Not really proper reviews, but I often have written shorter commentaries of releases into facebook group "noise now playing". May be interest of those who never use fb, so I just repost:
V/A HARSH WAYS SYNDICATE : VIHAA JA KIIMAA IKUISESTI" 3xCD boxI heard most of files in advance, plus of course was at the gig, but finally listened everything from CD format and it is really good comp! Makes me think of some of the old time releases like Festival Karlsruhe, perhaps even Heavy Electronics comps. Not that there would be much of musical or visual similarities, merely that documenting full gigs of the fest as box set can work really nicely when it is good stuff! This Vihaa ja kiimaa ikuisesti set is totally studio quality stuff. For example, I don't think AA has sounded this good on his full lengths? Controlled, but also more fierce fierce production. Rotat and Umpio of course totally exclusive material. Due neat mix of line and room sound, it has the punch and live feel same time, and for example Sadio may sound better than any of the studio works? Hard to really evaluate. Mostly Vouyeur Seeks and former 7" related songs, but alternative versions of course. Bizarre Uproar was a bit unsure does he want to be on comp with full set as vocals were different than intended. I convinced him that he should be in, and leave it all as-is, and he could always re-do the live in studio to be "like intended". He liked the idea, so the album that came on F&V that has the "live gig", is not really this gig at all. That is studio-live version re-done with new contributions from all people involved on stage. I guess in this version, vocals were louder and more in-your-face than he usually likes. For several years, most often BU has had quite deep buried vocals and I know a lot of people who'd actually prefer it this way like they are on the live set! Even if you'd have the F&V live version, I would still urge to get this box, since this version is vastly different, plus really great. Not to mention 32 page full color zine, blood smeared piece of canvas, trophy from the BU live gig, covered in fluids that splattered all over venue. Some people may hesitate "live compilations", but this one is again one example that most artists give you something else they did in studio, plus sound that is no less than studio. Often even better. Not really shipping friendly packaging, though.
Box of 3"CD/CDR and biz card CDr's. Got some of these boxes filled with little releases that do not really fit into regular shelves. It might have been "Artificial Invagination" when I first seen 3"CD, or some of the V2 label releases. Not sure. Since I first hold one in my hand, always liked 3" and its too bad format is quite rare these days. Many factories do not manufacture them and its always higher cost to make than normal CD. Just something neat in perfect c. 20 min duration, that is not too short, not too long, but perfect especially for "one idea" -release. Not album, but good idea, experiment, of something.
Joe Colley – Anthem (Static For Empty Life) 3"Perfectly droning Colley 3", you can still get this very cleap (well, 2 copies at discogs). One 19 minute piece that stand strong among his discography
Taint "hel-lo" biz card is 5 minute live, where mostly feedback and shouting with funny short audience remark in the end.
Jazzkammer "sound of music" 3" belong to very best of the band. I still regret not getting all of the pica disc 12 x CD series Lasse did of Jazzkammer. I got probably half of them. Perhaps more, but not all. This 3" is like one layer harsh noise, other is droning, musical elements and neat experimentation blending in with distorted noise. When you got people saying there are noise acts pushing it to new things, often when I hear it, I tend to think... not really "new", but returning to noise when it meant this type of wider thing. If you'd like Cyess Afxzs or some of such stuff, perhaps even Green Tea, of course Jazzkammer can be something totally different (as line-up and approach changes), but for example this particular 3", its like that - pushing noise into experimentation and musicality. Recorded live in 2001.
Ralf Wehowsky "nameless victims" 3", RLW appears to keep himself busy still now at age of 65 or something. I know it is not exactly noise, but sometimes feels odd how little I see people mention him. Some of his stuff occasionally sells, so I am sure there are people even in Finland who listen to it. This is mid 90's stuff, guy had been already around for 15 years or more. Coming from art-punk / industrial tape culture type of background into electro-acoustic, so not "academic", but... good! Notch more primitive, notch less "arty", hah.
Lionel Marchetti "la grande vallee" 3", brilliant field recordings and electronics, musique concrete piece from 93/96. When I got into Metamkine CD's in the 90's, it was totally because they were distributed by noise and industrial labels. RRR, Artware, Tesco, Nuit & Bruillard, just about everybody. And even more, for example RRR sold all 6usd each. Getting a CD for 6 bucks in 90's was pretty damn good deal and ended up buying things I had no idea what they were and there is zero regrets. Nowadays the best titles or well known names are gone, but a lot of good titles might be even cheaper. Would recommend anyone to gamble and get bunch of these and digest the stuff even if it may not be instant "hit", but experiment that demand attetion and time to sink...
It is not long since I last listened
Yama-Akago 3"CDR. I don't know how many really pay attention to project, since it is not hugely active, but due CD(r) releases on Euro labels who did other great stuff, I first heard it 20+ years ago, and eventually managed to see one live gig when visiting Japan years ago. Then did interview for SI issue 5. She is wife of Kosakai. There are other collaborators. This 3" came out on Sewer Records, that is mr. Sewer Election. 2001. Its all delay, pitch and vocal drones and occasional sounds. Slowly drifting female voice being main element. There is full length CD done in 2008 that is easier to get.
Alain De Filippis and
Michel Chion 3"s, both these Matamkine releases I've mentioned above. Really neat "cinematic musique concrete", like creating unreal space out of sounds you recognize. Both excellent. Makes one think that if some of the "contemporary art music" (well, these are from 90's) guys would benefit from harsh noise production skills, for sure harsh noise makers could benefit from throwing out their shaker boxes and look for actually interesting sounds to process, hah.. That would be neat to see. Collaborations that cross the genre lines for both styles benefit.
Strom . ec "malignant stalin" biz card CDR. I was told this meant to be on Stalin themed comp, in 2000, but that never came out. Not sure how many Stalin themed comps there could have been under work late 90's or early 00's, since also Grunt recorded for it. American guy was doing it, who lived in Finland for short period at that time. Never came out, so Grunt track made it to 10xCD compilation of 90's "the rest of" type box,
Strom.ec put out biz card cdr in 2005 and later reissued on Electric Current LP (Hospital/FA). Highly electric Finn power electronics/heavy electronics type of thing, nobody really had done before, or since. Very unique sound.
Residual "Forcing the end" 3"CD in metal box - is newer, current Finn noise. Not huge amount of stuff exists, but all of it is good. 3", tape, compilations... He almost played live, but didn't. Hopefully more will come. Harsh, very distorted noise.
Chop Shop "Smolder" 3". Earlier mentioned these V2 label 3"s were some of the early release of this format that I got. This particular 3" is probably among very best of Chop Shop, along with steel plate 2x10"! Fragments of decayed speaker rust noise are longer than some of later works, and also packaging is this odd soft lead, I guess. Probably got to wash my hands, hah. Something you can open by just folding it open, metal is so soft.
Would be curious to know if Chop Shop is intending to do anything new anymore!
A bit of dilemma here! I just said Chop Shop "smolder"(1998) may be among best, but well,
"Tension Charge Discharge" (1994) in in wire mesh envelope... it may be better? Or equally good! Cuts are notch shorter, but so brilliant sounds, it is very good. Style he chops the sound, is pretty unique. Comes with mini booklet with text and photos.
Chop Shop "hello" Biz card cdr on Banned Prod is unusual, as it has no cuts. Just around 3 minutes long piece of louder, noisier Chop Shop sound.
Each Metamkine 3", I listened more than once today. All of them very very good.
Jean-Francois Laporte "Mantra" 3", as soon as it ended, there was instant need to push play again without changing disc. Droning and almost like singing bown clatter OR just some sort of ringing metal clatter on top.
Christine Grould, Eliane Radigue, Jim O'Rourke... None of them are "noise", per se, but could be stuff noise listeners would benefit of hearing. Or noise makers. They can be noisY enough, but often innovative and perhaps not "musical", but compositional. Sound arrangements. They all pre-date the computer era. While I do not reject computers, I do feel they did bring plenty of disadvantage to flow and editing of noise or experimental stuff. More possibilities, yes, more precision, yes, but when talking of -flow- of stuff, I guess some people know the difference when on-screen edit enters the game....
