.49 at eMusic
14 credits at mTraks
Pilgrims' Way
Nominated for the Horizon Award (Best Newcomers) in the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. Pilgrims Way, an arresting new young trio, are stamping their feisty, refreshing take on trad folk firmly on the roots scene. The innovative acoustic hail from the northwest of England are bound together not only by musical roots - but also red hair! The line-up comprises the distinctive, captivating vocals of a new face on the scene, Lucy Wright, who is also a fine Jews harp player. Lucy has joined forces with fiddler Tom Kitching, a former BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Awards finalist. Probably best known as one half of a duo with singer-songwriter/guitarist Gren Bartley, Tom has been described by Living Tradition magazine as one of the best young fiddlers in Britain and also plays a mean mandolin. The third pilgrim is inventive box player Edwin Beasant -an incorrigible and talented multi-instrumentalist, who also plays guitar and bass and had a stint as drummer. Focusing on gimmick free folk and drawing inspiration from some of the most influential bands of the 60s and 70s revival, the resulting sound is edgier than the folk on the village green but firmly rooted in the traditions of England and its cross-currents with Ireland and America.This is their debut album.
$6.49 at eMusic
11 credits at mTraks
The Once
The Once have written a beautiful album, but don't be fooled: it has Newfoundland blood flowing through its veins. Highlights on Row upon Row of the People They Know include a beautiful, pared down banjo cover of Queen's "You're My Best Friend," the incessant, driving "My Husband's Got No Courage" and the especially pretty "Valley of Kilbride."
Thanks for the reminder about Pigrims' Way BT. I heard them on a radio folk programme a few months ago, but their album wasn't on emusic UK then. I'd intended checking them later, but of course I didn't. Glad to say it is now available. I'll also follow up the other two.
"There is no other instrument which experienced such a glorious renaissance over the last couple of years like the piano. Heavily tempered with or as pure as possible: the piano has re-established itself as a driving force in innovative music. Ever since the release of their first album in 2004, Swod have been among the most respected acts in this genre which many falsely label neo classical. With Drei, Swod take their unique sound to a new level. Sans Peau for instance, a piece of gold for every DJ with an open mind, perfectly sets the stage for the new album. With heavy 808 toms, the right amount of noise and distortion and one of the most catchy hooklines of all times, the track is a perfect example of how the two Berlin-based musicians have finetuned, taken apart and reassembled both their style of composing and cutting-edge production. Fear not, though, Drei is a carefully crafted evolution of the well-established Swod sound. Its all there, and more. The melancholy of the piano, found sounds, delicate bass and guitar, the always present samples of a woman we all love and worship. For the first time, however, Drei showcases inspirations and influences more prominently which had been present in the bands earlier work, but which had been somewhat carefully buried. A deep love for the minimalists, which gives tracks like Hellerau or I Am Here an almost mechanical, sequenced feel, opening up Swods body of work to a whole new audience."
- http://www.swod-music.de/swod/release.html.
- 15 minutes promo @ Soundcloud
"Swod is the recording project of Oliver Doerell and Stephan Wöhrmann, two musicians who met in Berlin sometime in 1991. Oliver plays guitar, bass and all manner of electronics - he is also a long-time family member of CCO having recorded two album and an EP under the "Dictaphone" moniker in between composing and performing musical pieces for theatre, installations and film over the last few years. Stephan plays piano and drums, arranging an almost neo-classical structure within a recording that already sounds ghostly and cinematic."
- City Centre Offices.
Probably not worth asking them about album pricing right now - anything over there that's not about whether downloads work will be ignored for the next month. I'll note it for later.
Not sure how to classify this... experimental pop/soundtrack maybe. But it sounds a lot of fun from the preview; there's an album preview here from experimedia. First release on the new Mille Plateaux Organic label.
Do you know the feeling when a tune sounds totally familiar to you, even though you have never heard it before? It happened to Mille Plateaux Organic when they first heard the Habit Forming demo snippets -- betting their little fingers it must have been sampled from some '60s/'70s B-movie soundtracks that Quentin Tarantino for some reason did not happen to exploit yet. So, they really couldn't believe it when the artist, Ross McLean, told them these were his genuine recordings, and Mille Plateaux Organic instantly knew they had found something very special. Over a period of more than 2 years, he not only composed and produced the entire album all by himself, he also played almost all of the instruments: bass, guitar, drums, piano, keyboards, accordion, flutes, glockenspiel, percussion and backing vocals. Habit Forming instantly gets you with its mysterious, charming and warm atmosphere. The catchy melodies are rather breathed than sung by Fifi Dewey, wordless and in unison with the instruments, which sometimes creates an exotic feel. The extremely rich orchestration makes you discover more little details every time, and recording the instruments with a lot of "room" or "air" makes the sound even more lively and organic.
"With Vantaa, Raster-Noton releases for the first time an album by Vladislav Delay aka Sasu Ripatti. Vantaa will be the beginning of a long lasting collaboration, which will extend and deepen the spectrum of the label, whereas it falls in line with releases of, for example, William Bassinsky, Robert Lippok, or Mitchell Akiyama.
Even though complex electronic manipulations are used, Vantaa wants to sound like a piece of nature, resulting in a mixture of techno/dub and organic textures. The tracks oscillate between a decadent, greyish, post-industrial sound cloud and the intimate atmosphere of a vast and desolate Finnish landscape. Ripatti plays with tiny rhythmic bricks that drift and collapse, but nevertheless create spaces that radiate calmness and tranquility. Being an experienced producer, he uses his know-how to layer compact sound fabrics in unusual ways. In this case, these elements arouse associations with gushing water, crackling wood, or growing grass. The tracks on Vantaa merge into each other and their density escalates with Lauma into an energetic climax, which is all at once the ecstatic, shamanic and truly moving peak of the album.
Vantaas style is sensitive and intelligent, but nevertheless subtly stirring and rich in detail. While listening to it, it is possible to completely dive into its matter and detect something new in nearly every bar, or simply let it have an effect as a particular but unobtrusive sideline. With this typical Vladislav Delay aesthetic, Ripatti has acquired an unique and distinctive style that Vantaa, his 10th Vladislav Delay album, deservingly celebrates."
- Raster Noton - http://www.vladislavdelay.com/
"Ship Chop is a celebratory cut-up of far-flung musics. Edited, collaged and re-arranged by Daniel Padden from original vinyl sources to create impossible collaborations between musical ghosts.
It is both reverential and sacrilegious, giving the music its full praise whilst also subjecting it to playful subversion. Some of the editing is obvious and transparent, but some of it much less so, where sounds from different recordings and continents overlap into an unlikely whole.
"Having had the pleasure of introducing numerous people to the music of Hauschka (Volker Bertelmann), I always find it interesting to hear those unfamiliar with his work guess at what, who or how many people might be responsible for making the sounds on his records. It is no less interesting to see peoples reactions when I reveal that, for the most part, the multitude of tones and timbres that make up Hauschka's compositions are in fact created exclusively by one man and one instrument.
The breadth of sounds that now make up Hauschka's palette are the result of years of experimentation with different piano preparations. Of particular note is his uncanny ability to conjure sounds from the piano most often associated with electronic instruments such as drum machines and samplers.
Anyone who's been following Volker's output of late will know that he's been creating some incredible compositions inspired by house and techno music. The first side of this new record is taken up entirely by one such composition.
'So Close' is a thirteen minute long piece of deep, earthy music. Perhaps never before has Hauschka's interest in electronic dance music been more plainly heard. The piece moves with a great sense of purpose; from scattered notes and the clatter of makeshift percussion there emerges a steady rhythm - a note in the lower register becomes a bass drum, its staccato bass pluck sounding four on four. Further up the register, sharps and flats become hi-hats and shakers.
The beat builds and breaks several times throughout the piece, vanishing altogether only to re-emerge with its syncopation subtly shifted. The final break-down of the last few minutes is the longest of all, a gentle piano refrain plays out the piece while the percussive elements sigh, rattle and whirr until their last breaths.
The two pieces on side 'B' of 'Youyoume' serve as a gentle reminder of just how versatile a producer Volker Bertelmann is. Gone are the unrelenting rhythms of side 'A' and in their place, thoughtful, cascading melodies which hark back to some of Hauschka's earliest output. 'So Far' is a solo piano piece for unprepared piano, while 'Paige and Jane', the final track, features prepared piano and cello.
In all, 'Youyoume' is a unique record in Hauschka's discography bringing together some of the styles and ideas which have come to define his unmistakable sound."
- Huw Roberts / Serein.
For Americana fans who like Joe Pug, he's released a new live album today. It's available for download on his website for $5. (You can also hear the entire album there.) Sounds pretty good to me.
"Subtle soundscapes and minimal meanderings (thats adequate alliteration) from UK-based artist Autistici. Autistici creates audio narratives aimed at exploring the interchange between sound and space. Space in this context also includes the subjective space held within the listener. In this realm reflection and fantasy recontextualise the sound according to the listeners inner psyche which sounds very highbrow. Autisticis latest work incorporates a wide range of sources, including textural sound design, orchestration, silence and fragments of found sound or field recordings. The tracks on this album seem to focus on representing details from both the natural and man made world. On this LP it seems like any sonic detail has the potential to become incorporated into the compositions. I guess this fascination with the interplay between the inner and outer world embodies Autisticis sound, which is by all accounts a varied, sometimes frosty sounding collection of sonic compositions top stuff."
- Norman Records. http://www.autistici.com/amplified-presence.htm - Track 6 @ Soundcloud
Eight Equidistant Pure Wave Oscillators, While Slipping Very Slowly to a Unison, Textually Spatialised on Eight Speakers
"Reinhold Friedls Eight Equidistant pure wave oscillators, while slipping very slowly to a unison, textually spatialised on eight speakers, concret, 60 minutes is an algorhithmic composition that speaks to his unique compositional vision.
A deeply affecting psycho-acoustic work, Eight Equidistant pure wave oscillators... draws the listener into a gently lilting sound world in which pure tones work for and against one another, creating a swelling cascade of intonation. At its core is a carefully crafted and astutely executed exploration into the possibilities of spatial sound. The guided movement of the signals across the speaker arrays, generating a very specific set of acoustic outcomes.
Like much of Friedls work Eight Equidistant pure wave oscillators... taps into his interests and research into the connections between mathematics and music. The tension and release of the glissandi tones is a representation of this.
This is a provocative work that not only prioritises the act of listening, it also invites the listener to consider their position to the work and how psycho-acoustics can shape the listening experience. Eight Equidistant pure wave oscillators... is an utterly sonic experience crafted by one of the great contemporary European composers."
- Room40.
Are there some Minnesota people here? I'm going to be featuring a new release from The Neighborhood Trio in my Tuesday new releases article. Also, later, see if they want to participate in the AAJ dotd.
Andrew Foreman is the bass player in the trio. It's killing me trying to recall why his name is so familiar. I kinda think he might be an infrequent member of the AAJ forums, but I'm not seeing anything.
Oh, the Neighborhood Trio is vibes, banjo, and bass.
From a tweet from Peter Van Cooten, full advance album stream here at soundcloud for a forthcoming release by Oliveray, which is Nils Frahm and Peter Broderick...sounds very nice indeed. Due out Dec 9. Good thing I have some monies in an account.
"The work is somewhat reminiscent of Steve Reich's 'phase shifting' compositions, yet it is quite different in form.
As Bang on a Can co-founder Michael Gordon says: "I wanted to clear my mind of pitches and orchestration. For that reason, I decided early on that Timber would be for non-tuned percussion and that each percussionist would play one instrument only. I imagined that the six instruments would go from high to low, and that, through a shifting of dynamics from one instrument to the next, the group could make seamless and unified ascending and descending patterns."
Slagwerk Den Haag, the percussion ensemble that commisioned this work, does a remarkably disciplined job in this work - that is obviously a LOT more difficult to play than it is to listen to."
- More @ Ambientblog.net and Cantaloupe Music.
"It Is Time marshals the virtuosity of the individual members of So Percussion to speed, slow, warp, celebrate and mourn our perceptions of time. Each of the four sections of the piece is a mini-concerto for one of the players. First Eric Beach leads the music in a multi-percussion set up composed of metronome with delay, pump organ, bells, china cymbal on hi-hat stand and a few other assorted toys. Josh Quillen follows on steel drums, Adam Sliwinski on marimba, and Jason Treuting on drumset.
It Is Time was inspired by my young son Jasper (now 30 months old). As an older father (now 664 months old) I felt, for the first time in my life, saddened by the immutability of time and the finite limits to how much of It I will be able to spend with my young family. It Is Time fantasizes that we might have agency with respect to time. An African poet named Isaac Maliya wrote a poem called ?Time is Time.? The first stanza ? ?Time sits, Time stands, Time is Time? ? suggested a terse melody that became a dominant lyrical element in the piece. It is first unveiled in the Steel Drum movement but shards of it permeate much of the music."
-Steve Mackey @ Cantloupe Music
Steven Mackey:
- "was born in 1956. His first musical passion was playing the electric guitar in rock bands based in northern California. He later discovered concert music and has composed for orchestras, chamber ensembles, dance and opera. Since the mid 1980s he has resumed his interest in the electric guitar and regularly performs his own work, including two concertos as well as numerous solo and chamber works."
- http://stevenmackey.com/
Comments
Decent post-rock with some electronics from Germany. Review and a sample track here.
Efrim Manuel Menuck - Plays "High Gospel"
Solo release from godspeed you! black emperor/ Silver Mount Zion member/leader. Judging by the tracks I've sampled so far on youtube, well worth a listen.
"Superdisque is the first album of the French trio formed by David Fenech (electric guitar) with Jac Berrocal (trumpet) and Gh
Hey, that Plays High Gospel thing is something I'll have to look into later this week. A couple months ago, something of his hit emu, and I remember putting it on a list with a plan to hear more and maybe invite him for an AAJ dotd feature date. I remember I couldn't find any contact info, nor any place to hear more music, so I was like, fuck it.
Didn't know about the godspeed connection, though I'm not much of a fan of theirs, so whatever.
But I remember really liking what I heard of High Gospel and being disappointed I couldn't find more. Nice that more stuff is popping up.
Cheers.
More of the raster-noton take on dubstep. Cold and squelchy. Moody.
Colin Stetson - New History Warefare Vol.1 Remixes
- Includes a remix by Tim Hecker. This EP is a must for Stetson and Hecker fans.
(from a helpful review at Dusted Magazine).
Strange stuff.
$4.95 at Amazon. Emusic buyers BEWARE: if you click the "download album" button it's $6.49, but if you get the tracks individually they come to $2.45 (there is no indication that any are album-only but who knows on the new site.)
"Now Again Records is proud to present Grimm Reality, the third album from our favorite Swiss electronic musician. Dimlite incorporates the techniques and artistic attitude of two of his alter-egos (Misel Quitno, a fanatic in low-fidelity electro-acoustic composition; the Slapped Eyeballers, a two-headed, world-rock-folk combo) to color a progressive sonic vision.
Titling his third album Grimm Reality might seem to point to a new autobiographical streak in this Swiss musician, but that would be too simple. Its up to the listener to piece together a version of Grimms reality from mere hints: the wistful romance of XY, the tension and release of New, Better Pain and soon through every perfectly poised moment on this record. Likewise, looking for the remains of a hip-hop influence, or a connection to whats happening on modern-day dance floors, wont yield much here. The precedents that spring to mind are all cherished outsiders Neu, The Residents, Beefheart, Philip Glass footnotes in mainstream music history but, in an altogether preferable parallel universe, titans of the recent past.
This isnt the patchwork of a tasteful record collector though Dimlite eschews samples entirely, imbuing his music with the spirit of his heroes but never once grabbing for their sound. In so doing, he creates music that is highly singular and despite its relatively ancient influences altogether new."
- Now Again Records.
A few years back these guys were one of the better post-EITS post-rock outfits, with a couple of really nice albums. Then they apparently disbanded (unless I am confusing them with someone else) and there was nothing more forthcoming. Suddenly there's a new album. Haven't heard it yet but will be checking it out. Only $3.43 over at the train wreck.
Tim Berne - Insomnia
"The core of the band is Berne's '90s quartet Bloodcount: Berne on alto and baritone saxophones, double-bassist Michael Formanek, drummer Jim Black and reed man Chris Speed on clarinet. The rest of the rich ensemble is made up of veteran trumpeter Baikida Carroll and a complement of strings: violinist Dominique Pifar
Lady Maisery
Gorgeous harmonies!
$6.49 at eMusic
14 credits at mTraks
Pilgrims' Way $6.49 at eMusic
11 credits at mTraks
The Once $4.90 at eMusic
"There is no other instrument which experienced such a glorious renaissance over the last couple of years like the piano. Heavily tempered with or as pure as possible: the piano has re-established itself as a driving force in innovative music. Ever since the release of their first album in 2004, Swod have been among the most respected acts in this genre which many falsely label neo classical. With Drei, Swod take their unique sound to a new level. Sans Peau for instance, a piece of gold for every DJ with an open mind, perfectly sets the stage for the new album. With heavy 808 toms, the right amount of noise and distortion and one of the most catchy hooklines of all times, the track is a perfect example of how the two Berlin-based musicians have finetuned, taken apart and reassembled both their style of composing and cutting-edge production. Fear not, though, Drei is a carefully crafted evolution of the well-established Swod sound. Its all there, and more. The melancholy of the piano, found sounds, delicate bass and guitar, the always present samples of a woman we all love and worship. For the first time, however, Drei showcases inspirations and influences more prominently which had been present in the bands earlier work, but which had been somewhat carefully buried. A deep love for the minimalists, which gives tracks like Hellerau or I Am Here an almost mechanical, sequenced feel, opening up Swods body of work to a whole new audience."
- http://www.swod-music.de/swod/release.html.
- 15 minutes promo @ Soundcloud
"Swod is the recording project of Oliver Doerell and Stephan Wöhrmann, two musicians who met in Berlin sometime in 1991. Oliver plays guitar, bass and all manner of electronics - he is also a long-time family member of CCO having recorded two album and an EP under the "Dictaphone" moniker in between composing and performing musical pieces for theatre, installations and film over the last few years. Stephan plays piano and drums, arranging an almost neo-classical structure within a recording that already sounds ghostly and cinematic."
- City Centre Offices.
- Great stuff !
A who's who compilation from a range of recent ambient artists, part of a curated series.
Not sure how to classify this... experimental pop/soundtrack maybe. But it sounds a lot of fun from the preview; there's an album preview here from experimedia. First release on the new Mille Plateaux Organic label.
"With Vantaa, Raster-Noton releases for the first time an album by Vladislav Delay aka Sasu Ripatti. Vantaa will be the beginning of a long lasting collaboration, which will extend and deepen the spectrum of the label, whereas it falls in line with releases of, for example, William Bassinsky, Robert Lippok, or Mitchell Akiyama.
Even though complex electronic manipulations are used, Vantaa wants to sound like a piece of nature, resulting in a mixture of techno/dub and organic textures. The tracks oscillate between a decadent, greyish, post-industrial sound cloud and the intimate atmosphere of a vast and desolate Finnish landscape. Ripatti plays with tiny rhythmic bricks that drift and collapse, but nevertheless create spaces that radiate calmness and tranquility. Being an experienced producer, he uses his know-how to layer compact sound fabrics in unusual ways. In this case, these elements arouse associations with gushing water, crackling wood, or growing grass. The tracks on Vantaa merge into each other and their density escalates with Lauma into an energetic climax, which is all at once the ecstatic, shamanic and truly moving peak of the album.
Vantaas style is sensitive and intelligent, but nevertheless subtly stirring and rich in detail. While listening to it, it is possible to completely dive into its matter and detect something new in nearly every bar, or simply let it have an effect as a particular but unobtrusive sideline. With this typical Vladislav Delay aesthetic, Ripatti has acquired an unique and distinctive style that Vantaa, his 10th Vladislav Delay album, deservingly celebrates."
- Raster Noton - http://www.vladislavdelay.com/
"Ship Chop is a celebratory cut-up of far-flung musics. Edited, collaged and re-arranged by Daniel Padden from original vinyl sources to create impossible collaborations between musical ghosts.
It is both reverential and sacrilegious, giving the music its full praise whilst also subjecting it to playful subversion. Some of the editing is obvious and transparent, but some of it much less so, where sounds from different recordings and continents overlap into an unlikely whole.
Daniel Padden is a member of The One Ensemble and Volcano The Bear, and also creates music for theatre and film."
- Dekorder
- http://www.danielpadden.com/ - http://danielpadden.bandcamp.com/
Hauschka - Youyoume
"Having had the pleasure of introducing numerous people to the music of Hauschka (Volker Bertelmann), I always find it interesting to hear those unfamiliar with his work guess at what, who or how many people might be responsible for making the sounds on his records. It is no less interesting to see peoples reactions when I reveal that, for the most part, the multitude of tones and timbres that make up Hauschka's compositions are in fact created exclusively by one man and one instrument.
The breadth of sounds that now make up Hauschka's palette are the result of years of experimentation with different piano preparations. Of particular note is his uncanny ability to conjure sounds from the piano most often associated with electronic instruments such as drum machines and samplers.
Anyone who's been following Volker's output of late will know that he's been creating some incredible compositions inspired by house and techno music. The first side of this new record is taken up entirely by one such composition.
'So Close' is a thirteen minute long piece of deep, earthy music. Perhaps never before has Hauschka's interest in electronic dance music been more plainly heard. The piece moves with a great sense of purpose; from scattered notes and the clatter of makeshift percussion there emerges a steady rhythm - a note in the lower register becomes a bass drum, its staccato bass pluck sounding four on four. Further up the register, sharps and flats become hi-hats and shakers.
The beat builds and breaks several times throughout the piece, vanishing altogether only to re-emerge with its syncopation subtly shifted. The final break-down of the last few minutes is the longest of all, a gentle piano refrain plays out the piece while the percussive elements sigh, rattle and whirr until their last breaths.
The two pieces on side 'B' of 'Youyoume' serve as a gentle reminder of just how versatile a producer Volker Bertelmann is. Gone are the unrelenting rhythms of side 'A' and in their place, thoughtful, cascading melodies which hark back to some of Hauschka's earliest output. 'So Far' is a solo piano piece for unprepared piano, while 'Paige and Jane', the final track, features prepared piano and cello.
In all, 'Youyoume' is a unique record in Hauschka's discography bringing together some of the styles and ideas which have come to define his unmistakable sound."
- Huw Roberts / Serein.
December 14, 2011 ETA: Now available on Emusic
EDIT/ Sounds 'very' good to me.
EDIT// Sounds 'very, very, very' good!
Autistici - Amplified Presence
- Home Normal - home n029 - October 28th 2011
"Subtle soundscapes and minimal meanderings (thats adequate alliteration) from UK-based artist Autistici. Autistici creates audio narratives aimed at exploring the interchange between sound and space. Space in this context also includes the subjective space held within the listener. In this realm reflection and fantasy recontextualise the sound according to the listeners inner psyche which sounds very highbrow. Autisticis latest work incorporates a wide range of sources, including textural sound design, orchestration, silence and fragments of found sound or field recordings. The tracks on this album seem to focus on representing details from both the natural and man made world. On this LP it seems like any sonic detail has the potential to become incorporated into the compositions. I guess this fascination with the interplay between the inner and outer world embodies Autisticis sound, which is by all accounts a varied, sometimes frosty sounding collection of sonic compositions top stuff."
- Norman Records.
http://www.autistici.com/amplified-presence.htm - Track 6 @ Soundcloud
Eight Equidistant Pure Wave Oscillators, While Slipping Very Slowly to a Unison, Textually Spatialised on Eight Speakers
"Reinhold Friedls Eight Equidistant pure wave oscillators, while slipping very slowly to a unison, textually spatialised on eight speakers, concret, 60 minutes is an algorhithmic composition that speaks to his unique compositional vision.
A deeply affecting psycho-acoustic work, Eight Equidistant pure wave oscillators... draws the listener into a gently lilting sound world in which pure tones work for and against one another, creating a swelling cascade of intonation. At its core is a carefully crafted and astutely executed exploration into the possibilities of spatial sound. The guided movement of the signals across the speaker arrays, generating a very specific set of acoustic outcomes.
Like much of Friedls work Eight Equidistant pure wave oscillators... taps into his interests and research into the connections between mathematics and music. The tension and release of the glissandi tones is a representation of this.
This is a provocative work that not only prioritises the act of listening, it also invites the listener to consider their position to the work and how psycho-acoustics can shape the listening experience. Eight Equidistant pure wave oscillators... is an utterly sonic experience crafted by one of the great contemporary European composers."
- Room40.
Andrew Foreman is the bass player in the trio. It's killing me trying to recall why his name is so familiar. I kinda think he might be an infrequent member of the AAJ forums, but I'm not seeing anything.
Oh, the Neighborhood Trio is vibes, banjo, and bass.
Ben Frost & Dan
"The work is somewhat reminiscent of Steve Reich's 'phase shifting' compositions, yet it is quite different in form.
As Bang on a Can co-founder Michael Gordon says: "I wanted to clear my mind of pitches and orchestration. For that reason, I decided early on that Timber would be for non-tuned percussion and that each percussionist would play one instrument only. I imagined that the six instruments would go from high to low, and that, through a shifting of dynamics from one instrument to the next, the group could make seamless and unified ascending and descending patterns."
Slagwerk Den Haag, the percussion ensemble that commisioned this work, does a remarkably disciplined job in this work - that is obviously a LOT more difficult to play than it is to listen to."
- More @ Ambientblog.net and Cantaloupe Music.
"It Is Time marshals the virtuosity of the individual members of So Percussion to speed, slow, warp, celebrate and mourn our perceptions of time. Each of the four sections of the piece is a mini-concerto for one of the players. First Eric Beach leads the music in a multi-percussion set up composed of metronome with delay, pump organ, bells, china cymbal on hi-hat stand and a few other assorted toys. Josh Quillen follows on steel drums, Adam Sliwinski on marimba, and Jason Treuting on drumset.
It Is Time was inspired by my young son Jasper (now 30 months old). As an older father (now 664 months old) I felt, for the first time in my life, saddened by the immutability of time and the finite limits to how much of It I will be able to spend with my young family. It Is Time fantasizes that we might have agency with respect to time. An African poet named Isaac Maliya wrote a poem called ?Time is Time.? The first stanza ? ?Time sits, Time stands, Time is Time? ? suggested a terse melody that became a dominant lyrical element in the piece. It is first unveiled in the Steel Drum movement but shards of it permeate much of the music."
-Steve Mackey @ Cantloupe Music
Steven Mackey:
- "was born in 1956. His first musical passion was playing the electric guitar in rock bands based in northern California. He later discovered concert music and has composed for orchestras, chamber ensembles, dance and opera. Since the mid 1980s he has resumed his interest in the electric guitar and regularly performs his own work, including two concertos as well as numerous solo and chamber works."
- http://stevenmackey.com/