|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Venetian
Snares
Meathole, CD
Aaron Funk has booted his computer into destruction mode and vented
his spleen by mixing, glueing, processing and alienating confusing rhythm
patterns, sombre melody lines and
found sounds.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RM74
Exkursion, CD
The Swiss sound tinkerer known as RM74 has a new album on offer.
"Exkursion" takes the listener on a witty and adventurous journey through
virtually all sorts of sound creation physically
possible.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Die
Toedliche Doris
Welten - Worlds - Ohontsa'shón:'a, LP
Legendary Berlin-based artists' group Die Toedliche Doris have
quite an impressive backlog of musical and visual performances. "Welten"
comprises hitherto unreleased recordings from an improvised soundtrack
they'd done for an alternative fashion
show more than 20 years ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel
Patrick Quinn
Severed from the Land, CD
From a corner of Daniel Patrick Quinn's Edinburgh bedroom comes
this collection of recordings that can best be described as music inspired
by English Folk traditionals, yet with a contemporary twist. Six songs
have been compiled for this CD, four of which
are instrumentals.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Skysaw
Skysaw, CD
Zither player Core Redonnett and drummer Yuri Zbitnoff have teamed
up in the instrumental band project Skysaw. Their self-titled debut album
is very much in the progressive Jazz Rock vein, yet
with a contemporary twist.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Voks
Darkvaks, 3-inch CD
"Voks" is the Danish word for "wax", and, just like hot molten
wax, Voks' music is extremely flexible and it just hurts so good. This
is truly mind-expanding music, and therefore
highly recommended!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Digitonal
The Centre Cannot Hold, CD-EP
London threepiece Digitonal set out to combine elements of classical
and electronic dance music. Not an easy task, for many musicians have
tried and failed miserably in this endeavour.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Made
in Sheffield
Music documentary, DVD
Sheffield, it seems, is the ugly duckling among the major cities
in the north of England. Abandoned warehouses, derelict council estates
and grimy "dark satanic mills" form the backdrop for a barren cultural
wasteland - at least that's what a mainstream box office success movie
like "The Full Monty" made you believe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hypnotique
The Hanging Garden, CD
Here at last, the debut album by one-woman band Susi O' Neill,
who is also known as Hypnotique. Titled "The Hanging Garden", the album
will be available in a limited edition
of a few hundred copies only.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Corrugated
Tunnel
Chainsmoking, Mini-CD
Edwin James is another offshoot from a seemingly thriving Irish
electronic music scene. His current project Corrugated Tunnel offers a
journey through some recordings that were originally meant to be the
acoustic backdrop to a film.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sector
13
Black Current And Lime Light, CD
The days of Western civilization are numbered, and just in case
you haven't already noticed that, there's always Sector 13 to tell you.
Expect a cynical, yet not all too serious, free-form soundtrack about
the world as we know it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jimmy
Behan
Days Are What We Live In, CD
The mayfly has landed, straight on the cover of Jimmy Behan's
latest album "Days Are What We Live In". With the delicate and short-lived
insect in mind, immerse yourself into a sonic potpourri of harmonious
and "organic" electronica of almost Arcadian
quality.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leisur::hive
3 Ton Edition, CD
Leisur::hive have gone their own way and released their second
album with no backing from a professional record label. As you would expect,
the new album sounds more mature and refined than its predecessor "Spasm",
yet still feels as cuddly as sandpaper.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mutant
Throbbing Gristle
TG Remixed, CD
So Throbbing Gristle are finally back it seems, with re-issues
and re-mixes of their past material being released, a one-off re-union
show that mysteriously had to be cancelled and downsized to a "secret
gig", and even talk of a new album. But the question is: have
TG ever been away?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Living
With Eating Disorders
White Like Snow, CD
The Beatles had their "white album", so why shouldn't Living with
Eating Disorders have one of their own? And here it is, white like snow.
Talking of albums: with a playing time of just about 29 minutes for three
songs and three re-mixes, "White like Snow"
is not really a full-length album.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cobra
Killer
76/77, CD
Cobra Killer, a female twosome from Berlin, seem to be en vogue
in trendy circles. This must have to do with Cobra Killer's relentlessly
distributed retro chic, both music- and fashionwise. Some of their songs
do have addictive qualities and could
well live beyond the hype.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Various
Artists
Eklectra, CD
Small Dublin-based record label Elusive aim to bring a breeze
of fresh Éire to the rest of the world. To achieve this, Elusive
have compiled an album called "Eklectra", featuring a host of mainly unknown
talent from the Emerald Isle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Max
Richter
The Blue Notebooks, CD
Classical and electronic music don't team up well. Says who? Certainly
not Max Richter who feels perfectly comfortable in both fields, as can
be witnessed on his latest album "The Blue Notebooks". It's a slow-paced
and slightly depressing work involving
natural and synthetic sounds.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Andrew
King
The Amfortas Wound, CD
The wound that would not heal, as featured in the tragic story
of Amfortas, the legendary keeper of the Holy Grail, stands for eternal
grief and symbolizes Andrew King's emotional state when recording this
album. Music-wise, it is a beautiful collection of traditional
English folk songs.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Ghost of Lemora
More Dodgy Demos, Demo-CD
London foursome The Ghost Of Lemora are often described by critics
as a traditional Goth band, and this demo-CD does nothing to prove this
wrong. The Ghost of Lemora certainly have the potential to develop a style
of their own. Right now, it's more of
a deja-vu experience.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Various
Artists
Construction Sonor, DCD
A quite unusual concept-album, curated by Swiss Arts Council Pro
Helvetia and literally dedicated to the underground: it's a sonic homage
to the railway tunnel that's currently being drilled through the Swiss
alps to link the Northern and Southern parts
of Europe's rail network.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Asmus
Tietchens
FT+, CD
Small American record label Crouton present FT+, comprising 9
sonic miniatures by artists like Jon Mueller and C. Rosenau, carefully
de-constructed and re-joined by German experimental
musician Asmus Tietchens.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Richard
H. Kirk
TWAT 4.0, CD
Richard H. Kirk has been one of the electronic music scene's busy
bees ever since the early days of Cabaret Voltaire more than 25 years
ago. TWAT 4.0 is his latest release, but music-wise it conjures up memories
of early Cabaret Voltaire.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Living
With Eating Disorders
More Than This, Demo-CD
Three new tracks by Living With Eating Disorders, delivered in
their characteristic style - and with a litte help from mastermind John
Fryer who has remixed one of the songs. "More Than This" feels a bit like
a refined add-on to the band's first
Demo-CD "Selling Self Hate".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Philip
Jeck
Host, CD
"Host" is DIY-artist
and vinyl aficionado Philip Jeck's latest release on compact disc and
features three musical pieces plus a video illustrating the "making of"
Philip's LoFi-music. Philip crops and shapes, translates and mangles the
sounds that have almost exclusively been
taken from old vinyl records.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coil
Live Four, CD
Four live-CDs set out to capture the spirit of Coil's latest (and
presumably last) concert tour in 2002. "Live Four" comprises recordings
from the tour's final concerts held in Vienna and Prague, and in true
backwards-fashion this CD has been released
first in the live album series.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Various
Artists
Sub Rosa Anthology Volume 2, DCD
This is part 2 of Belgian label Sub Rosa's anthologies of noise
and electronic music, and again it has been compiled with love and care
for the detail. It comes in a luxurious gatefold-digipack with an abundance
of sleeve notes on the history of electronic
music and the artists featured.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arne
Nordheim
Dodeka, CD
"Dodeka" is the Greek term for the number 12, and 12 early pieces
by Norwegian avantgarde composer Arne Nordheim have been gathered on this
retrospective album. Expect an impressive journey through a world full
of sonic marvels, for the first time available
to the listening public.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ambulance
The Curse Of Vale Do Lobo, CD
Two
guys from Ireland and an extensive journey through all sorts of electronic
tinkering, that's basically what the band name Ambulance stands for. Their
debut full-length album shows an immense fascination for complex
arrangements and advanced rhythms.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bocksholm
The Sound Of Black Cloggs, CD
Bocksholm is an "all-star" band project combining the talents
of Peter Andersson (of Raison D' Etre and Stratum Terror fame) and the
artist known as Lina Baby Doll (another Peter Andersson, Deutsch Nepal).
"The Sound Of Black Cloggs" is their second
joint effort.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
David
Sylvian
Blemish, CD
Former Japan-singer David Sylvian has taken a considerable amount
of time to complete his new studio album - nearly four years have passed
since the predecessor "Bees On A Dead Cake" came out. The new album won't
be on display in record shops, but is exclusively available
via David Sylvian's website.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Siouxsie
and the Banshees
The Seven Year Itch Live, DVD
Almost one year after their "Reunion"-tour, Siouxsie Sioux and
her Banshees have released a live video of their London gig at Shepherds
Bush's Empire. Expect a solid performance without major surprises. Sadly,
no new tunes included.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Living
With Eating Disorders
Selling Self-Hate, CD (Demo)
Living with eating disorders can be really troublesome, but that
is not what this London-based band is about. Their name they borrowed
from a TV programme, their musical style from the shelves of the past
20 years of pop music history.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ATP 3.0
Compilation, DCD
With a sackful of prominent artists from the musical underground
the yearly All Tomorrow's Parties event is certainly one of the festival
highlights. ATP 3.0 sums up this year's line-up at the UK branch in the
shape of a double-LP/-CD package.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sogar
Apikal.Blend, CD
German expatriate Juergen Heckel, currently living in Paris, has
released his third album as solo artist Sogar. Apikal.Blend is a somewhat
esoteric effort, full of multi-layered arrangements and floating sounds
that create an almost hypnotizing atmosphere.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Magic Band
Back To The Front, CD
Good heavens, Experimental Rock is upon us again as the legendary
Magic Band rejoin for a tribute to their erstwhile master Don Van Vliet,
aka Captain Beefheart. And they have recorded "Back To The Front", a 17-track
album, to accompany a couple of live
concerts in Europe and the USA.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John
Hegre
A Nice Place To Leave, CD (3 inch)
John Hegre, a Norwegian jack-of-all-musical-trades, has traveled
the worlds of Jazz, Noise and Pop likewise throughout his musical career.
"A Nice Place To Leave" is his first solo album, albeit a very short one:
it comprises just three improvisational
pieces.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Crescent
By The Roads And The Fields, CD
Bristol eccentrics Crescent can hardly be accused of jumping on
anyone's bandwagon. They are clearly one of those bands that do not care
much about rigid formulae and closed structures. This is best exemplified
by their latest release, a collection of slightly
depressing and introvert tunes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dave
Gahan
Paper Monsters, CD
When rock stars become a bit bored with their main source of income,
they often go for musical solo projects. Shortly after band mate Martin
Gore's release featuring a bunch of cover tunes comes Depeche Mode crooner
Dave Gahan's first solo album "Paper Monsters", a collection of songs
penned by Dave and American musician
Knox Chandler.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sylvain
Chauveau
Un Autre Décembre, CD
Imagine a cold winter day, the chilly yet gracious silence broken
only by snatches of notes played on an old piano. The musical voice comes
from the distance, maybe from the apartment downstairs, where a lonely
piano player, in his attempt to reflect the coldness of the world around
him, caresses, then gently pushes, the
keys in ivory and black.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Holger
Czukay and U-She
The New Millennium, CD
It's a rare experience to see a current release refer to the "new"
millennium, as all the turn-of-the-millennium-craze had fortunately died
away just a few weeks into the year 2000. Why is it then that Can-veteran
Holger Czukay has chosen that title? Because, according to Holger himself,
"this album would never have fitted
into the old millennium".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ex
Eu
Tended Rope, CD
Ex Eu, an acronymic version of "Extended Europe", is an artistic
statement about the forthcoming political and economical integration of
several Eastern European countries into the European Union, but it is
also a homage to experimental and vocal music
from the Eastern parts of Europe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Echoboy
Giraffe, CD
Richard Warren, aka Echoboy, has re-discovered the beauty of the
ordinary pop song. 12 songs are gathered on "Giraffe", all of them really
accessible tunes, but not without the odd twists and warps. A slightly
surprising, but promising album from Echoboy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Supersilent
6, CD
In
a rare case of constant improvement these four outstanding musicians that
make up Norwegian improvisational group Supersilent have released their
sixth album, simply called "6". Song titles? Nope,
choose a number instead.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cabaret
Voltaire
The Original Sound Of Sheffield '78/'82, CD
Straight
from Mute's Grey Area archives comes this compilation on CD, featuring
classic material of one of Sheffield's most influential bands, Cabaret
Voltaire - recorded way before the band headed for
a prototype House-/Techno-sound.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Patricia
Warren
British Film Studios - An Illustrated History, Book
Film historian Patricia Warren has compiled a pretty comprehensive
work on the history of Britain's film production, with special regard
to the studios. More than 100 years of British film history are covered
by illustrated stories on more than 90 studios, both
famous and long forgotten ones.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reginald
Smith Brindle
The New Music. The Avantgarde since 1945, Book
This highly inspired, intelligent and concise look at the experimental
fringes of modern music is still a very good introduction to musical ideas
and concepts beyond the confinement of traditional songwriting. A special
chapter is dedicated to electronic music and its influence
on the music of today and tomorrow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Biosphere
Shenzhou, CD
Norwegian electronic musician Geir Jensen's current album goes
way beyond the boldest expectations. The new tracks are filled with tranquillity,
and even the characteristically sombre Nordic sound clusters stay in
the background this time.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Komputer
Market Led, CD
London-based electronic twosome Komputer discover the magic of
simplicity on their latest release. "Market Led" is a total breakaway
from its predecessor "World Of Tomorrow", as their current attitude favours
an experimental approach instead of
pop song standards.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Suicide
American Supreme, CD
Three decades and four studio albums after heading off under the
monicker Suicide, Alan Vega and Martin Rev have released a new record
- just 10 years after their album "Why Be Blue". Like it or not, their
latest offering "American Supreme" is definitely a departure from
the traditional Suicide sound.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coil
remixed by DraZen
The Plastic Spider Thing, CD
DraZen of Swiss radical performance art group Black Sun Productions
has remixed a couple of Coil tracks old and new in order to create a soundtrack
for Black Sun's performance "Plastic Spider Thing", a ritualistic work
about the complex relationship between the spider
and the fly.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark
Pauline and GX Jupitter-Larsen
Survival Research Laboratories Soundtrack, CD
SRL founder Mark Pauline and GX Jupitter Larsen present a very
special kind of soundtrack, compiled of recordings done for (and from)
several shows of the Survival Research Laboratories. Expect an amorphous
mix of fierce and warped noises coming at you at
full throttle.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Tony
Wilson
24 Hour Party People, Paperback
A novel based on the screenplay for the movie "24 Hour Party People"
and written by Tony Wilson himself. This could be the ultimate story of
Manchester's best-known independent label Factory Records - or a quick
cash-in on the film's relative success.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Irvine
Welsh
The Acid House, VHS Video
"The Acid House" contains three short stories by Irvine Welsh,
adapted for the screen. Enter the world of Scottish working-class losers,
including heaps of bad taste, physical violence, swearing, strong accents
- and a guest appearance by God.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Peter
Murphy
Dust, CD
"Dust" is Peter Murphy's eighth solo album and a very seasoned
and harmonic effort. It skilfully combines musical influences from the
Orient and Occident, thus expanding the vocabulary of alternative pop
music. The music has a very relaxant quality, it's almost like
floating on a wave of notes.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Leisurehive
Spasm, CD
With their bandname borrowed from a Doctor Who episode and musical
influences apparently ranging from 1960ies' Psychedelia to Atonal Music,
Leisurehive follow their own distinctive path. All this is summed up on
their current release "Spasm".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dead
Voices On Air
Frankie Pett Presents..., CD
It's hard to pin down what this CD is all about, while at the
same time it's very obvious that boundless experimentation is a major
concern for Mark Spybey's project Dead Voices On Air. Enter the story
of Klaverland and the happy submarines.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dave
Haslam
Manchester, England. Paperback
Dave Haslam presents a highly individual look on the story of
Manchester, from the dawn of the Industrial Revolution some 200 years
ago to the birth of Acid House music in the late 1980ies, and beyond.
Definitely goes far beyond the book's almost humble
subtitle "The story of the pop cult city".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Raoul
Bjorkenheim
with Scorch Trio, CD
Finno-American guitarist Raoul Bjorkenheim has travelled between
musical styles from Ambient to Avantgarde, Jazz and World Music for the
past two decades. His latest offering is a CD he recorded as part of the
Scorch Trio - what an ensemble!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jah
Wobble's Solaris
Live In Concert 2002, CD
Jah Wobble, bass player extraordinaire and formerly with bands
as diverse as Public Image Limited (P.I.L.), Human Condition or Invaders
Of The Heart, takes a different route with his recent band project "Solaris".
This is their current live recording.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thee
Majesty
Time's Up CD
This highly disturbing release is the result of several recording
sessions Genesis P. Orridge and Bryin Dall did in 1998 and 1999. A strange
mixture of spoken words and manipulated sounds, this CD is definitely
to be filed under "Uneasy Listening".
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
24
Hour Party People
The movie
Director Michael Winterbottom has dedicated his latest production
to the rise and fall of Tony Wilson and the Manchester music scene between
1976 and 1992. It' s not a documentary film, but rather a tongue-in-cheek
look at Mancunian pop culture, seen through
the eyes of the infamous Wilson.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Damned
Grave Disorder LP (coloured vinyl)
The Damned's current album has finally been released on vinyl. It gives
you 14 beautiful songs of love and hate (including one instrumental), etched
in a strangely coloured disc.
With "Grave Disorder" the band continue in their tradition
of dark psychobilly Punk with a pop edge. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Louis
Sclavis
Dans La Nuit CD, music for a silent movie
French clarinet-player
Louis Sclavis, a well known
musician in contemporary Jazz circles, has written
many a film score to date. His latest work is dedicated to the silent movie
"Dans la nuit" by Charles Vanel, a production
from the late 1920ies. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Coil
Moon's Milk (in four phases), Double CD
A very fine re-release of the now deleted Moon-Musick single records dedicated
to the four seasons, this double CD is beautifully digi-packed and combines
all the tracks from the Solstice/Equinox series. Hard-to-describe mystic
music that requires careful listening. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Philip
Glass
The Glass Engine, online music library
American composer Philip Glass has enhanced his website with the innovative
interactive project "Glass Engine" that navigates through 60 of
his musical works. The user is guided solely by his personal
interests, emotions and associations. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The
Art of Rozz Williams
From Christian Death To Death, Book and (limited) CD
Dutch avantgarde-film
amateur Nico B. has created an extensive and posh looking book, a tribute
to the flamboyant cult figure Rozz Williams. "From Christian Death
To Death" exclusively features original artwork
and lyrics by Rozz. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kronos
Quartet
In Accord DVD Video
"In Accord" presents key works of American string quartet extraordinaire
The Kronos Quartet, enhanced by video footage and interspersed comments
of Kronos-members on the musical pieces performed and
why they chose them. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Seventh
Harmonic
The Awakening CD
Seventh Harmonic are a female threesome from London with a preference
for dreamy, ethereal and otherworldly soundscapes. "The Awakening" is
their first CD and shows the band have a talent for writing
memorable songs for the quiet moments in life.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sorrow
featuring Michael Cashmore
"Let There Be Thorns", 7 inch picture single
"Sorrow" is the current project by Rose McDowell, remaining part of the
1980ies' Scottish all-girl-band Strawberry Switchblade, well-remembered
for their unusual outfit and some nice, but
melancholic pop-tunes. |
|
|
|